We're traveling in an RV & went to Bakersfield because a friend lives out there. Found this cool…read moreplace on Yelp & decided to give it a try. We brought the families & it was a WONDERFUL experience! I even got some cool antiques to put in my RV from the gift shop. I loved the history of the place. I loved that we could bring our dog also.

Prices are a bit expensive in my opinion to go in and look around the Ghost Town. Which I opted to…read morenot do due to the fee. The "antique store" is very small dark and you need to watch your footing.

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.

Hidden Treasure. Booked Picnic Tables and Grill for my mom's 90th birthday. Gorgeous and stunning…read moreroses and fountain. Thanks a million for the wonderful service . Epic birthday

Cute place to hang for an hour or so. They have benches where you could have a family picnic. It is…read moresmall though, so if you live far, it's not worth the drive. There is a gated community park next door that has a lake. I noticed some people added pictures of it here, but that is private property and not associated with the Tesoro Adobe Historic Park.

This is probably the most unique place I've ever visited in Southern California. Three of our…read moredocents were actual workers on the castle, so we got an inside view of its origins. I'll never forget the experience and highly recommend that you make it a priority to visit. When a person has a vision and spends 25 years fulfilling it with hundreds of friends and neighbors, you have a masterpiece! Go as soon as you can!

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.

It was a long dream of mine to visit the National Cesar Chavez Monument and Museum located in…read moreCentral California. My wish was fulfilled on a recent trip to Northern California, we made a side trip to tour the grounds. Cesar Chavez accomplished so much for workers in California, where they used to endure 12 hour work days with minimal breaks for lunch or to use the bathroom. I did not realize that Cesar and his wife are buried here, I wish I had taken flowers to lay at their graveside. I was so moved to view the beautiful setting and water fountain. Inside the museum are photos from the Union activities and volunteers who literally slaved to bring about changes that we all enjoy today. A replica of the farm worker simple living quarters gave a glimpse of what their life was like living and working in the fields. I enjoyed seeing Cesar's office through the glass window. It remains intact as he left it and under lock and key to ensure it remains undisturbed. I purchased a book, totes bag, and TShirt to remind me of this special place. It is more than 2 hours away from my home, I wish I could return more often. A special section devoted to 5 Union members who lost their life while doing their work for the cause. So on this THANKSGIVING day, I give THANKS and Tribute to the United Farm Workers Union, Cesar and Helen Chavez. They are my heroes.

This is such a peaceful and welcoming National Monument located in Keene, CA, just east of…read moreBakersfield. This National Monument has a visitors center, museum, gift shop, a beautiful walking trail with flowering plants and trees as well as a path with various cacti. In the warmer months it's easy to spot lizards and rabbits, as well as having year-round birds and squirrels. You can learn about civil rights, agricultural labor history, and how Cesar formed a Union that is still in existence today. The Park is located in Kern County (the southernmost county of the California agricultural belt) just 30 minutes east of Bakersfield, in the mountains below Tehachapi. It was the first location of the Union headquarters he formed, the United Farm Workers (UFW). His office has been preserved within the museum exactly how it was the day he passed away. Cesar, and his wife Helen, lived and are buried within the Monument (his dog is buried with them too!) in a beautiful and serene garden. Their house is on the property and was left the way Helen had it the day she passed away. There isn't access inside their home, but they do allow special events in their courtyard area that you'd need to inquire about. Entrance and parking are both free to the public, but you can make donations if you'd like. I love visiting this Monument a few times a year, as it's so peaceful and calming. We usually bring lunch and sit at one of the many picnic tables provided.

Wow, what a nice surprise. My lady and I were wondering what to do last Sunday and she said, "let's…read morego check out the Kimberly mansion in Redlands". We like to visit downtown Redlands often to browse the shops, the fun antique stores, and get a treat at Ala Minute. We often drive around to look at all the amazing homes, so a visit to Kimberly Crest House has been on our list for a while. I am so glad she thought of visiting. We drove out, bought our tickets, and then we had about an hour before our tour time, so we drove up through all the winding streets to discover more houses. We had our treat at Ala Minute, then headed back to start our tour. We had 3 separate hosts, and all were very nice, kind, and thorough. The grounds are beautiful, as was the interior. It was fun to hear the history of the mansion, all the owners, and that not only was the mansion connection to Kimberly Clark paper products, but Amelia Earhart was a friend of the family. And to know they were philanthropic was nice to learn. We really enjoyed our time, and I highly recommend a visit, you will enjoy it also.

If you're looking for an outdoor wedding venue for great Princess-esque photos, this is the place…read moreto go. I needed to tour Kimberly Crest because I always wanted a Disney Princess wedding, but I didn't want to get married at Disneyland or in Downtown Disney. To book the tour slot, we filled out the form on their website and emailed to coordinate a time with Mary and Tanya after sharing some additional details about our wedding (priorities, budget, timing, guest count). The historic home and additional stone stairwell and fountain add-on are beautiful, and they are great for couples who want a photographic venue and have put a high emphasis on getting great wedding portraits in a castle-eqsque setting. We were looking for a wedding venue with water elements, and felt like the fountain/pond was a great water feature. You have the option for your guests to go inside the house for a guided tour during cocktail hour, but otherwise it is closed, which means the entirety of your wedding is outdoors. Inspired by a French castle, the French château-style mansion was built in 1897 and has an old Victorian-style architecture, and the iconic cascading stone and concrete stairs in the Italian Renaissance-style gardens (the majority of the photos you see online) were added between 1905 and 1909 as a part of the garden overhaul by the new Kimberly family owners. In case of rain in Redlands, they have great tent partnerships and can get your reception space tented for a great day. It's a venue-only rental, which is great if you're looking to bring in all of your own vendors for a Saturday wedding with up to 200 guests! The ceremony is on the grass lawn, the cocktail hour is behind the house in a cute secret garden area, and the main reception dinner and dancing are in the courtyard at the top of the stairs, and you can really transform the space for your own fairytale vision. If you book, you get exclusive use of historic gardens & grounds, and the old Carriage House and Garden House as the two getting ready rooms for the amount of hours that you book (keep in mind the hours you book also include the setup and tear down times for your vendors). While we were touring, there were professional photoshoots for Quinceañeras, and I can easily see why they'd select Kimberly Crest for their photoshoot! Although we ended up going a different direction for our wedding venue, we loved seeing the different spaces around the property, and I hope to be able to come back one day.

