We visited for the Native Plant Festival in early April. It was so much fun. The vendors were…read moreawesome and the day was filled with so many wonderful activities. There's also a Native Plant Festival in October, as well. So be sure to mark your calendar. The grounds are amazing and the community is too.

Serenity abounds at this botanical oasis nestled within the suburban neighborhoods of Claremont…read more CBG is located just north of the Claremont Colleges, above Foothill Blvd. Reasonable entry prices and free parking. Annual Memberships offer even greater value. The garden is divided into several sections that are well marked and easy to traverse when you stay on the paved pathways. Sections include palms, oaks, chaparral, water features and art sculptures, as well. For those seeking a fun walking or jogging experience, check out the "Trail" route located in the CA Plant Communities section. If you're lucky, you might see a squirrel munching on their lunch, or a turtle sunbathing while gazing at a waterfall.

What a place to let Your imagination soar! I brought my toddler who I wasn't sure about bringing…read more Although she was too young for some aspects she found a way to have fun for 3 hours straight and still didn't wanT to leave! She enjoyed the cardboard fort the most but she Tried and enjoyed most of the centers. The doll house was right up her ally but she also enjoyed making some crafts to take home. We can't wait to have some play dates here with friends. Be in the look out for their mommy and me class they are starting soon. This place reeally is one of a kind and I'm glad we have found it!

Found this great place for kids to be entertained, use their imagination, be creative and…read morescientific all at the same time! They've got all these different sections for activities, like stop motion animation, crafts, building, and more. I took my nieces who are 10 and 12 and they loved it. We were there for almost 3 hours and they thought only 30 minutes had gone by, they didn't want to leave. They asked the lady why they were closing and asked her to extended the hours highly highly recommend it

Ontario Museum of History & Art has some nicely curated local history and art in a beautiful old…read morecity hall building with free admission. The exhibits mix culture, community stories, and rotating art pieces, so it's worth a stop on a weekend outing.

A pretty nice local museum that has rotating exhibits. I came here on a weekend visit and it was…read morebusy here and there. People seem to just stop in shortly here, with a few people that stuck around longer to really take in the art. You walk in to the security desk and check-in with your location. They only need your zip code and you're free to check out the exhibit. There's about two museum security persons in the exhibit areas They don't really greet you, but they're there. I came in for their Chicana(o) art exhibit as well as their water exhibit. Both were good. They also had a special historical exhibit that features the history of the City of Ontario. That was an okay exhibit. Facility has some nice historical architectural feel. Kind of like some of the art deco styling in the L A. buildings. Parking lot is small, but you can also park on the street. Also just a very close walk the Ontario train station.

I've long wanted to see this historic, artsy house, and since Maloof attended Chino schools, as did…read moremy cousin, I took my cousin for a look-see. We booked the 1.5 hour tour, which was a guided tour of the house that Maloof built and lived in until his death, and a self-guided tour of an art space, some grounds, and a wood working shop. Filled with his beautiful, handmade pieces of furniture and decor from others, this house is a real treasure to behold. Traveling from room to room, we learned Maloof's history and influences, and of those who admired his work, and learned about his dynamic wife Alfreda. (Not a word was said about Sam's second wife!) I wish I would have met Alfreda, as she sounds like she was really something! Our tour guide could have been better: I though he was boring, talked a lot about himself, and neglected to tell us certain things, like alerting us to the wall in the final room that showcased photos of prominent admirers of Maloof's work (like President Jimmy Carter), as well as the fact that he had been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship Grant. It would be fun to take a class in this environment. There was a live music performance, free for all.

After years of saying 'One of these days...' we finally took the plunge. First of all the parking…read morelot is small, but very nice and easy to turn around. It turns out the day we were there was also the same day as an open workshop. My daughter was expertly guided, with great care, to create the project of the day. She was elated. After we walked the large grounds, which included a couple homes, workshops, and gardens. The stroll through the gardens felt like we were off season, as drought conditions were impacting the foliage. We finally made a stop in the gallery, where another workshop was wrapping up. Great experience. Will be back with the kids for the next event.

A Very Merry Merced is a must visit!! Santa was onsite!…read more There was live music during the event. A little treat at the end of the self-guided tour. A person was in every room describing the interiors and such.

