A Central Spot in Southern California - It’s Ontario
Located just 35 miles from downtown LA in California’s San Bernardino County, Ontario is widely referred to as the gateway to Southern California. The world-famous beaches, gorgeous green spaces, and theme parks of the wider area complement the wealth of shopping, dining, and cultural attractions to be found in Ontario itself. It all serves to make this city a great holiday spot for everyone from couples to families. Most of the city’s 60+ hotels are found within a short distance of LA/Ontario International Airport and offer easy access to Interstates 10 and 15.
Shopping and Dining
If you’re keen to part with some of your holiday spends, you shouldn’t have too much trouble doing exactly that at Ontario Mills. This indoor climate-controlled mall, situated within a ten-minute drive of the airport and featuring more than 200 stores, attracts almost 30 million annual visitors. A smaller mall, Montclair Plaza, can be found by heading west along Interstate 10. Both malls offer an excellent selection of dining options, with choices including fast food joints and restaurants with waiter service. If you’d rather separate dining from shopping, there are some decent eateries along the interstate and to the north near Upland Memorial Park and the Red Hill Country Club.
Arts & Culture
Ontario boasts a good choice of attractions in the arts and culture vein. One of the best-known is the Ontario Museum of History & Art on South Euclid Avenue although the nearby Chaffey Community Museum of Art is also popular. If you’re short on time, both museums hold regular exhibitions at the Ontario Convention Center near the airport. Another cultural hotspot in the city is Graber Olive House; established in 1894, it is the country’s oldest operating olive packer. Tours are available all year round although visitors during harvest time (October through December) will see the facility at its busiest. You will also want to look out for the Ontario/Chaffey Community Show Band performing in venues such as the Gardiner W. Spring Auditorium, the San Antonio Winery, and Ontario Town Square.
Outdoor Spaces
This city isn’t exactly littered with green spaces but there are a few parks to enjoy. Smaller spaces such as Veterans Memorial Park and John Galvin Park are popular although the Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park and the Chino Hills State Park (just west of Ontario) offer more room to spread out. Fans of the fairway can enjoy a round at the Whispering Lakes Golf Course or the nearby Marshall Canyon Golf Course. If you’d prefer to escape the hustle and bustle of the city entirely, the San Gabriel Mountains lie immediately north of Ontario. Described as the most accessible wildlands in California, the mountains and surrounding landscape provide the perfect backdrop for hiking and creek swimming. Nature walks are also a popular pastime; watch out for rare species such as bighorn sheep.
Nearby Attractions
The area surrounding Ontario features a variety of activities and entertainment options. You might choose to cool down at the 60-acre Raging Waters Los Angeles or the Egyptian-themed Splash Kingdom Water Park. Or you might enjoy a leisurely two-mile hike through the hills of Norco to see the iconic Pumpkin Rock. For something unusual, head to Rubel Castle in Glendora; this castle was created entirely from trash and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013. Music fans can take a trip to the San Manuel Amphitheater in the San Bernardino’s Glen Helen Park; this 65,000 capacity amphitheater is the country’s largest outdoor music venue. All these attractions are within a 30-minute drive of Ontario.
Explore Further Afield
If you don’t mind travelling a little further afield, a world of opportunity opens up to you. Ontario is within an hour’s drive of Los Angeles where attractions include Universal Studios, The Getty Center, and Hollywood Boulevard. To the west of Ontario and within a 90-minute drive are the coastal cities of Newport and Huntington Beach and Laguna Niguel. Drive a little further along the coast and you can be at La Jolla or downtown San Diego within two hours. The gorgeous Joshua Tree National Park and the vibrant city of Santa Monica are also within a two-hour drive of Ontario. It is of little wonder that the city is known as the gateway to Southern California.