Bellosguardo has an amazing history to share with the world. It's a must see! The estate has been…read morepreserved for over 60 years and is truly a Santa Barbara landmark

Touring Bellosguardo was a wonderful experience. It was full of delights and surprises. The art,…read morefurnishings, and instruments are remarkable. I look forward to returning in the future when additional areas of the house are opened to the public.

Casa Del Herrero curated the perfect Santa Barbara event, combining Danielle Renee Art and Crush It…read moreWine Education. Edwin and his team at Casa Del Herrero welcomed all of us to this gorgeous estate in the Montecito Hills, many of us for the first time ever on this newly accessible estate. The Casa Del Herrero team was extremely knowledgeable of the estate in the most approachable and accessible way. Everyone was put at ease and felt right at home with this team. The experience was heightened by the excellent local wines brought to us by Julie Cox and Allie Grant of Crush It Wine Education. These ladies are knowledgeable of exceptional wines, brought highlights and detail to each wine and, to my delight, were generous with their pours!! The day could've ended right there, and it would have certainly still have gone down as a magical and enlightening day. But there was more in store for me! Danielle of Danielle Renee Art walked us through a fun collaboration of painting and Santa Barbara wine tasting. Experts and amateur painters alike had plenty of paint, wine and time in this beautiful setting on a typical, warm, sunny Santa Barbara afternoon. I can't wait to come back and enjoy more of this gorgeous estate. I would love to explore the wine cellar, the citrus orchards, and learn more of the history of the cactus garden. I'm sure there are many more secrets for visitors to unlock!

I came here for an event today so really my review is tailored more towards the events that Casa is…read moreholding but also to acknowledge the fabulous grounds and building though I admit I don't have full context for the history or background. I would definitely come back here to learn about the house and to take the guided tour. This wasn't the purpose for me coming today but the gentleman who works here noted that it's a great tour and I know friends who have enjoyed learning about the family and the history of the house, getting a deeper dive of information. I came here with some friends for their first hosted event Sound Bath. A wellness day if you will. From start to finish everything was very organized and thoughtful. The staff hosting the event and the spiritual wellness guide and sound healer was wonderful. Everyone was nice and you felt welcomed. Not pretentious and just very positive and good vibes. We had a nice group and everyone was respectful and on time for the sound bath so it went off without issue. It was a relaxing experience and the grounds were very nice to hold this outdoor event. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, we found an area with shade, very nice. Very faint sounds of cars in the distance here and there which wasn't ideal but out of their control and once things settled in you really couldn't hear much external noise. After the relaxing sound bath we were offered tea and light pastry snacks. I opted for a water and began exploring the grounds instead of partaking in the refreshments. The grounds are lush and lovely, very zen. Loved the beautiful trees and walkways with small fountains and running water. It was green and pretty all around from the recent rains. Definitely a great location for events and to learn a little SB history. I will definitely do my research and come back again soon.

I have always wanted to go on a walking tour of Old Hollywood historic sites. Earlier tonight, I…read moreparticipated in the Haunted Hollywood walking tour led by April Clemmer. It was such a thrill because we visited several locations that have fascinated me for many years. These locations included the Hillview Apartments (now the Hudson Apartments), the Hollywood Pacific Theatre, the Knickerbocker, and Boardner's. In keeping with the haunted theme, the tour takes place at night with a start time of 7pm. At each location, April briefly describes the history, and then relates a macabre story that she has learned about either from reading literature or from conversations with neighborhood experts. She seeks the truth and is very careful to differentiate between historical facts and rumors. The spooky stories are as diverse as the Hollywood landscape itself. The highlight of the tour was being able to go inside The Hollywood Building. We took an elevator ride up to the 4th floor of this historic property. It was like stepping into a classic film noir picture from the 1940s. One could imagine private eye Philip Marlowe walking through the hallway. Memorable details included the functioning dial above the elevator in the lobby, as well as the vintage radiator heaters in the rooms upstairs. If you like the history of Hollywood and the Golden Age of movies, then I highly recommend the Old Hollywood walking tour. You will learn about silent film stars, vintage movie theatres, and legendary restaurants. April freely gives out her knowledge of the subject matter and is happy to answer questions. I am looking forward to going on the day-time version of her Old Hollywood walking tour.

I went on a private vintage shopping tour with April, and WOW! I work in fashion (I've been a…read morestylist for 16 years). I've always admired vintage clothing, but I wasn't familiar with the older brands or their history. April knew EVERYTHING! She was so knowledgeable and was able to pick out gems I would have otherwise overlooked. I want to do one of her group tours next. Such a unique and fun experience for fashion lovers.