Pomona is a beautiful city in Los Angeles County, California. It is nestled in the middle of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire in Pomona Valley.
The city had a population of 151,713 people at the 2020 census. Pomona is a magnificent California city with numerous historical attractions, cultural sites, and outdoor recreational opportunities.
If you are a fan of automobiles, you can check out the Auto Club Raceway and Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, which offers you lots of things to do. In contrast, history enthusiasts can check out the RailGiants Train Museum and American Museum of Ceramic Art during their city tour.
Here are the best things to do in Pomona, CA.
Things to Do in Pomona, CA
1. Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is situated in the Fairplex, previously known as the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.
The Museum is devoted to all things related to drag racing. It accommodates an automobile collection with memorabilia items concerned with the sport of hot rodding and motorcycles.
The name Wally Parks was derived from its founder. It is a 28,500-square-foot building nestled on the Fairplex grounds. It has been a Motorsport archive for automobiles and hot rodding for over 20 years.
The main highlights in the museum are a photo collection of Bob McClung, a helmet, and the first dragster vehicle to move at a speed of 300 mph, one of A.J. Foyt’s Coyote Indy Cars, and artifacts and memorabilia from the Indianapolis 500.
The Museum organizes a special exhibition to celebrate Gale Banks and his efforts that helped shape the sport of drag racing.
Address: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
2. American Museum of Ceramic Art
American Museum of Ceramic Art
The American Museum of Ceramic Art is an institution devoted to educating, chronicling, sharing, and inspiring people with a keen interest in the art, history, and technology behind ceramic production.
The museum was founded in 2003 by a man named David Armstrong. It holds various types of Ceramic art exhibitions and collections throughout the year, together with educational programs and workshops for students and the general public.
The museum features a permanent collection that is made up of over 7,0000 ceramics art such as functional and sculptural modern ceramics, Mettlach ceramics, beautiful porcelains of Asia and Europe, Old vessels from the Americas, and industrial ceramics.
The museum also accommodates a library with over 3,000 books, technical handbooks, more than 4,000 monographs, 2,000 periodicals, and exhibition catalogs. Exploring this Museum is one of the top things to do in Pomona, CA.
Address: 399 N Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
3. RailGiants Train Museum
RailGiants Train Museum
If you are a historian, one of the best places to visit in Pomona, CA, is the RailGiants Train Museum.
A visit to RailGiants Train Museum will take you down memory lane to the prime days of the American Railroad. The museum is managed and run by the Southern California Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society.
The museum showcases various types of railway-related exhibits, such as the Santa Fe Railway constructed in 1887 and the historic train stations of Atchison and Topeka.
The RailGiants Train Museum also accommodates many well-preserved United States locomotives, with two 3-Cylinder steam locomotives and a Union Pacific “Centennial ” diesel locomotive.
You can browse through the documents in the museum library and stop by their gift shop to make purchases of gift and souvenir items.
Address: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
4. Pomona Valley Mining Company
Pomona Valley Mining Company
Go down memory lane to the era of the 1850s gold rush while you enjoy a hearty meal at this themed restaurant.
The Pomona Valley Mining Company is a beautiful banquet facility and lodge on a hill that overlooks the city and provides exceptional scenic views.
The Pomona Valley Mining Company is adorned with authentic artifacts from the mines, soft lighting, large crackling fireplaces, and stunning views of the valley.
It is an ideal location to host your special events, such as weddings and birthday parties. It is also perfect for couples nights out. It has a bar with a wide range of vintage wines, locally crafted ales and beer, special cocktails, and foreign spirits.
Address: 1777 Gillette Rd, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
5. Ganesha Park
The city of Pomona houses several excellent park facilities, one of which is Ganesha Park, one of the best places to visit in Pomona, CA.
The project was started in 1888 and was completed in 1915. It is one of the biggest and oldest parks to be found in the city.
The Ganesha Park spans over 60 acres of land and has numerous recreational and sports facilities for your pleasure. The sports facilities include two kiddies’ playgrounds, a skate park, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a volleyball court.
There are pavilions, barbecue facilities, walking trails, many picnic tables, and a community in the park. In addition, it organizes various events such as festivals and music concerts.
Address: Pomona, CA 91768, United States
6. Los Angeles County Fair
Los Angeles County Fair
Prepare to visit Pomona in September to participate in the yearly Los Angeles County Fair activities. It is one of the fun things to do in Pomona, CA.
This notable event in California was founded in 1992. It is one of the biggest fairs in the country. The fair is held at Fairplex, a 543-acre land.
