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.

Remember when you were a kid, and you'd watch those toy commercials on TV showing kids playing with…read moresome action figure or vehicle? ...and somehow, those TV kids had managed to turn their backyard into a miniature tropical island, complete with small houses, paved streets, palm trees and rain forest Flora, an actual stream with running water, simulated topography with at least four different kinds of ground cover... and you begged and pleaded for your mom to go out and buy that toy for you, then came home and used it to do jumps off the sofa or coffee table? I think of that every time I come to the fair, and see the garden railroad. It is like one of those toy commercials, hopped up on some kind of genetically modified extraterrestrial steroid. There has to be at least a mile of track, looping and twisting through a scale miniature landscape or tiny buildings, mountains, people, and landforms. And in those tracks run several model trains. During the Fair, the displays are in full operation. During the year, there are regular hours of operation for tours and Q&A with the volunteer staff who keep the garden railroad in good repair. Walk along the western fence line for the best view, and to see the miniature SoCal landmarks from the surrounding area. I'm not into trains the way, say, Huell Howser was I to asking Captain Obvious questions ("Now Carl, is this an actual DESK???" "... Yes, Huell, that's a desk.") But any visitor here can appreciate the countless hours, the painstaking attention to detail, and the sheer number of dateless Friday and Saturday nights that went into making this place. "Can we play with the trains, daddy?" Well, no... In fact, you really can't touch them or even stare at them like you're THINKING about touching them in front of the engineers. But so long as you're on the right side of the 8 foot wrought iron perimeter fence line, you can watch those big-kid senior citizens operate the trains they worked so hard to build, their youthful toy commercial come to life in amazing, terrifying delight.

The Fairplex Garden Railroad is touted as the "oldest and possibly the largest miniature railroad…read moreof its kind in the United States and possibly the world." It first opened at the 1924 LA County Fair and as it grew, it moved from a fair exhibit to a permanent fixture at the Pomona Fairplex. It can be viewed during the annual county fair in September, but is also available year round during special events or on specific days listed on their website (http://fgrr.org/calendar.html). It is located between the Main Grandstand and Fairplex Building #4. If you're here during the fair, I would suggest getting a map to navigate your way around! It is run by volunteers and hobbyists and is free to visit, although they willingly accept donations to maintain it. Even if you are not a huge fan of trains and miniatures, it's still really cool to see and the price is certainly right! From the days of the gold rush and the old west to modern day buildings, everything is miniaturized, even the plants and people. The individuals who create the scenes really pay attention to detail. It almost reminds me of a miniature Disneyland! A great place to take kids and the volunteers there love these miniature trains and towns and will answer your questions and educate you on this mini world! Choo choo!

For a price of $9 you get to explore as long as you want at the beautiful Luminasia. It is open at…read more6pm (obviously since its main attraction are lights). It is mainly an Asian theme because it goes in to detail about all the animals for the year that you're born in. It also has an area of animals and famous landmarks. It even has an LA area with famous places such as the Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, LAX, Griffith Observatory, and much more. If you take your time and take lots of photos this should be about 1-1.5 hours of walking around and exploring. Don't forget to take lots of pictures!!!

My family booked this place for my pop's 80th birthday party. It's also known as The Ebell Club…read more Rental does not come with a lot of fancy bells and whistles, but it's a spacious, beautiful venue with a lot of character and has all the essentials-- chairs, tables, a large functional kitchen, a bar area, large stage for band or DJ, nice restrooms for the ladies, its own parking lot, and security (and they don't mess around). In fact, my husband thought it was overkill that security searched everyone coming in and strictly enforced dress code (no gang attire), but he's not from the area so he doesn't understand. Overall, we were very happy with this venue and so was my pops. It was totally his style. And I also have some nice little nostalgic memories of this venue from back in the day when my friends and I would get our Aqua Net and our groove on. Some may say it's little pricey for the area, but it's a historical land mark in the city of Pomona, AND you can bring in your own food (instant savings) AND your own liquor (tremendous instant savings). AND they clean up for you at the end of the event--totally awesome when you danced too much in those nonsensible shoes and just want to kick them off and go home to bed. Staff was great too--office personnel very helpful and professional. Security team also in close contact and very professional especially during encounter with one tequila faced guest . . . I highly recommend! Salud!