A brief history . In 1858 John Rains and his wife purchased…read more13,000 acres in Rancho Cucamonga for $16,500. They built their home their two years later. The bricks that are on the house today are the original bricks hand made by the masons with red clay found on the property. The home's flat roof was waterproofed with tar that was brought from the brea pits in Orange County. This is considered to be the first house built in Rancho Cucamonga. I've lived in Rancho Cucamonga on and off for the last 10 years and had no idea about the history of this beautiful place. Over the years the Rains House passes through several hands and was vacant for a while. The County of San Bernardino purchased the property in 1971. This house is considered a branch off the County of San Bernardino Museum. The house had been vandalized and needed restoring and furnishings . The women of Casa de Rancho Cucamonga Historical Society raised money through fundraisers and making crafts to sell, to assist in restoring the John Rains Home. They were able to furnish the home with authentic furniture and decoration from the time period. I posted pictures of some of the rooms and furnishings. The Docent Judy gave me a really nice tour. There are restrooms outside and a picnic area if you want to enjoy a nice sack lunch. The property is very pretty with the scenic mountains in the background. There is plenty of free parking and not many visitors. Please support the county and visit. I will definitely be coming back. They also rent out space for gatherings. Someone could plan a nice picturesque wedding here for sure. Hours : 10:00am - 3:00pm Open : Tuesday - Saturday. Closed major holidays Contact # (909) 989-4070

How beautiful; a wonderful way to end a romantic evening. It does take time to sit and watch,…read more20-30min from actual start time, but is sooo relaxing to just think or talk quietly to a lover.

James Turrell Skyspace is in the Draper Courtyard, Lincoln and Edmunds Buildings, Pomona College…read more which is at the corner of 6th & College Way in the city of Claremont. It can't be seen from the street. You have to keep your eyes open while you search for this hidden site.  I went during the winter break so I parked in their restricted permit only parking lot which is located about 500 feet north of the Skyspace. Not sure if you can park there during the regular school year.  The light show starts about 25 minutes before sunset and ends about 30 minutes after the sun goes down. Also happens at dawn for a longer time period. There is polished, hard marble, long row banquette seating around the perimeter of this art installation to look up at the ceilIng with a square cut out to expose the sky above. There is a multicolour lighting system that tints the ceiling creating a color contrast to the color of the sky.  Depending on the color of the ceiling, the same sky takes on a subtly different color tone. Keep lookIng up, and your mind plays tricks on you so you start to imagine different colors especially along the edge of the rectangular hole.  Also, your perspective of the ceiling & hole changes so illogically the hole and ceiling meld into a unified whole.  I'm sure people will perceive the Skyspace differently due to their mood, physiology, upbringIng, etc. It's meditative, serene, calming. It's incredible like communing with infinity where there are no bounds at the same time so very personal connecting to your inner self.  Unfortunately, an ADHD family that couldn't shut up and stay still and a clueless young couple who didn't even look up at the Skyspace and blabbed throughout the performance ruined the meditative atmosphere.  When attending the Skyspace, SHUT UP, do some introspection, go deep into your psyche in order to find serenity & peace. Many of us Americans are so much into the hype and being "hip" that we lose sight of what gives us health and sanity. Being in a meditative state allows us to heal and recover from life's stresses and anxieties.  Even with the disruptions, I still got snippets of quality time. I can imagine how incredible this art piece would be if silence reigned.  5 stars for a transformative experience.

Really enjoyed our visit here today. It is a gem in Claremont's downtown Depot -- the Lewis Museum…read moreof Art is small but packed with thoughtfully curated local and regional art. The historic train station setting gives it charm, and the rotating exhibits make every visit fresh and intriguing. Perfect stop for a creative weekend afternoon wander.

Museum is on the tiny end but very much worth the visit! The building is a gem, don't forget to…read morelook up and note the ceiling!! The exterior is just as stunning. The art on display was very colorful and hard-edged abstraction. I was able to view in under an hour.

First about logistics if you haven't been here before (because we had difficulties):…read more - go to gate 17 at the fair ground. Not wherever Google takes you (to a sheriffs place?), Not gate 1 (if you call the listed number it says To go to gate 1 and proceed to the security but the security at gate 1 laughed at us and said the event was closed early and we almost turned around). Plenty of parking. Really cool to see a bunch of trains up close. You can climb aboard some. The kids really loved it. You probably could go through the whole thing in an hour or less. Everyone working there, maintaining the trains and working the store were friendly. This event isn't open every weekend but specific weekends only. Check their website or call the phone number (voicemail says the dates) before you head over.

Such a great free activity to attend with kids or family. Railgiants is only opened once a month…read moreand everyone that works there donates their own personal free time to keep this place up and running. You can tell everyone who volunteers there genuinely enjoys the train and the mesuem and are always happy to provide demonstration, the history, and explanations behind the trains. My kids love that they can ring the train bell and it's great way to kill some time on the weekend.