Fortunately for Loma Linda residents, their city is smack dab in the middle of dozens of fun places, from the San Bernardino Mountains to Palm Springs to San Diego to Los Angeles. Many of them are a short drive - or even train ride - away.
Olvera Street is the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles, and is just across the street from Union Station. Any Metrolink station on the San Bernardino line - including San Bernardino, Fontana, Rialto, and Rancho Cucamonga - has trains that end up at Union Station, and it’s the perfect way to get to Olvera Street. Parking is hard to find and expensive, and with the station just steps away, it makes sense to take the train.
The Metrolink is very comfortable, and has work stations with tables and electrical plugs for anyone wanting to get work done during their trip. There is also a new train service that goes from San Bernardino to Los Angeles in roughly an hour, bypassing many stops along the way.
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Olvera Street has both stores and outdoor booths, selling everything from traditional Mexican dresses to Dia de los Muertos merchandise, like sugar skulls. My favorite store is Olverita’s Village, which has an amazing selection of both modern and classic clothing, knick knacks, purses, artwork, and more. Olvera Candle Shop has great candles and party supplies, and Bazaar de Mexico offers beautiful silver jewelry and traditional clothing.
Mexican food lovers have a wide range of options, with multiple restaurants serving up burritos, tacos, enchiladas, margaritas and more. Stop at one of the many churro carts for dessert, or visit Kitty’s Sno-Cones.
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Part of the fun is seeing the various groups who gather at the plaza near Olvera Street and perform traditional dances. There is also the oldest standing home in Los Angeles just steps away from the busy shops, called the Avila Adobe. Step inside and get a first hand look at what it was like before the population and buildings in Los Angeles exploded.
For more information on Olvera Street, check out this useful site. To get train schedules, visit the Metrolink website.
