Showed my Korean tourist friend this place (my other friend had brought me five years ago and I remembered it was fun and so pretty this much later)! He really enjoyed it, said the views were pretty, it was so vividly green (his favorite color), and the orange was really good! Adam was our tour guide and ensured it was a fun, educational, and safe walk! We learned a lot about the history and methods for citrus planting. We were even allowed to pick one orange each at the end, and the fruit were refreshing, juicy, sweet, and somehow cold in the center even though the weather was hot! Adam even showed us the suncatcher collection and gave us one to take & DIY at home! Parking was $7 for two hours. Please be warned there are many bees. And bring water, wear sunscreen & a hat! read more

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making good use of my historian passport and visited california citrus sp! easy drive and lots of parking available. for day pass, its $7 and with the passport its free. we spent about an hour overall here. first we went to the musuem /gift shopand it was very interesting to read about the history. enjoy the ac while u can lol. We collect stickers and magnets so we picked one up at the gift shop. Afterwards we drove to the picnic side and went on a small walk along the grass area. Before leaving, there's the Gless Ranch Citrus Stand where you can buy fresh juice and snacks. We bought a freshly squeezed OJ and took some pictures at the entrance before heading out on the road. We'll be back in autumn during peak harvest season read more

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California Citrus State Historic Park is located in Riverside off of Van Buren Blvd. I have driven by here many times and this time I got to visit here as there was an event going on. The park preserves citrus groves (lots of acres here) and has historic exhibits displayed that tell stories of how citrus shaped the region's economy and culture. I really liked reading all the posters and learning about the history here ar this historic park. Who knew there was so many info about various citrus and their stages. You also have the option to wander through the orchards which was nice and relaxing and I love the fresh citrus smells! There's ample on-site parking and a designated lot where you pay $5 per vehicle for parking. As this was an event, the entrace fee coverend the parking fee so that was a nice bonus. Admission fee to the park and its visitor center/museum is free. There are also free guided grove tours on weekends to learn even more about citrus history. read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

This is a beautiful place to take a stroll through the citrus gardens. They grow a variety of citrus fruits here and there's a museum towards the back where you can learn about the history of the California citrus industry. We spent about an hour here. It's a nice stop if you are in the area. Of note, there are a few reviews about getting a hefty parking ticket from visiting this place. We personally did not have this problem when we visited as there was a ranger there that day. I'd recommend just double checking when you are visiting. read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

Very informative. Displys and video are interesting. Orangevtree varieties are many. Staff are very courteous and helpful. read more

Neat park with walking trails all through hilly orange groves. Very well kept up and clean Self pay to park was easy read more

This place was very disappointing. I saw it on YouTube saying that they have all these exotic citrus you can try that you wouldn't have seen anywhere else. You pay to come in, either $3 for an hour of $7 for all day. The museum/shop closes at 4pm. They do not sell their fruit on site. They sell to stores and shops where trucks pick them up and bring them to local places. One thing that I saw on youtube was the finger lime that I was very interested in. When I got there they looked at me funny when I asked if they had them. read more

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This was a really interesting tour for anyone interested in California history, with a beautiful walk through the citrus, Groves and an informative museum and gift shop to visit afterwards read more

LOVE love love this State Historical Park where you'll learn the citrus history and varieties of California. Be sure to sign up for the guided tour, and also try the citrus sample inside the gift shop. read more

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This was a wonderful place to visit! The weather was perfect on a Sunday morning in May, and I will definitely be back for gifts from the gift shop for the holidays! The visitor center had a lot of interesting and useful information, as well as a few citrus samples. You are not allowed to pick or take fruit from the park. The parking was $7, but I will look into the details to get a pass to visit any of the state parks. I would definitely recommend to others! read more

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It's deceiving how large this state park is until you drive into the property. It's just acres and acres upon acres of citrus trees!!! Excellent place for a stroll. They offer tours so check their website or call for details. It's one of the most picturesque places, great for numerous photo ops. Take your time to explore. One side of the park is available to rent for weddings and such. The history of the citrus industry is creatively displayed in the visitors center. read more

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Fun family friendly place to walk around and check out the trees, have a pic nic. I would recommend.