The activities and merchandise sold during the fair are centered on the history of California and its thriving agricultural sector.
The main highlights of the fair include a 13-acre carnival, a historical exhibit, an outdoor mini garden railroad, and an educational expo.
You can see and enjoy a freestyle motocross at the Los Angeles County Fair or the “End of Summer Concert Series,” which showcases quality musical entertainment.
Address: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
7. Chronos Escape Room
The Chronos Escape Room is a fantastic place to come with your family and friends and have fun. It is the most outstanding and largest escape room in Los Angeles.
Several companies use the top tier facility in carrying out their staff-building programs. You can use your cognitive skills to get clues in solving problems and finishing tasks to quickly escape a confined space within a given time.
The fun and experience to gain in this facility are endless and fascinating. It is made up of the newest technologies for limitless entertainment.
There are six escape room themes to choose from Private Eye, Jurassic Island, Chronostopia, Awakened, Jurassic Island, and Inception.
Address: 676 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
8. Historical Society of Pomona
Aside from discovering the city’s rich heritage, explore the whole of Pomona Valley by checking out the locations managed by the Historical Society of Pomona.
The first place you should see is the Pomona Ebell Museum of History, located at 585 East Holt Avenue, which accommodates a great collection of artifacts and documents concerning the vibrant history of Pomona Valley.
In addition to the sites to see, you can include the circa 1875 Phillips Mansion on your list and appreciate its adoption of the Second Empire architectural style.
If you want to know about the story of the Mexican and Spanish ranch life, stop by the 1850s brick residence Ygnacio Palomares Adobe located at 491 E Arrow Highway.
Go down memory lane at the La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose on Jose 1569 North Park Ave., constructed in 1837. It is the oldest house in the Pomona Valley.
Address: 585 E Holt Ave, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
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9. African American Museum of Beginnings
African American Museum of Beginnings
Khalif and Victoria Rasshan founded the African American Museum of Beginnings in 2011. The museum is dedicated to offering the Pomona Unified School District vital cultural education.
What makes the African American Museum of Beginnings even more unique is that it is a privately funded museum. They have been consistent over the years in being relevant historically, artistically, and culturally in matters about African American people.
You can find outstanding exhibits on crucial subjects such as the Maafa and Resistance, Local History, Ancient, Classical Africa, and Contemporary African American.
The museum even offers the local community outstanding educational programs and community events, which is achievable because the founders were ex-educators in the area.
1460 E. Holt Ave State 188, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
10. Cal Poly Pomona Farm
Cal Poly Pomona Farm
One of the best things to do in Pomona, CA, is to go shopping for fresh farm products at Cal Poly Pomona Farm.
It is a family-friendly operating farm that manufactures various fresh farm products. The products are sold to people at the Farmer’s Market and grocery stores within the area. They provide visitors with a series of farm activities like hay rides and petting farms.
The Cal Poly Pomona Farm organizes many events throughout the year, with sales of flowers, pumpkin patches, and lots more for the entire family to participate in. Their petting farm offers children the chance to have a firsthand experience with several animals like goats, rabbits, dairy calves, and sheep.
They also have a gift shop that features gift items concerning the farm, gift baskets, cheese baskets, souvenirs, and lots more.
Address: 4102 S University Dr, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
11. Kellogg House at Cal Poly Pomona
Kellogg House at Cal Poly Pomona
The Kellogg House sits on top of a tree-shaded hill on the northern part of California State Polytechnic Pomona. It is a significant historical house constructed by W.K. Kellogg in 1926.
The house was designed in a ranch style by a famous architect named Myron Hunt. This 8,777-square-foot house portrays historical beauty, panoramic views, and stunning architectural details.
Charles Gibbs Adams designed the luxuriant landscapes that surround the house. The house is also an ideal location to host special events like birthday parties, corporate functions, weddings, and others.
Address: 3801 W Temple Ave Bldg. 112, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
12. Auto Club Raceway
Auto Club Raceway
Are you a fan of drag racing? Then ensure to check out the Auto Club Raceway, also called the Pomona Raceway. This racing track presents a quarter-mile dragstrip that is regarded as the finest facility in the Pomona Valley region.
The drag racing facility was constructed in 1961, with a seating capacity of 40,000 people. It holds various drag race events throughout the year.
It is also home to crucial drag races, such as its traditional season opener, the Winter Nationals, and its last season tournament, the NHRA Finals.
