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Plan language: EnglishMost popular attractions in Redlands, United States
Things to do in Redlands, United States, include exploring the stunning Kimberly Crest House & Gardens with its Italianate architecture and 12 acres of gardens. Visit the A.K. Smiley Public Library, known for its unique Mission Revival style, and experience diverse exhibits at the San Bernardino County Museum, just five miles away.
1. Kimberly Crest House & Gardens
Elegant Victorian manor in Redlands offers a peek into turn-of-the-century life. Stroll terraced gardens, explore period rooms and enjoy terrace views.
Quick facts: A 38-room mansion mixes ornate stained glass, carved woodwork, and period furnishings, so wandering feels like exploring someone's layered family album. Garden terraces spread across nearly two acres, with fountains, winding paths, and specimen trees that invite slow, camera-ready walks.
Highlights: Slip into a south terrace at dusk and you'll hear water from a stone fountain while citrus and jasmine perfume the air, creating a cinematic, almost theatrical atmosphere. Curators and longtime volunteers often point out a handwritten family ledger tucked on a third-floor landing, names and inked dates that make the house's stories feel unexpectedly intimate.
2. A.K. Smiley Public Library
Historic Victorian library with ornate interiors and local archives worth exploring. Wander period reading rooms, rotating exhibits, and a sunny courtyard for quiet reading.
Quick facts: Sunlight pours through ornate stained-glass windows, painting the wooden reading tables in jewel tones and giving the stacks a warm, cathedral-like hush. Shelves hold an eclectic mix of local history, rare pamphlets and community donations, so it's easy to stumble on an unexpected archival photo or a handwritten letter.
Highlights: A tucked-away stained-glass panel splashes a square of ruby and teal across the main stairwell every afternoon, and many locals time their visits to catch that brief burst of color. On slow mornings you can hear the conservator working in the back room, the soft rasp of paper and the warm smell of beeswax that betrays decades of volunteer book-binding sessions.
3. Lincoln Memorial Shrine
Small museum with a focused, well-preserved Abraham Lincoln collection. Expect original artifacts, concise interpretive panels, and a quiet research room.
Quick facts: You’ll spot an array of letters, prints and Civil War ephemera on display, the collection totaling over 25,000 items connected to Abraham Lincoln and his era. Warm sunlight through leaded windows highlights polished wood cases, so faded ink and brittle paper look startlingly readable when you lean in.
Highlights: Step into a quiet alcove where a carefully lit facsimile of the Gettysburg Address hangs, the amber glow and the faint scent of aged paper creating a surprisingly intimate moment. A modest carved honor roll lists local donors by name and date, a tactile, human story spanning more than a century that often makes visitors pause and trace the handwriting with their eyes.
4. San Bernardino County Museum
Discover San Bernardino County's natural history and Native cultures up close. Enjoy hands-on exhibits, detailed dioramas, and a scenic outdoor heritage garden.
Quick facts: Bright, hands-on galleries fold together paleontology, cultural artifacts, and vintage natural history displays so a casual stroll can feel like a compact field trip. More than 1,500 artifacts and specimens are cataloged, and many exhibits let visitors get within inches of real fossil casts and archaeological pieces under staff supervision.
Highlights: A life-size mastodon skeleton anchors a dimly lit hall while actual dried chaparral and a subtle scent diffuser bring the landscape to your nose, making the scene unexpectedly immersive. Each summer limited 'After Hours' fossil-handling sessions welcome just 20 people, where staff bring out real bone fragments and lead flashlight tours that share the dig-team stories behind the finds.
5. Redlands Bowl
Historic outdoor amphitheater offering lively summer performances in Redlands. Expect free concerts, lawn picnics, local orchestras, and sunset views.
Quick facts: Crowds of lawn chairs and picnic blankets form an intimate outdoor audience where symphonies and community theater mingle under open sky. A low, white colonnade frames the stage and the warm night air often carries the scent of citrus and popcorn, giving performances a surprisingly cozy vibe.
Highlights: A charming ritual has volunteers ringing a single brass bell before each concert, the clear note cutting through warm evening air and signaling neighbors to bring out blankets and snacks. Quiet whispers and the rustle of programs merge with the orchestra's first chord, so close that you can hear bow hair on strings and count the conductor's beats from the fourth row.
6. Prospect Park
Relaxed urban oasis near downtown Redlands, ideal for picnics and community events. Expect shady lawns, a playground, sports courts, and easy street parking.
Quick facts: Sunlight filters through mature oak canopies while the scent of citrus drifts in from nearby yards, making strolls feel unexpectedly fragrant. A network of paved paths and open lawns draws early-morning runners, families with picnic blankets, and photographers chasing golden-hour reflections.