A great piece of local history, the California Citrus State Historic Park offers annual citrus tastings in March. I really enjoyed the oroblanco grapefruit and the oranges. The staff here are nice and friendly. Other than walking around the vast area, there is not much to do/see. You can bring your dog on the walks outside, which is really nice. read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

I love coming here on the weekdays with my baby. It is such a calm and serene park. It's great to walk and take in the smell of the oranges! I've also been to a wedding here and it was really beautiful! I also love coming here because it's so clean! read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

My husband, friend, and I wanted to check out this park and also join in on one of the tours. We went on a Saturday morning and it was such a fun unique experience! Our tour guide, Jose, was so informative and patient with the group. He warned us at the beginning of the tour that it would be hot so to make sure we were all wearing sunscreen and/or had a hat on. We were able to learn a bit about the park itself and Riverside in general. The tour began promptly at 10am, as stated on their website, and lasted about an hour. During the tour, we were able to taste a few of the citrus as well. They have a cute gift shop and a little museum as well. It was a very fun experience and we can't wait to go back for some of their activities! We are definitely not missing won the Latino Outdoors camping event. read more

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My safe place to go, peaceful and calm. Rejuvenating place . Seeing the oranges and more fruit trees

An interesting way to start a visit to the park will be like this: On a cool day, drive along Victoria Ave, the beautiful street in Riverside (you can see different flowers in each season), and arrive in Hawarden Hills. Then, walk/bike along the Gage Canal starting from this sophisticated neighborhood of Riverside all the way to the California Citrus State Historic Park. You will see very different sides of Riverside on the way. I haven't tried it yet but this is on my bucket list. This is one of my favorite parks in California. Parking is $5/car. You can take a walk with loved ones, picnic with friends and family, have a haul at the gift shop, and learn new things at the visitor center. The best part, they offer interpretive tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10 am. The tour is approximately 1 hour from start to finish. You will need to walk up and down in the park so make sure to wear comfortable shoes, bring water and sunscreen. On my tour, they also have fruit tasting during and after the tour. It's super fun. read more

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They need to update entrance with clear signs on how to pay for parking when no attendant is present. This is BS! Went for an hour & because we didn't see the machine on where to pay $3 for an hour, we have an over $71 parking ticket!!!! Many other people got one too. The grounds today were unkempt & the visitor center was closed. So for a crappy visit....this is what we get! read more

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What a fantastic place! I look forward to more adventures. I have been here 3 times so far. Once alone, once for an outdoor wedding and once with a friend; all moments have been enjoyable. You will need to pay for parking with the ranger at the entrance. On weekends, you will need to pay at the machine and leave the receipt on your windshield. I once ran into a volunteer who said we need to check it out on a Saturday when they do citrus tastings! read more

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The park is beautiful and fairly cool even though it was a sunny day. There's so many varieties of citrus and shaded areas to picnic. There's 10AM tour is misleading due to short staging it often gets cancelled, but it's still a great place to visit read more

Absolutely GORGEOUS! Went on a rainy day to do a shoot for a couple that was celebrating an adoption! The venue was absolutely beautiful & granted it was raining it was still beautiful. Guy at the front office was nice! Area was clean and will definitely be back for more photos! read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

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A great place to bring family to learn about citrus and local history. Tours available at 11AM and 2PM. When there are enough kids, they will make it kids-friendly (less history, more general knowledge). Michelle was our tour guide, she is a volunteer who is passionate and knowledgeable. We had so much fun with her! We actually found the park by using the California Adventure Pass that is available to check out at your local library. With it, you can enter the park for free. read more

If you like gardening you will love this place. They have a free visitors center that explains how citrus fruits made their way to the U.S. Parking fee is 5.00. You get to walk around and look at different types of citrus trees and avocado trees. Since this is a protected state park you are not permitted to pick the fruit off the trees. I did how ever see two of the older park rangers from the visitor center go pick some oranges to take home mins before closing.. guess they are exempt from the state policy or just dont follow it. The visitor center its self is small but has lots of information. read more

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We live in Riverside and recommend the free tour to visitors. We have gone 3 times, and it's different each time in a good way. It's run by volunteers and state park rangers. They all seem to really be interested in the history of citrus as well as knowledgeable. The tour is best during the citrus season because you get to taste so many varietals. The gift shop is cute. There are picnic spots. I hear it's a great wedding venue, too. read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

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So I love nature and living in California I have not taken the advantage of being in nature. This park is a really nice as you have smell of citrus in all your directions when you enter that refreshes you. Also, on a clear day you can see mount baldy, the bear mountain and other surrounding mountains. They have a nice trails and a good amount of picnic tables for the entire family to enjoy. Their restrooms are clean and have soup dispensers. To enter the fees is $5. You are literally surrounded with citrus and avocado trees. Usually its not allowed to pick fruits, but people still do if you know what I mean. You can play, bike, do picnic or birthdays or just go with your loved one on a date. Don't forget to wear masks as there is a mask mandate. There are a lot of varieties of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes and avocados. Have fun and be safe read more

