Redlands offers a clear choice between historic architecture, exhibitions, and nature trails. For your trip planning, it helps to first choose how you want to explore: a guided tour, a garden open to the public, a themed museum, or trails in a natural area. The individual highlights differ considerably in their collections, history, and uses.

Garden Art and Museums

Kimberly Crest House & Gardens is a 6-acre estate in Redlands. It includes a Victorian château and Italian Renaissance-style gardens. The interior serves as a museum with guided tours; the gardens are free and open to the public. This lets you choose between a guided look inside the house and a visit to the gardens. The château’s architecture and the gardens’ design offer two distinct perspectives on the same estate.

The Historical Glass Museum displays 6,000 pieces of glass in a Victorian house dating from 1903. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m.; admission is by donation. Opening hours may change, so check them before your visit. The collection and historic building give the museum a clear focus on glass and architecture.

The San Bernardino County Museum offers a broader view of the region. Its exhibitions on the Inland Empire also include depictions of life in Redlands and other surrounding areas. The museum also presents exhibitions and offers programs on history, art, anthropology, archaeology, biology, geology, and paleontology related to Inland Southern California. Its regional, multidisciplinary perspective sets it apart from a single collection with a clearly defined subject.

History Through Exhibitions and Architecture

At the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, the exhibition “…That All Men are Created Equal: Slavery in America” offers insights into enslavement and its legacy in the United States, from the precolonial period through the 20th century. Visitors can also hear stories and songs of formerly enslaved people. Exhibition details may change; check what is currently on display before your visit. Guided tours are available for groups of 12 or more with advance reservations.

The 18.4-acre Heritage Park is a nature park that reflects the history of Redlands. A trail passes boulders and shares this history. The A.K. Smiley Public Library also offers an architectural link to the past: the wing added in 1906 was built to blend with the original Mission Revival design of the library. The addition shows how a later part of a building was designed to complement an existing structure.

Music History and Nature Trails

The Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival is considered the oldest continuously running music festival in the United States with no admission charge. Its history began in 1923, when Grace Stewart Mullen founded the Redlands Community Music Association. If the festival is a reason for your trip, check the event dates in advance.

For outdoor activities, San Timoteo Nature Sanctuary has 5 miles of trails for hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. San Timoteo Sanctuary covers about 200 acres and provides habitat for coyotes, deer, badgers, and snakes; sightings of these animals may vary. Mountain biking is permitted on the singletrack through the eucalyptus grove. Trail rules may change, so check the current requirements before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Chino, Adelanto, Victorville, Barstow, Rialto, San Bernardino, Searles Valley, Crestline

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