Riverside: tell me the good stuff!!!! (Orange, Upland: house, live, shops)

[DancerGirl]

I am from Riverside (grew up there for 20 yrs.) and lived off of Mockingbird canyon. I went back a few years ago and it is quite run down where my high school is...definitely not the same. Ruby-Red is right the Canyon Crest area is nicer and very convenient to March AFB (my Dad used to work at March AFB). Moreno Valley is great too.

[SoCal78]

The Inland Empire is boring. Nothing exciting to do or to see. Big Bear Mountain is the only thing happening out that way. I had cabin fever living in that armpit 2 yrs ago. Boring boring boring.......dirty and polluted...boring.....tons of illegal aliens....boring
brown/dry vegetation with no greenery....boring........high high crime......boring.

[SoCal Person]

We've lived here for 18 years. Before this we lived in Fontana, and we didn't like it there at all. I grew up in Orange County and we first moved here as I was a stay-at-home-mom and this was affordable. My husband has always had to commute, although I now work locally and his commute isn't as far as it once was.

Riverside is a perfectly fine place to live. We live in the Arlington area, and while it's not the nicest part of the city nor the newest, we like it here. I walk my dog alone and have even done so at dusk. There has never been any sort of problem at all doing that.

Someone earlier on this thread mentioned University Avenue. Stay away from that area. It's not known for being a good place at all to anyone. We drive through there, but that's it.

The 92506 zip code area is to me the nicest part of town, so consider that part of the city if you want a 'nicer' area. The Wood Streets area is charming and quaint, and I think that it's a very decent place to live.

Riverside has an awful reputation to those who don't live here. To us it's been a nice place to raise our family, and the city takes care of problems in a fairly swift fashion.

We could now afford to live in Orange County, but we're staying put. I'd rather have the extra money for vacations, savings, etc, than to put it in a huge OC mortgage payment.

[allets]

I've lived in Riverside for many years, and always liked it. However, recently, it's become much less desireable, and I'm thinking of leaving.

The people who run things -- politicians and their friends behind the scenes -- are turning the City of Riverside into the hub of the goods transportation industry. (This serves the old boys' network's financial interests, since they bought up the land along the railroad tracks between Riverside and March Air Force Base (now a huge cargo port), and are putting up warehouses there to serve the ever-increasing truck, rail and air traffic coming into the area.)

That means horrible traffic congestion, not just on the surrounding freeways, but on city streets. It also means some of the worst air quality in the world (yes, the world, not just the U.S.A.), with lots of particulate pollution from diesel trucks and trains.

It also means LONG stops at train crossings (people have actually ordered, received, and eaten pizza while stopped at such crossings).

There are friendly, safe neighborhoods (safe from crime, but not from air pollution and traffic congestion or train crossing problems). And there's a nice dog park, with friendly dog owner regulars, at the base of Mt Rubidoux, in Carlsen Park. And there are definitely some good yoga classes.

As to Riverside being the "City of Trees" and home to historic buildings, the current City Council is cutting down trees and razing historic buildings in the name of progress as fast as they can (the obnoxious "Riverside Renaissance"), but there are still some trees and old building left. Come enjoy them while you can!

One other thing: if you are a member of a racial minority, mentally ill, or if you rock the boat by criticizing local police behavior, prepare to be harrassed. No kidding.

Riverside's PD is the only PD in the United States which was forced to enter
into a consent decree with its State Attorney General because of its bad record. It's actually infamous with other police departments around the State of California. Plus, the consent decree didn't work, as the number of civilian deaths at the hands of the RPD, and the RPD's justification of such shootings, indicate. Check out the blog, Five Before Midnight, for some info (the author of that blog has been subjected to regular and ongoing harassment by RPD members for YEARS).

If you want a 30 minute commute to work at March, consider Moreno Valley, Perris and unincorporated areas like Lake Mathews and Quail Valley -- or better yet, camp on base itself. The traffic between Riverside and March is getting worse and worse, and as more and more trucks are on the connecting freeway (the 215) it will only get worse, not better.

