Life at Edwards AFB in California

Life at Edwards AFB in California

Hey there, my name is Catherine. I’m an Air Force wife, mother to 2 beautiful daughters and content creator for my blog Love always, Catherine. We’ve been stationed at Edwards AFB in California for about 3 years now and have come to know life on and off base quite well.

Tell me about the area

When I mention California, you may be thinking sunny beaches and tons of ocean right? Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Edwards AFB is located in the desert. Yes, the beautiful desert where the temperatures can shoot up as high as 108 degrees and drop as low as 30 degrees.

But don’t let the desert intimidate you! It’s a beautiful place with lots of land to roam, especially if you have pets! Speaking of pets, make sure to keep an eye on your fur babies when living on base. There are a ton of coyotes and sometimes bobcats around the area, and you don’t want them to come up missing.

Coyotes and bobcats what!?

Yes, you can see them on the side of the road going towards base or sometimes even walking down the street on base! There are a ton of wildlife in this area, but don’t fret, the base is really safe, and you just need to make sure to stay clear of them and they’ll do the same.

What facilities are on base?

Edwards has your usual commissary and base exchange to do all your shopping. They also have: a bowling alley that is great for family night or date night, a small water park called Oasis Aquatic next to the youth center, and a beautiful community center that has a gym, arcade games and a party room with built in kitchen (great for parties!).

What’s there to eat around there?

There’s a bunch of places to go to fill your tummy on base. For starters they have a Starbucks (I mean, who doesn’t like Starbucks!?), Burger King, Dominos, Subway, Acai Bowl, BBQ trucks, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Arby’s and the Cheesesteak shop to name a few.

There is also a golf course that has their own diner, and a place called Club Muroc where they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a bar (you know, after a hard days work).

If you have kids

There are two schools on base, Branch Elementary and Desert Jr.-Sr. Highschool. They also have a CDC, School Annex and Youth Center for childcare. The Youth Center offers after school activities such as Soccer, Baseball, etc. If your family loves to watch movies, they have FREE movie showings at the base theater (so much fun for a family night).

As for the holidays, this base really knows how to come together and celebrate! I love celebrating Halloween and trick-or-treating at Edwards, it’s just like what you see in the movies- you and your kids will have so much fun! They also have cute neighborhood festivities for Christmas and other holidays as well

What about off base?

The surrounding areas are all about 15-20 minutes away from base, there’s no going around it! You have your cities: Rosamond, Lancaster, Palmdale and Tehachapi that are the closest in the area.

Rosamond – is a small city that will offer a quiet neighborhood, with small diners and a few stores such as Albertsons, Rite Aid and Dollar General.

Lancaster – Is known for their ‘downtown’ called The BLVD. It’s a cute little place packed with restaurants, a movie theater (with lazy-boy recliners!), and tons of live performances and festivals! It’s so much fun.

Palmdale – Aka ‘the big city’. Here’s where you’ll find the Antelope Valley mall, TONS of places to eat and a bunch of stores to shop.

Tehachapi – the city of 4 seasons! Yes, you’ll get your hot summers, warm spring, cool fall and snowy winter. They also offer cherry picking and have a ton of festivals to go to.

(The Modern Tea Room, a vegan/non-vegan café nestled in the heart of the BLVD in Lancaster)

If you’re up for the drive…

There are a ton of things to do outside of the Antelope Valley (this is what the surrounding area of Edwards is called). For starters, Disneyland is about 1hour and 45mins away from base, as well as Universal Studios and Warner Brothers Studios!

It’s so fun to head towards Los Angeles/Anaheim direction during summer break, a definite must do while you’re stationed here. If you like doing outdoor activities such as camping, snowboarding and fishing, you can go up north towards Big Bear where you can enjoy all those activities and more.

All in all…

Edwards AFB gives you the opportunity to experience the beautiful desert life, so make the most out of it while you’re here. Oh, and make sure you stop and take the time to soak in the beautiful sunsets that this place has to offer, it’s a breathtaking sight.

Last Updated on July 17, 2020 by Writer