Riverside Travel Guide, California

All about Riverside, California

Riverside City in sunny California is thought to be the one of the most livable places in the country because of lower housing costs and the numerous job opportunities that the city offers.  It is the country’s sixty-first  largest city and the eleventh largest Californian city.   An hour drive away from Los Angeles, the city boasts of a diverse economy, which started with the famous California navel oranges.

Demographics

The United States Census Bureau reports that the city occupies a total area of 203.0 km2 of which 78.12 km2 is land and 0.7 km2 of it is water.   

The racial melting cauldron comprises Hispanics or Latinos, White non-Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders.  People of two or more races contribute 5.1 percent to the total population.

Economy and Industry

The city thrives on a busy citrus industry, production of beverages, food, plastics, aerospace and aircraft parts, electronic gadgets, medical equipments, prefabricated metal and wood buildings, and manufacture of machinery and motor vehicle parts.

Education

Riverside is home to four universities and 16 high schools that serve grades 9 to 12: two special learning institutions—California School for the Deaf and the Sherman Indian School.

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) has around 17,000 students. The university offers 81 majors and 51 minors.  Graduate degrees for 48 master’s degree and 42 doctoral degrees are offered in this public university.  The university sport teams are participating members of the Big West Conference of the NCAA Division 1.

The campus occupies 1,200 acres and accommodates the University Village, which houses a complex of student apartments, cafes, shops, and movie theaters.  The university continues to expand and construction work is an-going activity as more students from the neighboring areas flock to the school.

Recreation

 

Riverside is famous for its desert resorts, beaches, ski slopes that are all an hour’s drive from the city.  Community theaters, symphonic concerts, and ballet performances are among the interesting cultural attractions of the area.

Fun Festivals

From November to January 1, the Riverside Festival of Lights presents downtown a delightful spectacle of horse-drawn carriages and merry-go-rounds.  Three million twinkling lights light up Mission Avenue transforming the place to a fairy land of lights.  Guests can enjoy shopping and sample local delights and exemplary cuisine in the many restaurants and cafes in the area.

On the third weekend of May, the Orange Festival kicks off a rush of activities— orange tasting, orange barbecue sauces sampling, and orange kettle corn sampling, parades, dancing, music, storytelling, and fireworks, giving the festival its own festive flavor.  Although this was indefinitely suspended in 2007, the city dads are working to make it the city’s premier festival and tourist come-ons.

Transportation

Three major road networks that meet up in northeastern Riverside 60/91/215 interchange connect the city to other U.S. cities.  there is a local bus service provided by Riverside Transit Agency.

Two Metrolink commuter stations—Riverside-La Sierra and Riverside-Downtown—provide comfortable transport.  The downtown station line is available weekdays and on weekends, the San Bernardino Line does the Riverside-La Sierra route.