Address: 2780 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
13. Fox Theater Pomona
Fox Theater Pomona
A significant destination worth checking out during your visit to Pomona is the Fox Theater Pomona, where you can watch live theatrical shows that are very entertaining. It is recognized as one of the top-tier Theater locations in California.
Fox Theater Pomona is a thoroughly revamped theatre that dates back to the successful era of Hollywood in Pomona.
Currently, the theatre is considered the jewel in its colorful neighborhood; Pomona Arts Colony comprises galleries, nightclubs, restaurants, and lofts.
The theatre has a capacity seating of 2,000 people. It has become a premier location for cinema and a venue for performances, parties, and band concerts. The artists to see in the theatre performance are local entertainers and even artists from Los Angeles.
Address: 301 S Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91766, United States
14. Palomares Park
Palomares Park
However, Palomares Park is usually used by the city’s skateboarders. It also features a nice cycling track.
The park’s rectangular circuit protrudes a little more than a kilometer, and the view to see heading toward the park is stunning from the general track.
Address: 499 E Arrow Hwy, Pomona, CA 91767, USA
15. Tropical Mexico
Tropical Mexico
Are you wondering what to do in Pomona, CA, with your date? Have a taste of something different than your regular staple food by visiting Tropical Mexico.
It is a beautiful restaurant that provides its customers with traditional Mexican dishes and drinks in a laid-back environment.
It is a popular destination in Pomona and is known as one of the best Mexican restaurants in the region.
Their menu includes tacos, seafood entrées, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, meat, fajitas, nachos, and many more, complemented by a wide selection of liquor, including craft beers, wines, margaritas, cocktails, and tequilas.
They have a beautiful outdoor patio that can house about 120 visitors. It also has a restaurant available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the week.
Address: 1371 S East End Ave, Pomona, CA 91766, United States
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16. Innovation Brew Works
If you are a beer lover, one of the top things to do in Pomona, CA, is to visit the Innovation Brew Works and have the best beer experience.
It is an educational brewery and restaurant built in the Innovation Research Park of the Cal Poly Pomona Campus.
The Innovation Brew Works offers a hands-on experience laboratory for the students of Cal Poly Pomona, a Café, and a mini brewhouse.
The brewery was founded to offer the students of Cal Poly Pomona, its faculty, alumni, and even the entire public the chance to have a firsthand experience of the brewery’s operations.
The beers manufactured in the Innovation Brew Works are prepared with locally grown ingredients and are named after notable persons in Cal Poly and Pomona.
There is a Cafe in the brewery that provides guests with delicious snacks and light foods. In addition, you can make purchases of items related to Innovation Brew Works, such as their refillable growler, pint glasses, and clothing.
Address: 3650 W Temple Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
17. Art Treasures in Downtown Pomona
Stop by the American Museum of Ceramic Art located at 399 North Garey Avenue in the Downtown area of Pomona.
The museum was founded in 2003 and is devoted to ceramic art exhibitions, with an art collection of more than 7,000 pieces and an expansive library of its genre of art.
You can plan your visit to the museum on the second Saturday of any month to partake in the downtown Pomona ArtWalk.
Receptions are held by artists of the Pomona Art Colony in plenty of galleries kept open for the general public till late evening.
The ArtWalk days occur simultaneously with the market in Shaun Diamond Plaza at West 2nd St. and Thomas, which presents music, clothing, food vendors, crafts, and jewelry. An ideal time to check out this plaza is during the Pomona Art Chalk Festival.
Address: Pomona, CA 91767, United States
18. Phillips Mansion
Phillips Mansion
Louis Phillips finished the construction of his home in 1875, and by 1890, he became the wealthiest man in Los Angeles County.
The mansion is situated in a region previously called the town of Spadra. It was a property of the Phillips Family until the 1940s, when it was sold.
Currently, the Historical Society of Pomona Valley owns and manages the house. Guests can tour the mansion, which has eight rooms, 16-foot ceilings, six gorgeous fireplaces, and 3-foot thick walls.
Address: 2640 Pomona Boulevard, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
19. Antique Row
Antique Row
Are you an antique lover? If yes, head towards the two-block portion of East 2nd Street, which is nestled in Pomona. You will find 100 stands that sell unique antique merchandise.
Antique Row is recognized as one of the oldest antique malls in the United States. It features an expansive selection of high-quality items such as artwork, home decor, and lots more.
The ideal times to plan your visit to Pomona Antique Row are the last Saturdays of January, March, May, September, and November, the special day for the Downtown Collectors Street Faire.
