Pomona

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Pomona is in the San Gabriel Valley, near Los Angeles, California. Named after the Roman goddess of fruit, in the 1920s it was indeed known as "the Queen of the Citrus Belt." However, its origins preceded that epoch as an allotment given to two ranchers, Ricardo Véjar and Ygnacio Palomares, in the 1830s, when the territory was still part of Mexico. After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and becoming part of the USA, it eventually became absorbed into the megalopolis of southern California, with perhaps its main standout nowadays being the site of the LA County Fair, or the location of Cal Polytechnic U.

Get in

Get around

See

  • NHRA Motorsports Museum, 1101 W. McKinley Ave, ☏ +1 909-622-2133. W-Su 10AM-5PM. If you are into fast cars and loose -, okay, forget the second part, this museum is for you. All about drag racing. 
  • RailGiants Train Museum, 1101 W. McKinley Ave, ☏ +1 909-430-1057. Museum about the iron horse, like the Big Boy Steam Dream. 
  • Palomares Adobe, 491 E Arrow Hwy, ☏ +1 909-623-2198. Su 2PM-5PM. Pomona's oldest structure, owned by rancher Ygnacio Palomares in the 1830s. 
  • Phillips Mansion, 2640 Pomona Blvd, ☏ +1 909-623-2198. Mansion owned by Lewis Phillips, who was actually the richest person in LA for a time, owning the Phillips Block in the downtown sector of that city. After Ygnacio Palomares died, Phillips purchased the land and developed it as a rail stop, which eventually led to Pomona's incorporation in 1888. 
  • Cal Poly Pomona, 3801 W Temple Ave, ☏ +1 909-869-7659. A very prestigious and selective institution for higher education renown for its agricultural and engineering programs, it's interesting to note that it was developed on land that was once cereal magnate WK Kellogg's ranch. Some things that might interest the tourist here are the 
  • American Museum of Ceramic Art / AMOCA, 399 N Garey Ave, ☏ +1 909-865-3146. F-Su 11AM-4PM. Something distinctive if you like art. 
  • The African-American Museum of Beginnings, 1460 E Holt Ave Suite 188, ☏ +1 909-620-2841. W-Th, Sa Noon-6PM. A look at the African American history of this area. 

Do

  • 🌍 Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave, ☏ +1 909-623-3111, fax: +1 909 865-3602. Host to the annual Los Angeles County Fair in September, as well as various events throughout the year such as the NHRA Drag Racing Winter Nationals in November. 
  • The Fox Theater Pomona, 301 S Garey Ave, historic theater where Hollywood films used to be tested locally for middle-class demographic likability, now a live events venue.

Buy

  • Farm Store at Kellogg Ranch, 4102 S. University Dr (Turn on to University Dr. from W. Temple Ave.), ☏ +1 909 869-4906. Daily from 10AM—6PM. Very popular rest stop among foodies traveling though the Pomona Valley region. Located on the outskirts of Cal Poly Pomona, the store is a short distance (less than 5 minutes) from the freeway exit. This store sells fruits and vegetables grown by the College of Agriculture at the university. Also available: honey from a tap, meats, cheeses, and other food products that you would not find in your typical big chain supermarket. 
  • 2nd Street Promenade, downtown Pomona. In a bygone era this zone was a mall, but it has gone through a bit of a renaissance now to become a collection of shops and cafes.

Eat

  • 🌍 Guasalmex Restaurant, 150 West Holt Ave. Serving inexpensive Mexican, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan food in a casual environment. 

Drink

Sleep

Go next

Routes through Pomona
END ← Los Angeles ←  W  E  → Ontario → Tucson
Downtown L.A. ← Covina ←  W  E  → Upland → San Bernardino
END ← Jct ← San Dimas ←  N  S  → Diamond Bar → Santa Ana
Downtown L.A. ← Diamond Bar ←  W  E  → Chino → Riverside


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