Hawthorne’s the place for people who feel at home on the water. This unique little town – called “The Most Patriotic Town in the U.S.” because of the red white and blue paint scheme that dominates the buildings – is the eastern gateway to Mono Lake and Yosemite National Park. It also borders Walker Lake, a haven for boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and it also use to be a haven for fishing enthusiasts (it use to be home to the famous Lahontan cutthroat trout).

Hawthorne is the site of what’s said to be the largest modern-day munitions storage facility in the world, and was a munitions staging area during World War II. This rich history is celebrated at the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum, which displays some of the most unique munitions used by the United States from WW I to present day. Admission is free.

Visit the Mineral County Historical Museum to see mining and fire-fighting equipment, old west buggies, a 1907 drugstore display and various local fossils. The depth of this town’s history is rivaled only by its breathtaking lake and mountain surroundings.