Monrovia offers destinations for nature trails and ways to explore the area’s history. In Monrovia Canyon Park, the trail network leads to Canyon Park Waterfall. In Old Town Monrovia, historic buildings line the streets, and works of art also shape the area. Whether you focus on scenery, history or both, you can choose from a range of different offerings.
Enjoy the Outdoors
Monrovia Canyon Park is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and has more than 100 visitor parking spaces. Since operating hours may change, check the current hours before your visit. The trail network leads to Canyon Park Waterfall, giving your hike a specific destination.
Hillside Wilderness Preserve offers a different focus: more than 4.5 miles of trails and open space, as well as opportunities for hiking. It also offers views of Monrovia and the San Gabriel Valley. The two locations therefore have different features to consider: at Canyon Park, the trail network leads to a waterfall; at the Preserve, trail length, open space and views are key points of reference.
The Santa Anita Wash Trail also runs through Monrovia. The Historic Monrovia Walking Tour visits six locations in the city and focuses on local history. Alongside nature-oriented trails, there are several historic sites to choose from as tour destinations.
Local History and Route 66
The Monrovia Historical Museum is located in the former municipal swimming pool building. The pool operated as the Monrovia Municipal Plunge, also known as The Plunge, from 1925 to 1983. The museum’s regular opening hours are Thursdays and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Opening hours may change, so check them before your visit.
Another cultural perspective comes from the three-dimensional diorama art display Route 66: A Road Through Time. It tells the story of the people, places and automobiles that shaped Monrovia’s Route 66 experience. The display and the history of the former swimming pool offer different ways to explore local history.
Old Town Monrovia has numerous works of art in and around the area, and historic buildings line its streets. The George H. Anderson House was built in 1886 and is open to the public on the third Sunday of each month from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. These opening hours may also change, so check the current information before your visit.
Another link to Route 66 is the Aztec Hotel, a historic roadside motel. It opened in 1925 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. These historical details place the Aztec Hotel in the history of Monrovia and Route 66; they do not indicate whether lodging is currently available there.
Keep Visiting Hours in Mind
The Monrovia Street Fair & Market takes place on Fridays from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. In spring and summer, extended hours apply until 10:00 p.m. Check the specific event times for your travel dates, as they may vary by season.
Visiting hours also differ among the historic sites: the museum’s regular opening days are Thursday and Sunday, while the George H. Anderson House opens on the third Sunday of the month. This difference in schedules may help when choosing a date. If you are traveling on a specific day, it is a good idea to check the opening hours for each site along with the seasonal market hours.
Discover more destinations: Inglewood, Azusa, South El Monte, Manhattan Beach, Pomona, Lake Hughes, Santa Clarita, Lawndale
For the broader travel overview: Los Angeles.