Pomona Antique Rows amplifies its merchandise to accommodate live music and food concession booths.
As a result of the energetic feel of Antique Row, this place has been featured on different TV shows and film productions, such as He Won’t Get Far on Foot, The Cat in the Hat, and Don’t Worry.
Address: Pomona, CA 91766, United States
20. La Casa Primera
La Casa Primera
The building was constructed in 1837. It is a historical marker in this part of the country and is open for weekend tours.
Visitors are taken down memory lane to how life was in the 1800s through the decorations, furniture, and other essential artifacts in the house, which perhaps were used by its previous owners, the Palomares Family.
Address: 1569 N. Park Avenue, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
21. Mountain Meadows Golf Course
The city of Pomona has a beautiful golf course known as the Mountain Meadows Golf Course.
Mountain Meadows Golf Course is perched in the San San Gabriel Basin hills, about 25 miles east of Los Angeles.
The golf course presents you with a 6,440-yard layout, 18 hole championship golf course that is ideal for all skill levels of golfers. Golfing here is one of the fun things to do in Pomona, CA.
Jacaranda trees of great heights and other native vegetation surround the golf course. The well-maintained golf course has different holes with nearly blind tee shots, sidehill lies, and elevation changes, all designed to provide golfers with a splendid golfing experience.
Mountain Meadows Golf Course has a restaurant and bar that offers an excellent food menu, vintage beers on tap and bottled beers, a large screen for watching sports, and a beautiful patio that offers the best views of the golf course.
Address: 1875 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
22. The Old Stump Brewing Co.
One of the most recent local craft brew houses in the Inland Empire is The Old Stump Brewing Co.
The brewhouse manufactures many homemade and light beers like Jalapeñobiznes Blonde, Passionate Blonde, Blonde Conniption, and Muffin Top.
Beers on their tasting menu are Red Hammock in variants like Disarray IPA, Double IPA, Grapefruit IPA, and IPA. You can also try out their specialty beers like the Rusty Gasket with variants such as Brown and Red. Milk Stout, P-Town Porter, and Brown Ale.
Their tasting room has a comfy ambiance for relaxing, enjoying your beer, and listening to fine tunes in the background. There are many beer-related products for guests to buy.
The brewery is available to the entire public from Thursdays to Mondays. Tastings and tours are done in the afternoons and evenings.
Address: 2896 Metropolitan Pl, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
23. Palomares Adobe
Palomares Adobe
One of the historic homes to visit is the Adobe de Palomares or, as it is fondly called, the Palomares Adobe. The house was erected in 1854. It has 13 rooms, all built using Adobe bricks in a Spanish Colonial architectural style.
Visitors who come to the house can tour the house’s two wings, two wide bedrooms, and living areas surrounding it.
Adobe de Palomares is also called the “House of Hospitality. ” It has received numerous visitors from way back who come here to rest, such as visiting priests and travelers taking the San Bernardino stagecoach road.
Address: 491 E. Arrow Highway, Pomona, CA 91767, United States
24. Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park
Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park
Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park is nestled in San Dimas, a neighboring city near Pomona. It promises to be fun and exciting, as it has many outdoor recreational opportunities for everyone to enjoy.
The Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park is just 5 miles or less from Pomona and provides visitors with many outdoor recreational activities. It occupies a land area of 1,800 acres.
What to see in this regional park includes 14 miles of multi-use trails and a 250-acre Puddingstone Lake Reservoir.
You can partake in many outdoor recreational activities, such as jet skiing, biking, picnicking, sightseeing, swimming, boating, fishing, birdwatching, and hiking. The park also has concessionaires that offer RV camping, hot tubs, and horse riding.
Address: 120 E Via Verde Dr, San Dimas, CA 91773, United States
25. Latino Art Museum
Latino Art Museum
If you are an art lover, add a visit to the Latino Art Museum to your itinerary of what to do in Pomona, CA; make sure to visit and see the amazing work of Latin American Artists in the Country.
The Latino Art Museum is a non-profit institution established to help promote the works of skillful Latin artists residing in the United States.
Visitors who visit the museum can browse through the many collections of artworks in the Latino Art Museum’s permanent collection.
There are many art pieces; you can also interact with the artists.
Address: 281 S. Thomas Street, Pomona, CA 91766, United States
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Plan Your Trip to Pomona
There are lots of exciting things to do in this city that will suit the needs of any traveler. Pomona also features plenty of lovely outdoor destinations that will pique your interest.
Don’t hesitate to make Pomona, CA, your next vacation destination.