Sandwiched Between LA And Riverside Is California City With Shopping Outlets And Historic Wineries

Forget the coastal cities and towns of California. They're wonderful to visit, of course, but there is another great place to explore, which is the Inland Empire. Around 37 miles east of Los Angeles and about 20 miles northwest of Riverside near the San Gabriel Mountains sits Ontario, a charming city with endless shopping opportunities and historic wineries to check out. Ontario is home to Ontario Mills, Southern California's largest indoor outlet mall. It also has a hopping downtown area full of interesting and eclectic stores to explore. Ontario is a convenient place to travel to, with its own airport a short taxi or rideshare trip from downtown. Two area wineries have decades and decades of history to learn about as you sip their vintages. Ontario also has the Toyota Arena if you want to catch a game, event, or musical performance. 

You can visit Ontario any time of year but note that average high temperatures reach the low 90s Fahrenheit in July and August. However, average highs are in the upper 60s in winter and generally in the 70s and 80s in spring and fall. The city is also less than 33 miles from the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, a vibrant city with lots of family fun. Ontario is a great home base for a day trip there. It's also about 50 miles from Universal Studios Hollywood if you're touring theme parks.

Right in town is Ontario Mills, SoCal's largest indoor outlet mall, with over 185 stores, as well as restaurants and entertainment spots. It's right next to the Ontario International Airport, the Ontario Convention Center, and the Toyota Arena if you're coming in for an event like a concert or an Ontario Reign hockey game. The wide range of stores includes the Coach Outlet, Kate Spade New York Outlet, Sephora, Ugg, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, H&M, and Gap Factory.

After your shopping adventure, you can catch a film at AMC Ontario Mills 30 right at the mall. If you're hungry, there are plenty of options, from restaurants like Kelly's Cajun Grill, La Vaca Brazilian Grill, and the always-entertaining Rainforest Cafe, to fast food like Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen, Sbarro, and Hot Dog on a Stick, to sweet spots like Häagen-Dazs, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and SomiSomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki. Ontario is also around 9.4 miles from Victoria Gardens, another massive mall complex in nearby Rancho Cucamonga, which is also slated to have a station on the upcoming Brightline West high-speed rail line. 

Downtown Ontario has plenty of shopping as well. Street Culture Boutique has clothing and sneakers for sale, while The Crowns Ontario has kitschy and fun collectibles and gifts, and a "creepy basement" for items on the more macabre side. The Crowns Ontario is closed on Mondays. Make sure to stop by Logan's Candies, which has been around since 1933. It has over 600 different types of candies, fudges, and more sweet treats. Then head over to Ontario Town Square, which was developed and opened a bit over a decade ago. It features a pedestrian promenade, a clock tower, and an outdoor amphitheater stage, as well as a lawn to sit on for shows, a tot lot for the littlest kids, and a rose garden.

Ontario is also a prime spot for wine-tasting, with two historic wineries. Galleano Winery, around eight miles up the road from town, was founded in 1927. It's still owned and operated by the family that founded it and listed on the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places. You can visit Galleano for a tasting on the pretty covered courtyard patio (pictured above) or in the picnic area. It's closed on Mondays. One reviewer on Google Maps, where the winery has a 4.8/5 rating, says, "Amazing! ... The atmosphere was relaxing and really cool. All the wines we tried were really good as well. Can't wait to go back!"

Another great spot to visit is the San Antonio Winery tasting room. The winery has been in existence for over four generations, opening in 1917. The tasting room in Ontario, which has been in operation for over four decades, allows you to check out its seasonal offerings by the glass or through self-guided wine flight tours. You can even set up hosted tastings with several different styles to choose from. It has a large Wine & Gift center where you can purchase wines, accessories, and souvenirs as well. A reviewer on Google Maps raves, "This place is amazing. The most welcoming staff. Nicely decorated, huge selection of wines and spirits." It's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The closest major airport to Ontario is Ontario International Airport (ONT), just three miles away. However, if this isn't your only stop, you can drive from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, which is 39 miles away, or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is 54 miles away. If you fly out of LAX, note that LA has some of the top tourist hot spots in the state.