Highlights: Tucked behind a low eucalyptus stand, a lily-padded pond catches sunset light in vivid orange and pink, so photographers often line the edge to capture the glow. A chorus of frogs and the gentle crunch of gravel underfoot create an intimate soundtrack at dusk, turning short walks into cinematic, slow-motion moments.
7. University of Redlands
Elegant red-tile campus with shaded quads and mountain views, worth a stroll. Explore historic architecture, a peaceful chapel, and photo-ready courtyards.
Quick facts: Mediterranean and Mission Revival arches frame a compact, walkable campus, where brick pathways wind under shady oaks and citrus trees. Small class sizes create a seminar-style vibe, with many courses hosting fewer than 25 students and professors often chatting with students between lectures.
Highlights: A beloved on-campus summer concert series runs in a bowl-shaped amphitheater, filling warm nights with orchestral swells and the smell of citrus under rows of hanging string lights. Students have a quirky pre-dawn ritual of climbing the bell tower to watch sunrise, sharing steaming coffee and counting down in silence as sunlight floods the red-tiled roofs.
8. Smiley Park
Peaceful neighborhood park for a quick outdoor break. Shady lawns, a playground, and picnic spots make it ideal for families and solo visitors.
Quick facts: A shady lawn and a cast-iron fountain host weekend concerts and a bustling farmers’ market, drawing locals for casual picnics and live music. Towering maples and mature oaks create dappled light, offering noticeably cooler refuge when daytime temperatures climb above 95°F.
Highlights: Neighborhood volunteers from the Friends of the Park group hide about 100 hand-painted river stones each spring, turning the winding paths into a colorful scavenger hunt for kids. Evenings bring a warm glow from the cast-iron fountain, lit by roughly 200 LED bulbs that scatter silver ripples across benches while jasmine-scented breezes mingle with soft chatter.
9. Smiley Park Historic District
Historic Victorian homes and tree-lined streets show Redlands' late-19th-century charm. Wander ornate porches, stained glass, and quiet pocket parks on a relaxed stroll.
Quick facts: Rows of colorful Victorian and Craftsman houses line shaded streets, many showing original stained-glass windows and carved wooden porches that photographers love to capture. A tree-filled central park offers a bandstand, fountain, and seasonal farmers' market that regularly draws about 400 locals on weekend mornings.
Highlights: Locals stage an autumn porch-decorating contest that packs the block each October, drawing around 1,500 visitors who stroll past carved balustrades and listen to cello music under string lights. Legend holds that an 8-foot-tall palm behind one house sheltered a secret meeting of early civic leaders, a story you can almost hear in the rustle of leaves near the old stone fountain.
Where to Stay in Redlands, United States
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Traditional Sweet Dishes
Navel Orange Marmalade
Redlands' citrus boom made local navel oranges famous, and families preserved surplus fruit as marmalade, a sweet spread still tied to the city's heritage.
Citrus Pound Cake
Cakes made with local orange and lemon zest highlight Redlands' citrus legacy, and citrus pound cake is a staple at bakeries and farmers markets.
Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream
Beekeepers working near citrus groves produce orange blossom honey, and turning that honey into ice cream celebrates the area's floral and citrus flavors.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Orange-Glazed Chicken
Restaurants and home cooks in Redlands frequently use navel orange juice and zest to create sweet-tangy glazes for roasted or grilled chicken, reflecting the city's citrus roots.
Street Tacos (Carne Asada and Carnitas)
Street tacos are ubiquitous across Redlands, showcasing the Inland Empire's strong Mexican-American culinary traditions and use of local produce.
Tamales
Tamales are a festival and holiday favorite in Redlands, commonly sold at community events and made with regional ingredients and sauces.
Traditional Beverages
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
As a former powerhouse of navel orange production, Redlands is synonymous with fresh-squeezed orange juice, which is celebrated at farms, markets, and citrus events.
Hangar 24 Orange Wheat Ale
Hangar 24 Brewing, founded in Redlands, brought national attention to the city with its popular Orange Wheat Ale brewed using local orange character.
Citrus Agua Fresca
Simple agua frescas made from orange, lime, or mixed citrus are a refreshing local favorite, reflecting both the abundant fruit and regional Mexican influence.
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Getting there
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Train stations
Metrolink San Bernardino Line, Amtrak connections
From Ontario or San Bernardino airports, rideshare or rental car is usually fastest; limited direct public transit.
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Comments (10)
Beautiful historic downtown but parking is a pain on weekends. Loved the architecture, just expect crowds.
If you visit in summer, check the Redlands Bowl schedule for free concerts. Bring a sweater, evenings cool off fast.
Caught a free concert at Redlands Bowl, magical night under the stars. Do reserve chairs early though.
Hot in summer, mild winters. Spring citrus blooms are lovely. One day was enough for me, two if you like museums.
Food scene surprised me, great brunch spots and Mexican food. Prices reasonable, portions generous. Bring walking shoes.