Located in Southern California, about sixty miles east of Los Angeles, the city of Riverside blends small town charm and hospitality with the energy and resources of a rapidly developing metropolitan area. Ranked as the sixth largest city in Southern California, Riverside is a hub of higher education, with three nationally recognized universities located here. The city offers a variety of museums, theaters, festivals and markets, and unique shopping experiences.

• Metro area population: 304,000
• Distance to Los Angeles: 95 km/60 miles
• Distance to the ocean: 56 km/35 miles
• Distance to the mountains: 117 km/73 miles
• Distance to the desert: 138 km/86 miles
• Public transportation: bus or train
• Average sunny days per year: 300
• Average January temperature: 18° C/64° F
• Average July temperature: 35° C/95° F

RIVERSIDE ATTRACTIONS

• California Citrus State Historic Park
• California Museum of Photography
• Fairmount Park, designed by the legendary Frederick Law Olmsted
• March Joint Air Reserve Base, founded in 1918, and now the oldest operating Air Force Base west of the Mississippi River
• Mission Inn, the largest Mission Revival Style building in the US, with great dining
• Riverside Metropolitan Museum
• Riverside National Cemetery, third largest National cemetery
• University of California, Riverside Botanical Gardens with 40 acres of unusual plants and four miles of walking/hiking trails

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

• Riverside Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn (Thanksgiving through New Year’s)
• Festival of Trees at the Riverside Convention Center (Thanksgiving week)
• Riverside Dickens Festival at the Mission Inn (February)
• Riverside Air Show, Riverside Municipal Airport (March)
• Riverside International Film Festival, University Village (April)
• Legends of Riverside Film Festival at the Riverside International Automotive Museum (March)