I am having my wedding reception here this year. They have a kitchen, round tables, gold chiavari…read morechairs. The price is affordable and fits 300 people. There is also a bridal room and a restroom for the couple only, as well. The restroom is of course aside from the guests restrooms. The place has a great character to it. I really like it. The design is late Victorian an the lady that rents the place is super helpful. You may DYO food and drinks. This is a super plus!

Amazing. At The Commons shopping center with lots of restaurants and stores, you will find this one…read moresingle Egyptian Building sitting at the very end of a lot with lots of parking available. Odd place, but worth it for people looking to explore new photo spots. It's just a very small section outside. Egyptian hieroglyphics and feeling like you are someplace abroad for a moment. This is just one odd building in a rare spot. Maybe the developer didn't get funding during and after pandemic to build something else here or expand from the idea. It's unique. There were contractors working inside/maintenance work. Nothing to see other than exterior of building. Good photo spot. The U.S. needs to build more unique spots like this or more local museums would be pretty cool. Free public viewing. Good work of art to appreciate.

It's an interesting building to visit if you want to take pictures. You won't be able to go in but…read moreyou can take pictures outside for free. Plenty of parking around too!

A Very Merry Merced is a must visit!! Santa was onsite!…read more There was live music during the event. A little treat at the end of the self-guided tour. A person was in every room describing the interiors and such.

A brief history . In 1858 John Rains and his wife purchased…read more13,000 acres in Rancho Cucamonga for $16,500. They built their home their two years later. The bricks that are on the house today are the original bricks hand made by the masons with red clay found on the property. The home's flat roof was waterproofed with tar that was brought from the brea pits in Orange County. This is considered to be the first house built in Rancho Cucamonga. I've lived in Rancho Cucamonga on and off for the last 10 years and had no idea about the history of this beautiful place. Over the years the Rains House passes through several hands and was vacant for a while. The County of San Bernardino purchased the property in 1971. This house is considered a branch off the County of San Bernardino Museum. The house had been vandalized and needed restoring and furnishings . The women of Casa de Rancho Cucamonga Historical Society raised money through fundraisers and making crafts to sell, to assist in restoring the John Rains Home. They were able to furnish the home with authentic furniture and decoration from the time period. I posted pictures of some of the rooms and furnishings. The Docent Judy gave me a really nice tour. There are restrooms outside and a picnic area if you want to enjoy a nice sack lunch. The property is very pretty with the scenic mountains in the background. There is plenty of free parking and not many visitors. Please support the county and visit. I will definitely be coming back. They also rent out space for gatherings. Someone could plan a nice picturesque wedding here for sure. Hours : 10:00am - 3:00pm Open : Tuesday - Saturday. Closed major holidays Contact # (909) 989-4070

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.

A castle in Glendora? Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you--Rubel Castle is real, it's magnificent,…read moreand it's gloriously eccentric. Thanks to the sheer persistence (and probably delightful stubbornness) of Michael Rubel, we now have this quirky, towering State Treasure sitting right in the middle of Glendora like a fairy tale that accidentally took a detour through a hardware store. This place is beautifully done, and part of its charm is that it's a full-on hodgepodge of relics, antiques, crystal trinkets, and "wait... what is that doing here?" moments tucked into every nook and cranny. You'll marvel, you'll laugh, you'll squint in confusion--honestly, it's everything you'd want in a castle built with love, imagination, and a dash of madness. And let's talk about the makeshift cemetery. Quirky? YES. Fun? Absolutely. Slightly spooky? Only if your imagination is over-caffeinated. But it fits the vibe perfectly--like the castle whispered, "You know what I'm missing? A tiny cemetery." The tours are fantastic, the guides are passionate, and the whole experience feels like you're stepping into a living scrapbook of California history and charming chaos. Overall: Amazing, amazing place. Book your tour. They only do tours every first Sunday of the month, so set your alarms, mark your calendars, tie a string around your finger--just don't miss it. Rubel Castle is truly a California State Treasure, and an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates creativity, history, and a little eccentric sparkle.