University of California - Riverside
- Local Atmosphere

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University of California - Riverside - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.69

Local Atmosphere

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The Mission Inn is a historic hotel in downtown Riverside. It is generally considered the center of the city and hosts a number of seasonal, holiday, and political functions, as well as other major social gatherings. Eight presidents have visited the Inn, including Ronald and Nancy Reagan, who honeymooned there, and Richard and Pat Nixon, who were married at one of the two wedding chapels.
  2. Twenty-five films have been shot, at least in part, in Riverside.
  3. The first two navel orange trees in the US were from Brazil and planted in Riverside in 1875. Virtually all navel oranges now grown in the US are offspring from these trees.
  4. The first public preview of "Gone with the Wind" was shown in the Fox Theatre in Riverside in 1939.
  5. The first prerelease screening of the controversial film "Birth of a Nation" was shown at the Loring Opera House.
  6. The March Field Air Museum in Riverside is home of the world's fastest manned airplane: the SR-71 Blackbird.
Notable Natives
  • Barry Bonds – baseball player
  • Don Imus – radio personality
  • Kellie Martin – actress
  • Reggie Miller – former NBA player
Local Slang
  • Hella: A synonym for "really," as in, "This food is hella good!"
  • So Cal: Southern California
Points of Interest
  • Benedict Castle
  • Castle Park
  • Downtown Riverside
  • Heritage House
  • Jensen Alvarado Ranch
  • Jurupa Mountains Cultural Center
  • Life Arts Center
  • March Field Air Museum
  • Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
  • Mount Rubidoux
  • Riverside Art Museum
  • Riverside County Philharmonic
  • Riverside Metropolitan Museum
  • Riverside Municipal Auditorium
  • UCR Botanical Gardens
  • UCR Sweeney Art Gallery
  • Victoria Avenue

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

While Riverside comes across as the smaller and less impressive cousin of Los Angeles, the city still has a charm all its own. Newcomers may find the historical aspects more entertaining than long-time residents, but sites like the Mission Inn keep the interest high. Riverside is a big city, almost sprawling, and there's not enough of a community to make newcomers feel especially welcome, but not uncomfortable, either. College students can usually be found sticking close to campus or in the immediate area, and those who do venture farther out are typically working in a part-time job or seeking some nighttime fun.

Outside of Riverside, Los Angeles can be an attractive option, but California's infamous traffic may cause some to seek less populated options. For sheer proximity, Moreno Valley and Corona are good choices for familiarity, but clubbers and gamblers are advised to seek districts like Orange County or Temecula. Although a viable option all year-round, Lake Arrowhead and the beach cities are especially attractive choices for retreats in the winter and summer, respectively. The Student Recreation Center actually offers group weekend getaways through the Outdoor Excursions program. Through these planned trips, students can snowboard, kayak, horseback, swim, and rock climb throughout Southern California at a discounted rate. Sometimes the center even has vouchers for amusement parks like Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Six Flags. Overall, students can find plenty of entertainment either in Riverside or its surrounding areas.

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UC Riverside Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Riverside

littlebidee

'15

Business Administration and Management

3.5
B

Not Much to Do.

Riverside is a small city without much going on. However, the overall atmosphere is pretty chill.

Jan 19, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Riverside

Strifer

'15

Computer Engineering

4.6
A

If There's Nothing, You Aren't Looking Enough.

Riverside's weather can be very unexpected,it can reach 3-digit temperature during the summer, so make sure you dress appropriately. As for winter, it can get pretty chilly, peaking at around 45 degrees at times, so bring winter clothing! There is always enough things to do around the campus itself, the Recreational Center includes the gym, basketball courts, tennis courts, a hockey rink,etc. The best part about it is that it is very close to the dorms. Near the campus and apartments is the University Village, where pretty much all popular food restaurants are, including a theater with student discounts. People often complain about there being nothing to do (and this is common everywhere,) but the problem with that statement is that they aren't looking in the right places. There is always a good amount of events on campus weekly, most of the time near the Bell Tower, and if you're creative enough you can come up with many productive activities, if you're up for it you can even hike to the C, something students at UCR do for good luck on their finals. Since UC Riverside is downtown Riverside, you can visit the several museums they have around there, including the Mission Inn near Rubidoux.

Dec 11, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Riverside

hhuang92

'14

Biology

0.8
D-

Infamous for Boredom

There's not much to do in Riverside. Riverside is kind of known to be a dead place to go. The closest attractions are at least an hour away such as disneyland, the beach, etc. The only things here would be a drive-in movie theater that's about 25 minutes away, an all you can eat sushi buffet (Asahi) that's 20 minutes away, and Tyler mall which is 15 minutes away. Outside of school feels pretty unsafe, so it's rare to venture around town. Most people go home on weekends because there's not much to do. Another frequent activity for UCR students is to hike to the "C" which is a large concrete "C" on a giant hill.

Sep 06, 2011

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Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

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Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Canyon Crest Towne Centre
  • Fiesta Discount Mall
  • Galleria at Tyler
  • University Village
Major Sports Teams
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: MLB
  • Los Angeles Galaxy: MLS (soccer)
  • Los Angeles Kings: NHL
  • Los Angeles Lakers: NBA
City Web Sites www.ci.riverside.ca.us
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Los Angeles: : 1 hour, 15 minutes
  • San Diego: : 1 hour, 30 minutes
Did You Know?
  • In 2011, Riverside was named one of the top "Digital Cities" in the United States.
  • In 2012, Riverside was chosen for a "Smart21 Communities" award, which recognizes the top 21 tech-savvy cities worldwide. Riverside was one of only six US cities to receive the recognition.
  • Riverside is ranked as the 12th largest city in California and the sixth largest city in Southern California; it has a population of more than 300,000 residents.

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

AMC Tyler 16
3775 Tyler St.
Riverside
(888) 262-4386

Mission Grove 18
121 E. Alessandro Blvd.
Riverside
(909) 789-8483

Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16
3535 Riverside Plaza Drive
Riverside
(951) 784-4600

Regency University Village 10
1201A University Ave.
Riverside
(909) 784-4342

Van Buren Drive-In Theatre
3035 Van Buren Blvd.
Riverside
(951) 688-2360

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at UCR

Name: Hayley Cruz

Hometown: Riverside

Major: English

Grad Year: 2013

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