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California Citrus State Historic Park is a huge tourist attraction and is about 300 acres long in Riverside, Ca. If you're going there for fruit tasting be aware that their visitor center is only open for three days : Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. There is a seven dollar parking fee to enter this amazing park for a day and they have sitting areas that you can rest there. You can see all kind of different citrus in a same place which pretty much amazing. read more

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Used the reception hall for my aunts one year passing. This was my first time visiting and what a beautiful park indeed. The hall that we used was for 150 guests. We catered for our event with Dad's BBQ and Catering and they did not disappoint! From the time I arrived to leaving the location, the staff helping for the day were AMAZING. Jen and Jamie were extremely supportive throughout our event. From helping set up decorations to banners to serving guests. Anything we asked Jen and Jamie for, they were super accommodating. Attention to detail, friendly, and always asking where we need support in, I would recommend anyone looking for a hall that is in Riverside to book with the California Citrus State Historic Park. Thank you CA Citrus State Historic Park for making my aunts one year passing a memorable way to keep her legacy alive. read more

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Hospitality was very selective to say the least. No HI, Hello or any welcome of any kind. Walked passed a group of volunteers that just gave off-putting looks as we entered the visiting center. It felt very uncomfortable and the wife and I felt like we were out of place. The break the tension I said ,"hello ladies". It was about 10 seconds of awkward silence before a reply of hello. read more

California Citrus State Historic Park - The Golden Girls (volunteers)that didn't even speak to our family - Parks Near Me - Riverside, California

What a great hidden GEM!! Great little paved path to walk I went yesterday and it is a lovely well-kept State Historic Park The fruit on the trees is plentiful and must look amazing when they are ripe. The trees were heavy with citrus but it is all still green, I must return when the fruit ripens to see their beautiful colors!! There were several family groups using the bar-b-q And a wedding in the main building CONGRATULATIONS to the wedding couple may you have a long and blessed marriage Oh yeah it is a perk to be a senior. I found this little gem after purchasing my 'senior' limited Golden Bear parking pass. Parking is covered!! Otherwise without the pass there is a nominal fee of $7.00 read more

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This is a beautiful walk through all the citrus trails! Love the smell of all the fresh trees that are blooming this time around. They have a huge lot area that you can BBQ sand hang out! Or just for a picnic is also very clean and welcoming! Our Hike was wonderful and easy to do for kids! Highly recommended. Their are clean bathrooms and nice shaded areas! read more

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Great local state park. I came here for a group event with teachers the first time I went. I thought the historical displays were interesting and I enjoyed the tour led by a park ranger and the fruit sampling direct from the trees which I hear you can only do if you're on a tour. I think if people come here they should definitely take a tour, but you will also see people taking a walk and it seems like a nice place to also take in nature and get outdoors. read more

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Came here the day after thanksgiving and there was no one at the gate. We went straight to the museum and it was closed (before the posted closing time of 4PM). We walked around for a half hour and came back to a $70+ ticket! Was visiting family so it's not even my car. Such a tourist trap and unethical ticketing policies! read more

Awesome place to walk and enjoy nature Be sure to stop by the stand for lots of reasonably priced fruits and drinks read more

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Wow what a hidden gem! I stopped here on the way back to LA from Palm Springs (it's about halfway). They have free tours only Friday-Sundays. I came on a Friday and was able to join a tour from 10-11am. There were 4 groups of all ages and our wonderful tour guide was Mary. Mary was insightful, kind and very knowledgeable. She taught us all about different citrus trees and fruits and the history behind them. We were even given a bag and Mary let us pick certain fruits- the finger limes were my favorite! The museum was also great to walk around and learn more. I would definitely recommend stopping here! I would come again if I was in the area. You can also just walk and explore the paths any day of the week. The whole area is beautiful and it smells amazing!! read more

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Been there quite a few times, and it's, um, OK. If there wasn't a ranger at the little kiosk, I could pay for parking at a little machine in the parking area near the entrance. Now, the kiosk is closed, and the machine is gone. There was ONE little sign at the entrance letting visitors know to download an app to pay for parking, but I tried to get it many times with no luck. There WAS, however, a security car there, I'm guessing to catch anyone who dared to park without figuring out the app. So, I've been there, seen it, and won't bother to go back. It's honesly not worth the effort. read more

