1. Riverside Is A College Town Melting Pot
U.S. News & World Report ranks University of California, Riverside as the 5th most ethnically diverse school in the nation and the 15th most economically diverse school in the entire nation—55th overall among the country’s public universities.
2. Smog Is An Ongoing Battle
The Riverside area is referred to as a “smog belt” because of the serious air pollution, and City-Data reports the city’s Air Quality Index as significantly worse than the U.S. average. However, Riverside isn’t giving up easy, and has made efforts to combat smog by extending the mass transit system and shifting the bus fleet to natural gas, as well as encouraging individual citizens to sponsor new city trees.
3. Riverside Is The Land Of Khaki Pants
Even in golf-enriched Southern California, Riverside stands out. The Oak Quarry Golf Club was named the 2013 National Course of the Year by the California Golf Course Owners Association, and other courses are extremely popular too, like the Canyon Crest Country Club, Jurupa Hills Country Club and The Victoria Club. Basically you can’t swing a...well, a golf club without hitting a golf course in Riverside.
4. Form And Function Work Together
Each October Riverside hosts The Long Night of Arts & Innovation. From late afternoon until midnight, this downtown event showcases the city’s best of visual and performing arts, science and technology, and how they’re all connected. Many restaurants stay open until midnight too.
5. Tiny Tim Is Right At Home In Riverside
Every February, The Riverside Dickens Festival celebrates the works of the author with period costumes, musical acts, a Victorian military parade, literary workshops, an old-fashioned pub, and even an appearance by Queen Victoria. Scrooge would probably be miserable seeing all the fun going on, but Tiny Tim would love it.
6. Easter Morning Is One Big Party
Mount Rubidoux is a popular tourist destination year-round, but it really “springs” into action when the March equinox rolls around and becomes the site of the oldest outdoor non-denominational sunrise Easter service in the United States. Everyone’s welcome, so bring your friends, if they’re really early-morning people.
7. No Need To Split The Check In Riverside
For high-end foodies throughout Riverside (and far beyond), Duane’s Prime Steaks & Seafood is one of the most delicious—and expensive—restaurants around. But diners who are savvy with their taste buds and checkbooks don’t have to miss out. The adjoining wine bar, 54° at Duane’s serves sushi and tapas that rival the offerings at any gourmet restaurant.
8. The Kids Are Always Busy
Riverside keeps its kids busy even when they’re not in school. The monthly Discovery Days teach kids about different aspects of nature and science with hands-on activities, live animals and plants, and animal experts. And the seasonal First Sundays program features a variety of cultural activities for kids sponsored by local museums, libraries, and arts centers.
9. Controversy Is Born Here
Inflammatory and opinionated—but, admittedly, never boring—radio host Don Imus was born and raised right here, not to mention Major League Baseball superstar (and steroid-fueled) Barry Bonds.
10. Everyone In Riverside Has A Green Thumb
The Botanic Gardens at the University of California Riverside is a living plant museum with more than 3,500 species from around the world. The center is open for all residents and visitors of Riverside to see and study, and exotic plant species are often tested out in the gardens so you never know what you might see.
11. The Stars Shine In Riverside
Just not the astronomical variety. The Fox Performing Arts Center hauls in some of the biggest music acts on tour, from Willie Nelson to Jason Mraz to Cypress Hill. It also hosts reality television events like NBC’s “The Sing Off,” and performances by television icons like Jerry Seinfeld.
12. The Landmark Hotel Is Kind Of A Big Deal
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is a national historic landmark and the largest Mission Revival-style building in the country. But even cooler, the place was visited by all kinds of celebrities like royalty, movie stars, and U.S. presidents. They even had a special chair for our most...um, sizable president, William Taft.
13. Riverside Is A Bit Socialist About Its Art...
The city hosts a monthly (and free) Riverside Arts Walk, but if you miss out stop by The People’s Gallery, a non-profit, public venue for the city's art community to display and sell its work.
