Inland Empire to Alpine Escape

As you depart Ontario International Airport, take stock: What did you forget to pack? Shop for that jacket or flip-flops at Ontario Mills, one of Southern California’s top outlet malls with 200 stores. Then mellow out with a halo massage and salt-breathing session at Ontario’s chill spot, Salt Oasis. Lounge in a salt-covered “cave” as you inhale negative-ion-rich air imbued with 84 minerals. Stop in to the Ontario Museum of History & Art to learn about Ontario’s heritage and view paintings and sculptures by local artists. As you leave town, hit up Logan’s Candies for sugar-fueled treats—peanut brittle, ribbon candy, maple fudge, candy canes, and more. The family-run confectionery has been in business since 1933.

This city gave birth to the California citrus industry, an entire empire built around the sweet and zesty navel orange. Riverside’s fruit orchards are mostly gone, but in their place is a vibrant art scene. Tour the Riverside Art Museum to see works by Marc Chagall, Shepard Fairey, and Takashi Murakami. Visit its new neighbor, The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture, featuring the comedian’s collection of more than 700 works by Chicano artists from the United States and Mexico. Right next door, the fantastic Mission Inn has dazzled visitors for more than a century. This ornate Mission Revival landmark was designed with details borrowed from California’s 21 missions. Take a guided architecture tour or sit down to lunch on the patio, then get outside to see Riverside’s natural side: Walk the meandering trails at UC Riverside’s Botanic Gardens or Box Springs Mountain Reserve.

San Bernardino‘s location on historic Route 66 has long attracted road-trippers, and today’s drivers will still see echoes of the great Mother Road’s past. Order a chile relleno at Mitla Café, a Route 66 standby since 1937 that helped to popularize Mexican food in the U.S. Or stop by Spirit of Texas Barbecue to try the popular rib tips plate or brisket sandwich with a side of hearty mac and cheese. Next, visit the First Original McDonald’s Museum on San Bernardino’s E Street to view hundreds of Happy Meals toys and snap a selfie with the Hamburglar. At the San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum, learn more about the city’s past, or get schooled on much older history at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, home to a vast collection of Egyptian antiquities.

Snowflakes and ski hills lure Big Bear’s winter visitors, but the rest of the year, this alpine getaway is focused on hiking, biking, and lakefront fun at 6,750 feet in elevation. Rent a kayak and paddle around Big Bear Lake’s quiet coves, or go for a cruise on the Miss Liberty Paddlewheel Tour Boat or Big Bear Pirate Ship (be sure to bring your yo-ho-ho). Eat momo dumplings and curries at the Himalayan Restaurant, sip craft beer at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company, and visit the chainsaw artist at Kirby’s Custom Carvings and pick out a smiling wooden bear. If you’d rather hang out with real bears, head over to the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, a sanctuary and rehab facility that houses bears, eagles, mountain lions, bobcats, owls, and more. Want to spend the night in a Big Bear Lake cabin? There are plenty of cabin resorts to chose from.

It doesn’t take long to unwind in Idyllwild. This mile-high village lies adjacent to Mount San Jacinto State Park, an alpine wonderland laced with hiking trails and rock-climbing sites. Most visitors come for outdoor adventure, but Idyllwild’s village offers “urban” fun, too. Shop for matcha and rooibos at Merkaba Tea, well-chosen books at Speakeasy Books, and organic home and beauty products at Wildland. Browse The Funky Bazaar’sthree floors of curiosities, collectibles, and cool ephemera. Sit down to Italian-fusion cuisine at eclectic Café Aroma, a combined bistro, art gallery, and music venue. Sooner or later, you’ll want to get outside in the mountain air, so hike the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail, a mellow stroll through pines and firs. 

North of San Diego County lies the grape-rich region of Temecula, a fertile valley boasting 40-plus vineyards and 1860s cowboy vibes. Stroll along Old Town Temecula’s rustic wooden sidewalks and admire its Old West storefronts housing contemporary shops: Stop in to Temecula Olive Oil Company to stock up on top-shelf oils and vinegars, then browse Temecula Lavender Company for bath salts, hand soaps, and essential oils. Take out farm-fresh sandwiches from E.A.T. Marketplace before biking or driving Temecula’s vineyard-dotted back roads. With 50 wineries to visit, it’s hard to narrow the choices. Each one offers something out of the ordinary, from Doffo Winery’s antique motorcycle collection to Oak Mountain’s 10,000-square-foot subterranean wine cave to Miramonte Winery’s hilltop patio. Need a designated driver? Take a tour with Temecula Cable Car Wine Tours. 

Murrieta is home to one of Southern California’s largest and most remarkable open space areas, the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. Within its 9,000 acres are rare grasslands, vernal pools, and large groves of Engelmann oaks—a semi-deciduous tree that’s rare in California. Hike or mountain bike to the top of the reserve’s Monument Hill for a big vista of SoCal landmarks, including many of its highest peaks. After a fresh-air workout, quench your thirst at downtown Murrieta’s craft breweries, including Solaris Beer, Electric Brewing, and 8 Bit Brewing—the ideal spot for beer fans who also love to play video games.

Since Corona is the last stop on your Inland Empire road trip, choose your final adventure from two extremes: Chill out while slathered in mud at Glen Ivy Hot Springs, or rev up your adrenaline at Skull Canyon Ziplines. At Glen Ivy, dip into 17 mineral pools, heat up in a German sauna, indulge in a massage, or experience California’s only red-clay mud bath. Or maybe do it all at this 165-year-old wellness resort, then finish the day with a health-conscious dinner at Ivy Kitchen. On the opposite end of the thrill spectrum, Skull Canyon offers three zipline tours suitable for newbies to experienced adventurers. On the fastest lines—the Monster and the Extreme—you’ll reach speeds of 40 miles per hour as you soar 200 feet above Corona’s golden hills. When you finish your chilled-out or revved-up day, it’s only a 30-minute drive back to Ontario Airport.