Every Monday, there is that typical question at the office... So what did you do last weekend? A movie? Or that boring response of "nothing much"? But my office mates were intrigued when I told them about a California State Park with hundreds of acres of citrus groves. And in Riverside! What?! California Citrus State Park is one of the most unique parks I've ever visited. Located just a little over a 1 hour drive east of Los Angeles, it's an easy day trip from the city (or a nice way to break up the trip to Palm Springs or Idyllwild). Best of all, it's cheap (just $5 to park!). So what is this place? The park, which opened in 1993, is one of the newest in the California park system. It celebrates the role that citrus (especially the navel orange) has played in California's history. Think of it this way, oranges were the new thing in the foodie world. Kind of like the cruffin craze of 2014. With maybe a little more staying power! To visit the park, you should join one of the regularly scheduled tours. Otherwise, you'll just roam aimlessly and miss all the stories (and free samples!). One big thing to note: Picking oranges in the park is a big "no no." Fines will run $1,000, though our guide said it typically is just a warning. Though, he did see someone get fined once! Tour and tastes are generally available Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 2:00 pm when volunteer docents are available. Tours are first come first serve and tour space is limited For more information on tours, please call (951) 780-6222 Monday-Friday or (951) 637-8044 Saturday-Sunday. In the early 1900's, citrus farms brought hundreds of would-be citrus barons to the state for a "second gold rush." The oranges, lemons and grapefruit helped give California the lingering image as the Golden State - the land of sunshine and opportunity. Here are a few more fun tidbits heard on the tour: - Did you know that palm trees helped ranchers identify roads? Palm trees stick high above orange trees and acted as a marker along the early dirt roads (and why we see streets like in Beverly Hills lined with palm trees. Though today it's more for a decorative purpose). Mind blown! - Florida is home to the popular Valencia oranges best for juicing. But Navels are better for eating (our informative guide told us, since Navel oranges don't maintain the same flavor after being juiced). - The first orange tree in California traces back to 1804, and were guarded closely by the priests at San Gabriel Mission (located in the San Gabriel Valley) Now you're ready for your next round of Trivial Pursuit. You're welcome. read more

Beautiful park with lots of walking area. Came right as they were starting a 2:00 pm tour and it was fantastic. We learned so much and got to sample a ton of fruit. Definitely recommend. read more

First off, I've been to this park for a memorial, well done. Now our friends were to be married here in March but due to Covid sadly it didn't happen. The wedding was rescheduled for August but once again canceled due to the pandemic. This establishment will NOT refund our friends their money and was featured on NBC4 with Randy Mac; still No Refund. Shame on them. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED how this venue has handled this. We were considering using them but no longer. Obviously not professional. read more

Riverside used to have the Queen of all citrus groves. Progress and housing developments have mostly stolen that from us, the orange groves are diminishing. The evening fragrances of orange blossoms that once were so potent are rare now. But Citrus State Park pays homage to the past and allows us to still have those primal experiences associated with citrus groves of a hundred years ago. This is a very special place. Friday summer nights, the end of June and the month of July, are a special time at this historic little park just southwest of the downtown of Riverside. This is because they have Friday night concerts in the park. Parking is FREE, concerts are also FREE. Bring your picnic basket, some comfy lawn chairs, and grandma (she'll love it!) , and settle in for a fun family outing. It's a Smalltownsville meeting on a large grassy area. For one hour you can sit back, relax, people watch, while local musicians play old timey music and have a good time. Check their website for the schedule. Good handicap parking, others have to walk up a dusty road and up some stairs (not too far). Its a pleasant way to enjoy the summer evening as it cools down. If you are lucky, you can smell the orange blossoms from the surrounding groves. Thank you Riverside for continuing the concert series, even in these tough economic times. It really makes a difference, a perfect way to wind down after a tough work week. And did I say, it's FREE? read more

I had no idea this park existed until this year. During Memorial Day holiday, my husband and I had a free day on Sunday and we decided to pay a visit. It's free admission and parking is $5.00. Usually on the weekdays, there is no parking attendant and you have to put your money in an envelope, but during the weekends, there's someone there when you drive up. There are plenty of parking spaces. This park tries to recapture the time when "Citrus was King" in California and the importance of the citrus industry in southern California. Picking or taking any fruit is prohibited, however they offer FREE guided tours and you can sample fresh fruit off the tree. The tasting tours are offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30am, 12pm, and 2pm by volunteer docents. Everything smells so good here, I love citrus fruits. All the volunteers were really friendly and eager to answer any questions we had. Before we left, one of the ladies gave us a whole bunch of fruit to take home with us. There are also trails, group picnic areas and even space for special events and weddings! (Orange Court & Gazebo Wedding option or Sunkist Center) I also saw a sign that said dogs must be on a leash.... aw we could have brought our dogs here! Before we left, we stopped at the fruit stand at the main entrance. We had to get a bag of sweet naval orange and avocados. 63/100 Reviews for 2016 read more

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