If you think you would live in the 92506 area, you might think, from looking at a map, that you can easily take Allesandro Boulevard from Riverside into March. Nope. Allesandro is now like a freeway -- bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. It takes a LONG time to get from that area to March now.

[wannabecooler]

Lived there years ago. Like all big, growing cities, it has changed. But I met an old friend at the beautiful mall on Tyler St. recently and it was an easy commute from the Hemet area (about 45 min.). And my friend said it was only a 30 minute drive from her home in Orange.
Also, the University is there, with its great library. Lots of new growth-new shopping centers and the usual, big chain stores. I noticed a lot of restaurants too-like the Cheescake Factory.
But as far as crime goes, you can check the national crime index online. Sorry I can't remember the exact site, but play with those key words and you should be able to find it. Good luck.

[Niners fan]

I would echo above... in Riverside stick to Mission Grove or Orangecrest. Have you considered Menifee or Temecula? They are both pretty close to March ARB. Plus they have less smog and less crime.

[blondie909]

Indeed look into Upland, Claremont, San Dimas even Rancho Cucamonga but just don't live in Riverside! I am getting ready to move OUT of here. I came from the SF Bay area and absolutely can't stand it in Riverside. You can't go 50 feet without every wall being tagged, etc. To make it worse, I work in Rialto which is the ultimate ghetto. Run as fast as you can away from Riverside, Moreno Valley and other local areas.

[CSchuman]

A 30 minute commute to March ARB is going to be a 10 miles radius. The traffic here is horrendous, so you want to keep things close. Regardless of the direction on the freeways, it is bumper to bumper the entire way... to Temecula, to the Desert, and to Los Angeles. If you want a really nice place... look into Canyon Crest. There are lots of trees lining the streets for the most part. Back in the day, most of the Professors from UCR, Doctors, Lawyers, and a majority of the professionals occupied this area.

You said you also wanted something for around $1500. Look on Apartments.com and look into the Canyon Crest area. If I do recall, there are luxury apartments starting at $1300 a month. (I am not affiliated with any sort of real estate/apartment agency). Also look into Orange Crest, Sycamore Canyon, Canyon Springs.... etc...

Good Luck!


Picture of Canyon Crest Dr.

[Colorado Dreamin']

The ugly truth about Riverside is very bad air...some of the most polluted in the nation....the water is notoriously foul...you will be buying bottled/or/spring water by the gallons...and traffic and trying to get from one town to another or just across town is horrific....this may sound melodramatic to some....there are actual road signs depicting what are obviously illegals...warning to be on the lookout on roads at night just as another area would have warning signs for deer, etc. People who have lived in California for two or more generations are LEAVING the state as soon as a job can be found elsewhere...the roads here are in terrible shape and not able to handle the traffic...Our bank ATM machines offer service in sometimes FOUR different languages....what is wrong with this picture?

[nwraider]

Originally Posted by CSchuman

A 30 minute commute to March ARB is going to be a 10 miles radius. The traffic here is horrendous, so you want to keep things close. Regardless of the direction on the freeways, it is bumper to bumper the entire way... to Temecula, to the Desert, and to Los Angeles. If you want a really nice place... look into Canyon Crest. There are lots of trees lining the streets for the most part. Back in the day, most of the Professors from UCR, Doctors, Lawyers, and a majority of the professionals occupied this area.

You said you also wanted something for around $1500. Look on Apartments.com and look into the Canyon Crest area. If I do recall, there are luxury apartments starting at $1300 a month. (I am not affiliated with any sort of real estate/apartment agency). Also look into Orange Crest, Sycamore Canyon, Canyon Springs.... etc...

Good Luck!


Picture of Canyon Crest Dr.

Good post, I would agree with pretty much everything you said.. Spent 30+ years in Riverside/Moreno Valley before I bailed for Seattle three years ago. Don't miss it a bit, but if you're gonna go anywhere in the vicinity, Canyon Crest it is...

And very nice pic BTW... Some parts of the IE I do miss (along with friends and family), and it is beautiful when it's clear and sunny and NOT SMOGGY..