14. ...But Doesn’t Bash The Old-Fashioned Stuff
While much of the city’s art is “for the people,” you can still catch plenty of it in traditional museum venues if that’s more your speed. Riverside Art Museum, Sherman Indian Museum, and the California Museum of Photography are local favorites for gazing at masterpieces.
15. Riverside Is At The Heart Of Progress
14 Southern California cities are currently in the process of building the Santa Ana River Trail, which will eventually run 110 miles from Big Bear Lake (high in the San Bernardino Mountains) to the mouth of the Santa Ana River at the Pacific Ocean. Riverside will be right in the heart of it, with the trail passing through various parks and open spaces. I know, you just can’t wait, right?
16. You’d Better Start Believing In Ghosts
Riverside is home to an annual Ghost Walk, now 24 years and counting. Tour guides lead believers (and nonbelievers about to have their minds blown) through the city’s oldest buildings, sharing the city’s history through creepy tales of ghosts and ghouls.
17. Riverside Litters Better Than You
Riverside is the home of the World’s Largest Paper Cup, which is over three stories tall—although it’s made of concrete, not an appalling amount of plastic. Stop by for a photo op downtown in front of what was once the Dixie Corporation’s manufacturing plant.
18. Thai, Indian, And Italian Are The Big Three
Thai, Indian and Italian restaurants dominate all versions of the “top restaurants” lists put out by the city and its citizens. Local favorites include Bann Thai, Best Thai Cuisine, Indian Kitchen, Punjab Palace, Bella Trattoria Italian Bistro, and Magnone Trattoria & Market.
19. Watch Out, Kelly Clarkson
2014 marks the seventh Annual Riverside Sings! contest, where anyone with a voice and a dream can get their first big break. The champion wins $1,000 in cash and prizes and the 28 finalists sing live during the Riverside Summer Concert Series. Who knows, you could spot the next big star before they get famous.
20. Leslie Knope Would Be In Heaven In Riverside
From leagues, classes and camps to high-energy annual events like the Easter Eggstravaganza, Riverside citizens love getting outside any chance they get to spend time in their 52 city parks covering more than 2,700 acres. Once you see spots like Fairmount Lake you’ll see why.
21. Riverside Is Always Looking Up
The Riverside Airshow in March draws 70,000 revelers and Maverick wannabes to gaze upward at the feats of aerial performers. Back on the ground there’s plenty of gawking at the sweet aircraft and helicopter displays and plenty of festival food (corn dogs!) too.
22. You Can Celebrate Your Right To Drink
The most popular new spot in town has got to be ProAbition, a Prohibition-era themed cocktail lounge and kitchen that pays homage to the city’s teetotaling history. Fans particularly rave about its whiskey selection and the ridiculous bleu cheese fries.
23. It Really Wants To Help You Graduate
In 2010 Riverside was awarded a $3 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement an initiative to double its college graduation rates by the year 2020. And it was one of only four cities in the entire country that received the grant, so you know they’re serious about it.
24. Pick Produce From Your Neighbor’s Backyard
Well, sort of. The Riverside Downtown Farmers Market, held every Saturday, boasts local produce that’s extremely local. As they put it, “We specialize in the local ‘Mom and Pop’ farms and organic backyard gardeners that offer everything from heirloom tomatoes to ancient varieties of corn.”
25. It Wishes It Was Paris
The Riverside Historic Courthouse is the city’s most distinctive landmark, because it looks like something you’d find in France. It was built in the Beaux-Arts style and based upon the Petit Palias museum and exhibition hall in Paris. Almost as good as the real thing, right?
26. Theater Snobs Rejoice
Blockbuster addicts, don’t panic: Riverside has its fair share of mega movie theaters with popcorn and sticky soda on the floor. But two of the more revered entertainment centers are the renowned Riverside Philharmonic and California Riverside Ballet, which have both been around for more than 45 years—a lot longer than 3D movies. 
