Page 116 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

ONTARIO
SoCal hub combines urban perks with nature and history
B Y C H R I S T I N E D E L S O L
»SHOP, DINE,
SEE A
PERFORMANCE
Greater Ontario Visitor
Information
GOcvb.org
TOYOTA ARENA, above; Victoria
Gardens, below.
ONTARIO’S AFFORDABLE, stress-free
diversions and easy access to mountain and
desert escapes are within easy reach of
Southern California’s beaches and enter-
tainment. With its own international
airport, Ontario is an ideal hub for
exploring the region, but the history and
unique attractions of this city of 181,000 are
worth exploring in their own right. For
example, the 150-acre Cucamonga Guasti
Regional Park offers a quick nature fix right
in the city, where you can snag trout and
catfish from two lakes, have a picnic, frolic
in two water parks, or just relax among the
big trees.
The Sunkist water tower recalls Ontario’s
origin in 1882, when the Chaffey brothers of
Canada founded a model township named
for their home province. That era lives on
in Ontario’s Museum of History and Art and
the family-owned Graber Olive House,
which still uses its recipe from 1894. In
Logan’s Candies quaint shop, candy canes
are made just as they were in 1933.
The 1923 Bank of Italy Building, soon to
house three new restaurants, stands in
Ontario Town Square, whose pedestrian
promenade features a 34-foot tiled history
wall. Surrounded by shops, restaurants and
entertainment venues, the pretty square
opened in 2014 as the historic downtown’s
first dedicated park. It is landscaped with
native plants and includes a children’s play
garden, a palm court and an amphitheater.
Greater Ontario includes neighboring
Rancho Cucamonga, where renowned
postwar furniture designer Sam Maloof’s
home offers guided tours showcasing his
craftsmanship. The restored Cucamonga
Service Station is one of the last original
structures on legendary Route 66, which
runs through town.
Greater Ontario boasts dozens of movie
theaters and live theater at the Lewis Family
Playhouse. Toyota Arena supplements its
busy sports lineup with concerts ranging
from Bad Bunny to Miranda Lambert and
shows such as Disney on Ice and the Harlem
Globetrotters.
Shoppers can browse locally owned
shops around Ontario Town Square or go all
in at the mega outlet center Ontario Mills.
At Rancho Cucamonga’s Victoria Gardens,
home to the only Bass Pro Shop in Southern
California, anchor stores are surrounded by
small shops arranged as city blocks served
by a cultural center with a theater and a
library. Also in Rancho Cucamonga, Haven
City Market, a brand-new food hall, has
more than 20 restaurants, including hard-
to-find items like vegan sushi and Cajun
shrimp with cheesy grits.
114 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
TOYOTA ARENA; JON EDWARDS