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.

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.

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.

Cute tiny museum with nice staff!…read more I think entry is normally $5, but they're doing a "pay what you want", which can be anything. I think $5 a fair price considering the museum's size, though-- it's more or less just 3 rooms. To be honest, I didn't like this current set of exhibits that much, but that's probably just a matter of taste. It's also located near a lot of other cool stuff in Claremont.

Thanks to the research of Super Elite Yelper Gary I., we were able to tour the Phillips Mansion in…read morePomona prior to dinner nearby. The mansion, built in 1875 and maintained by the Pomona Historical Society, was the home of the one-time "richest man in LA County", Louis Phillips. Tours are conducted by reservation only and as of this writing, can be reserved here: https://www.pomonahistorical.org/phillips-mansion for $15. Our docent, pictured below, gave us many interesting details and pertinent history of the building. The grounds are lovingly maintained; the building itself could be called a "fixer-upper". It's good to see the work in progress and the building does seem to be in good hands. This tour is very highly recommended.

We enjoyed immensely the Phillips Mansion and Currier House tours yesterday afternoon. We…read moreappreciated our docents' enthusiasm and knowledge regarding the history and preservation of these buildings. The main goal for the Currier House currently is weatherproofing it from further damage. I hope that the Pomona Historical Society finds success in obtaining funding and the proper skilled craftsmen to restore it again someday.

Very cool medical history museum showing how medicine has changed over time. They have a big…read moreselection of old equipment, tools, books, photographs, and an iron lung machine! The museum is hidden inside the Nursing building at Western University. Free street parking. I highly recommend taking a guided tour!

Pretty cool museum. Small but interesting. Has lots of equipment and tools from years ago. Was…read morecurious about the iron lung machine. Limited hours and you need an appointment to go in but totally worth it

Stopped by American Museum of Ceramic Art before my kids' class and was pleasantly surprised…read more The museum is actually bigger than I expected and holds over 7,000 ceramic pieces, with thoughtfully curated exhibitions that change regularly. It was really inspiring, especially since I'm planning to take ceramic classes this year. They also offer quite a few ceramic classes and programs, which I didn't realize before visiting. The museum is open to the public Friday-Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM. The surrounding area didn't feel the safest at first, but the museum has a gated parking lot that is spacious, which made it feel more comfortable. If you're in the area and enjoy art or ceramics, it's definitely worth stopping by.

AMOCA (est 2003) is an art museum dedicated to ceramic art. They presents exhibitions, collections,…read morepublic and educational programming, and studio practice. This museum is located in Pomona, CA. Admission ticket is reasonable at $14. They have permanent artist fellows and revolving exhibits. Parking lot is large enough for at least 200 cars. Staff were nice. I came on a late afternoon to check out the China ceramic exhibit. It was interesting. Overall, it's a nice ceramic museum.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience here at Rubel Castle. Our host, guide,…read moreand local "Rubelligent" volunteer, Ms. Kathleen had all the intel about this historical property. She was so knowledgeable and helped set the stage for us to slip into a forgotten era and get a glimpse of how imagination met inventiveness with a DIY charm. ~ A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR YOU ~ It's not pronounced Rubel as Barney from Flintstones. Rather, it's like Target is to Targét when we are trying to be fancy. So that's Rubel as in "Roo-bell." Unlike modern-day construction, Rubel Castle wasn't built overnight. It was made of collected recyclables and construction rubble that spanned many decades and took several friends and volunteers to build it. For Michael, however, the lifetime inspiration was first sparked at the age of 9. His love for canons was where it started and the rest is history you can hear about on the tour. But don't just show up like we did randomly one day. To book, visit RubelTours.org and make a reservation. ~ OUR TOUR EXPERIENCE ~ It's as if Michael Rubel, the creator and mastermind of this enchanted dominion had intended it to be--magical. Built in the castle period of wood and tin, every corner captured our interests, from antique cars to the 1890's Seth Thomas Tower Clock with a unique backstory (and only six in existence today). There were old vending machines, tools, trinkets, and machinery that time had long forgotten. Did I mention there was a drawbridge? Yes, and a dungeon too. I was just waiting for a dragon to come swoop down on us next. Walk in the footsteps of famous visitors like Alfred Hitchcock, Dwight Eisenhower, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. It's a feast for the eyes no matter where you glance. I particularly enjoyed the bottle house that Michael built in 1968 as his "home" as a kid. That independent spirit was quite charming to see. ~ WATERCOLOR NATURESCAPE ~ We were fortunate to have our gracious host lead us on a tour and organize a special art crafting experience outdoors. It was absolutely lovely beneath the trees and between rusted vintage cars from the turn of the century. We each got a small canvas to paint our flowers in watercolor. (This particular experience takes place in the Spring and Fall, weather permitting.) We heard the squirrels rattling in the leaves and birds chirped and sang in the trees above. We discovered that peacocks apparently originated from this property, compliments of Michael Rubel. And did I mention that on the far side of the property, a custom garden was in full bloom? BOOK A TOUR Help support the Glendora Historical Society and keep this magnificently unique city-castle maintained. It's worth it.

A castle in Glendora? Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you--Rubel Castle is real, it's magnificent,…read moreand it's gloriously eccentric. Thanks to the sheer persistence (and probably delightful stubbornness) of Michael Rubel, we now have this quirky, towering State Treasure sitting right in the middle of Glendora like a fairy tale that accidentally took a detour through a hardware store. This place is beautifully done, and part of its charm is that it's a full-on hodgepodge of relics, antiques, crystal trinkets, and "wait... what is that doing here?" moments tucked into every nook and cranny. You'll marvel, you'll laugh, you'll squint in confusion--honestly, it's everything you'd want in a castle built with love, imagination, and a dash of madness. And let's talk about the makeshift cemetery. Quirky? YES. Fun? Absolutely. Slightly spooky? Only if your imagination is over-caffeinated. But it fits the vibe perfectly--like the castle whispered, "You know what I'm missing? A tiny cemetery." The tours are fantastic, the guides are passionate, and the whole experience feels like you're stepping into a living scrapbook of California history and charming chaos. Overall: Amazing, amazing place. Book your tour. They only do tours every first Sunday of the month, so set your alarms, mark your calendars, tie a string around your finger--just don't miss it. Rubel Castle is truly a California State Treasure, and an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates creativity, history, and a little eccentric sparkle.