Inland Empire

Riverside and San Bernardino are the major cities of the Inland Empire, and it’s here you’ll find the area’s orchestras, dance and theater companies, museums and galleries. San Bernardino also hosts an annual festival of classic cars on historic Route 66. When visiting the area, nearby Green Valley Lake is a little-known gem of a community that should not be missed when local artists open their studios on Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

L.A. residents retreat to high-elevation Big Bear Lake , Lake Arrowhead , or the San Bernadino National Forest when they need a shot of cool and green. And after an exciting time in the city, kids can appreciate a day of fishing, boating, swimming or all three. In the San Bernardino National Forest, the Children's Forest Exploration Trail was designed by kids for kids. And family amusement parks such as Riverside's Castle Park or the Egyptian-themed Pharoah's Lost Kingdom in Redlands will keep you and the kids hopping.

The San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains and the lakes nestled in between provide the basis for lots of recreation opportunities year-round. In the summer, it’s all about mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing and bird watching, as well as ATV and motorcycle riding. Angelinos escape the city to get a taste of winter at ski resorts on Big Bear Mountain and Mt. Baldy.

At the southern end of this region lies Temecula Valley, a premier Southern California wine region. Several wineries have their own upscale restaurants that showcase their wines.