Redlands

Midway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, the city of Redlands prospered on America’s appetite for citrus, specifically the navel orange. In the late 1800s, these zesty fruits flourished in the region’s red soil, and as a result Redlands soon became known as both the “City of Millionaires” and the “Navel Orange Capital of the World.”

Redlands is still home to working groves, preserved agricultural land, and a growing agritourism scene. Its citrus heritage remains woven into the city’s neighborhoods, businesses, seasonal experiences, and sense of place, making it a quintessential Inland Empire destination. 

What to See and Do in Redlands

Agritourism in and Around Redlands

From orange blossom season and farm stands to wineries, pumpkin patches, Christmas tree farms, and nearby apple picking, Redlands offers agritourism experiences across the calendar. At Old Grove Orange, a collective of small local growers, visitors can pick their own citrus and avocados straight from the trees, then wander over to the property's Christmas tree farm or pumpkin patch, depending on the season. 

Come fall, Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Tree Farm—a family-run operation since 1980—transforms 45 acres into a full-blown harvest destination, with hayrides, a petting zoo, and pumpkin picking against a backdrop of grazing cattle and mountain views. For a more low-key visit, head to the small backyard citrus groves near downtown, some set on historic Victorian properties, to pick your own oranges straight from the tree.

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Kimberly Crest House & Gardens

On a 6-acre estate decked out in Italian Renaissance–style gardens, the Kimberly Crest House & Gardens serves as a glorious reminder of Redlands’ gilded past. Enter the Old World–styled gates and you might forget you’re in Southern California—this 7,000-square-foot, 1897 “castle” was modeled after a chateau in France’s Loire Valley. Take a 45-minute guided tour of the rooms, then stroll the terraced gardens by following curved stone stairways past pools, fountains, pergolas, koi ponds, and plantings from around the globe.

Historical Glass Museum

Find more Victorian-era history at Redlands’ Historical Glass Museum, home to the largest collection of American-made glass west of the Rocky Mountains. Six rooms of a 1905 Victorian house are stuffed with colorful antique glassware, dishes, goblets, paperweights, and even cut-glass bowls that were owned by Liberace.

Explore Downtown Redlands

Redlands’ is home to a walkable downtown, welcoming eateries and attractions, and dependable year-round sunshine. The city’s “City of Millionaires” legacy appears in an extraordinary range of architecture that can be found downtown: Victorian mansions and citrus-era estates, Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival landmarks, Craftsman bungalows, Beaux-Arts civic buildings, Moderne storefronts, and midcentury modern gems.

Older layers of history reach still deeper, through the Spanish, Rancho, and Old West periods that shaped inland Southern California before the orange empire rose.

The city’s more contemporary side is on full display at Orange Street Alley, where more than 400 colorful umbrellas form a canopy over the pedestrian alley—rain or shine. Located in a pedestrian alley between Orange and Fifth Streets, the camera-ready art installation adds a whimsical touch to downtown’s arched trellises, raised planters, and vibrant murals painted on brick walls.

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Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival

Attend the West’s oldest free music festival at Redlands Bowl, a 5,000-seat outdoor amphitheater in beautiful Smiley Park. Music lovers flock each summer to the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival, the longest continuously running free music festival in the country, has been presenting symphonies, opera, Broadway musicals, jazz, big band, mariachi, Americana folk, classical, bluegrass, country, and more under the stars since 1923. From June to August, these free concerts take place weekly on the red-tiled bandstand, for every kind of listener. Show up early to nab a bench seat or bring a blanket and spread out on the grass.

More Annual Events in Redlands

In addition to the Redlands Music Festival, the city is also home to the Redlands Chamber NYE Orange Drop, the Redlands Chamber Cocktail Competition, and the Redlands Bicycle Classic, one of the signature events in American cycling. The holiday season brings the Feast of Lights, a beloved choral pageant staged annually at the Redlands Bowl, while Redlands Market Night turns downtown State Street into a weekly open-air bazaar of food, shopping, and live entertainment each summer. Rounding out the calendar, the Redlands Festival of Arts celebrates the city's creative community each spring.

Where to Eat and Drink in Redlands

Redlands’ foodie zone is centered near Citrus Street, Orange Street Alley, and State Street—a neighborhood filled with historic brick buildings, vintage clocks, streetlights, and epicurean eateries. Choose a seat at cozy Copehouse Bar & Bistro and start with a negroni or paloma, then follow up with seared barramundi or a Wagyu burger. Or pop into Don Orange, an upscale Mexican eatery serving lobster enchiladas and portobello mushroom tacos. Fans of distilled spirits head for The State, where a 20-year-old whiskey pairs perfectly with a filet mignon sandwich. 

Beer drinkers find their tribe at Redlands’ half-dozen breweries, including cult-favorite Ritual Brewing, aviation-focused Hangar 24, and the game-player’s pick, Escape Craft Brewery’s Nevada Street Barrelhouse. Along with IPAs, lagers, stouts, and sours, this warehouse-style space offers pinball and arcade games, giant Jenga, cornhole, and foosball. Escape’s second location, Downtown Oasis, doubles down with a calorie-clocking menu of Detroit-style pizza, double-patty smashburgers, and piled-high sandwiches.

Redlands loves breakfast, too. It’s served all day at Carolyn’s Café, where the pro move is to order cinnamon-topped coffeecake with whatever egg dish suits your fancy. If you’re more inclined to three-hour brunches, head to Batter Rebellion. The kitchen staff whips up decadent short rib hash, bacon-and-egg cheeseburgers, chilaquiles, and a staggering array of cocktails. For a minimalist morning start, score an espresso drink and a flaky scone at Olive Avenue Market, a beloved Redlands institution for more than a century.

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Hiking and Biking in Redlands

Redlands’ San Timoteo Nature Sanctuary, a 200-acre preserve, has 5 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Many visitors head out-and-back on Carriage Trail or Cocomaricopa Trail, but you can combine the two for a longer loop.

The Redlands Conservancy manages Redlands’ popular Creekside Trail, a 1.3-mile round-trip path that leads to a high point overlooking San Timoteo Canyon. In neighboring Yucaipa, the Crafton Hills Preserve offers 22 miles of multi-use trails including the challenging ascent to Zanja Peak (3,543 feet in elevation). 

Explore Nearby Attractions

Thirty miles west of Redlands, the city of Claremont is home to the Claremont Colleges, the California Botanic Garden, and a walkable downtown filled with eclectic shops and delicious dining. A short drive southwest, Riverside boasts the architecturally marvelous Mission Inn Hotel and Spa and fascinating museums, including the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture. If you’re willing to explore farther, you’ll find swimming pools and swaying palm trees one hour east in Palm Springs, and cooler temps and mountain-fresh air in the alpine town of Big Bear Lake.