Manzanar National Historic Site

The beauty of this national park belies its sad past. During WWII, the American government ordered over 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry to be moved and held in military camps. The Manzanar camp incarcerated more than 10,000 of that number. You will get a clear view of how harsh conditions were in this isolated outpost - sweltering summers paired with bone-chilling desert winters. The park is usually open every day between business hours but check the website for updated info.