The city of Lompoc, California, is notable for its proximity to the Vandenberg Space Force Base, vast fields of colorful summer flowers, its restored Spanish mission, local wineries and the murals painted on its downtown buildings.
La Purisima Mission is a faithfully restored and probably the most complete example of one of California’s 21 Spanish Catholic missions, and the park in which it stands has a visitor center along with gardens and hiking trails to explore.
The Vandenberg Space Force Base, previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, located some 9 miles (or 14.5 kilometers) outside Lompoc, is a military space launch base also used for civil and commercial rocket launches, including NASA and SpaceX. Lompoc is a good vantage point to observe launches from the base.
