Riverside California - Introduction
Riverside is a major city in California and the
largest city in the Inland Empire with a population of nearly 300,000.
But although Riverside struggles with big city problems like smog,
urban sprawl and traffic, it still boasts enough leafy stems to keep
its nickname: the city of
trees. Victoria Avenue, which plunges through Riverside’s
middle, offers an example of the city's tree-oriented side, though you
might have to look a little harder to locate the river which
originally lent it a title.
Should you find yourself in town
with time to seek out area sights, consider a short walk up Mount
Rubidoux, equipped with a signed trail and informative historic
plaques. The California Citrus State Historic Park preserves orange
groves much as they were in the turn of the century and still
producing. Downtown, the renovated Mission Inn is the city's star
architectural attraction, a historic building that now houses
restaurants, a spa and rooms for rent. Annually there is also a clutch
of festivals to consider, including the Riverside International Film
Festival in April and the Riverside Festival of
Lights.
Riverside is about 10 miles south of San Bernardino
and 32
miles east of Orange County.
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