Introduction to Redlands Visitors

Destinations

• Kimberly Crest House and Gardens
  1325 Prospect Dr., Redlands, 792-2111
• A.K. Smiley Public Library
  125 W. Vine St., Redlands, 798-7565 for the main library and 798-7632 for the Heritage Room
  Normal library hours are Monday-Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
• University of Redlands
  1200 E. Colton Ave, Redlands, 793-2121
• Redlands Victorian Homes
  Redlands' Victorian homes make this community unique in most of Southern California.

Museums

• The San Bernardino County Museum
  2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands CA 92374-4560 USA
  General Information: (909) 307-2669
  Group Reservations: (909) 307-2669 ext. 256
• The San Bernardino Rancho "Asistencia"
  26930 Barton Road, Redlands, California. (909) 793-5402
• Lincoln Memorial Shrine
  125 W. Vine St., Redlands, 798-7636 or 798-7632
  Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; closed Monday
• Historical Glass Museum
  1157 N. Orange Street, Redlands, CA - (909) 798-0868
  6,000 examples of American glass from 1800 to contemporary on display in an 1905 Victorian House. Email: GlassMuseums@aol.com

What to do in Redlands

Annual Events Calendar
This is an overview of the major events, with links to the most comprehensive events calendar in Redlands.

Theatre and Performance
Home the the world famous Redlands Music Festival in Redlands Bowl, and several additional theatre groups, and notable Redlands Symphony, Redlands is the cultural center of the east valley.

Clubs and Coffee Houses
Unique clubs and quaint coffee houses, provide additional night life and daytime gathering places.

Shopping Areas
Redlands has unique shops in the downtown area and several additional shopping areas, that include cafes, bookstores, and essential shopping.

Where to Eat

Redlands has a variety of wonderful eating establishments. RedlandsWeb has the most complete restaurant guide that can be printed to take along with you.

Where to Stay

Plan your trip to Redlands using travel search based on user reviews from across the web

Redlands has a limited amount of lodging. If you are interested in staying in town, be sure to book a room ahead of your trip. Additionally certian events such as the Redlands Bicycle Classic for graduations will create a no vacancy situation. The closest additonsl rooms are 5 miles away in the San Bernardino Hospitality area.

Travel and Transportation

Activities

• Shopping
• Market Night
• The Redlands Bowl
• LifeHouse Theater
  1135 N. Church St., Redlands, 335-3037
• EOS Gallery
  304-A East Citrus Avenue, Redlands, 798-3200
• Glenn Wallichs Theatre
  University of Redlands, University Avenue and Sylvan, Redlands, 335-4008
• Redlands Footlighters Theater
  1810 Barton Rd., Redlands, 793-2909
• Redlands Symphony
  University of Redlands Memorial Chapel, 1200 E. Colton Ave., Redlands, 793-2121, ext. 2070
• Redlands Theater Festival, Inc.
  P.O. Box 1163, Prospect Park, Redlands, 335-0924

Redlands is a charming and unique community in Southern California. It has been a tourist attraction for over one hundred and twenty years. It first attracted visitors for its majestic scenery and favorable climate. Then its national class architecture, uniquely preserved in entire neighborhoods.

Those first settlers developed wonderful botanical gardens that attracted even more tourists. The first and most extensive garden was Canyon Crest built by the Smiley Brothers- major benefactors to the city .Canyon Crest of Redlands became world famous and was toured even by sitting Presidents of the United States. It has been said that more people were attracted to Canyon Crest in the 1890's for the California population size, than visit Disneyland today by the same measure. This property was sold for development in 1962. Citizens were outraged by the destruction of the the park and rallied to preserve Prospect Park.

Prospect Park was much smaller that Canyon Crest, but still provides a glimpse of the wonderful hand-cut rock walls and exotic plants of the nineteenth century, and of-course the view is still magnificent.

Fame was also gained by the world renowned Redlands Orange. The ideal climate, perfect soil, and engineering ingenuity of the city's founders by providing abundant mountain water, created a booming citrus industry. It has been said that Redlands is the only known Agricultural Boom town in the country.

The vistas, climate and fame brought by the botanical gardens and orange business, brought wealthy winter residents from the mid-west and eastern US. They built wonderful and architecturally rich homes and businesses. Civic- minded citizens founded churches and institutions that were also architecturally significant.

Today Redlands has fewer orange groves, but has preserved many buildings, streetscapes and parks. It is perhaps unique in its Southern California with its livable, intact historical neighborhoods. The fingerprints of early residents is also apparent in the culture of community left behind. Redlands is home to the Redlands Bowl Summer Music concert, still free after 80 years in existence, Redlands Symphony, Lincoln Shrine, A.K. Smiley Public Library numerous art troupes and organizations.

The historic downtown district has a lively restaurant and nightlife. Known in years past as Deadlands by teenagers, it is clearly not dead today.