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California’s Mission Inn opulent enough for presidents
If you’re like many California people, the most you know
about Riverside is that it’s a seeming metropolis that
passes underneath the I-215 freeway in that vast extension
of back-to-back cities that stretch eastward from Los
Angeles.  If you try to think about one distinguishing
characteristic, you probably can’t.

But get on down off the freeway and you’ll find one of the
most unique getaway experiences in the state - an
experience that transports you to Early California through
architecture and through the efforts of city fathers to
preserve Riverside’s past. Smack in the middle of it all is
an inn so grandiose that presidents have married there,
honeymooned there and even planted trees there.

It’s always a good sign when the place you’ll be staying
has a street named after it - and so locating our
destination was especially easy when we took the Mission
Inn Road exit off the freeway and found ourselves instantly
surrounded by historic Spanish architecture on every street
corner. We noticed that churches, museums and historic
storefronts are all within walking distance of one another
and, towering above it all, was our weekend getaway - the
Historic Mission Inn.

Just inside the ivy-covered adobe archway, we walked
through a courtyard of lush landscaping before getting our
first glimpse of the majestic lobby area.  Spectacular
chandeliers and giant wood beams complemented the elegant
flower-patterned carpet to create a sense that this
building was at once luxurious and historic. The lobby’s
grand piano is the only piano made by Steinway for the 1876
Centennial. But this was only the beginning - the Historic
Mission Inn is like a fun house for those who marvel at
historic and creative architecture. Around every corner
there is something unique or fascinating.

The Historic Mission Inn at first gives the feeling it
might have been a real mission or monastery, what with its
239 guest rooms, including 28 suites. But upon closer
reading of its history, this palace-like inn was actually
built by Riverside town father Frank Miller, who had taken
the original Glenwood Tavern, built in 1874, and converted
it to a small inn that opened in 1903. Over the years
Miller continued to expand the inn using the popular
Mission Revival architecture so prevalent in California,
but blending architectural styles and ornamental details
from the Southwest U.S. as well as several Mediterranean
countries - and of course the California missions.

The inn closed for seven years in the late 80’s for a $55
million renovation and then reopened in 1992 to rave
reviews. Today, the inn is situated on an entire city block
and has a total of 320,000 square feet. It is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and is a State of
California Historic Landmark. President Nixon was married
here, President Reagan honeymooned here and President Teddy
Roosevelt planted a tree on its grounds. There is even a
chair still on the property that was built for 300-pound
William Howard Taft, also a visitor to the inn. Of course,
dozens of movie stars and other dignitaries also have spent
time at the inn, and its unusual architecture has served as
the backdrop for a string of movies dating back to 1913.

The rooms and suites - which offer many unique floor plans
– are almost as interesting architecturally as the inn’s
exterior. The sitting area in our suite was appointed with
antiques — some more elegant than others - and the bedroom
featured a comfortable four-poster bed. Our unit had an
L-shaped floor plan and, just beyond the sitting area was a
large table and four chairs that could double as a work
area or a dining table. There was no view to speak of, but
once you walked outside the suite there was a series of
stairways, walkways and catwalks that offered a variety of
amazing views of the inn’s special architecture.

The inn has several award-winning restaurants, with Duane’s
boasting an especially long list of awards from restaurant
writers and Wine Spectator Magazine. Although relatively
new, Las Campanas, the hotel’s Mexican restaurant, is now
starting to appear on many award lists - and we could see
why. We enjoyed a variety of dishes that all seemed to have
a special flair.

The inn features a year-round heated swimming pool and
jacuzzi area for relaxation but, if you want the ultimate,
Kelly’s Spa will pamper you until you won’t want to go
home. A recent addition to the Historic Mission Inn - and
proving especially popular with local residents — Kelly’s
features a variety of scrubs, polishes, body wraps,
therapeutic baths, massages and facials. Getting treated
like royalty is not inexpensive — plan to spend about $250
for a half day or about $400 for a full day, although that
can vary depending on the treatments.

Just outside the hotel, you can walk to several museums.
Nearby are the Riverside Municipal Museum, Riverside Art
Museum, California Museum of Photography and the Riverside
Ballet Theater. There is even a museum right in the Mission
Inn. In fact there is strong community support for historic
preservation in Riverside and many historic buildings
throughout the city are open to the public. Over 100 City
Landmarks, 20 National Register sites and two National
Landmarks have been designated by the Riverside City
Council.

The Mission Revival architecture is everywhere in
Riverside, and so it seems are churches. The
Unitarian-Unversalist Church is especially striking with
its Norman Gothic Revival architecture.  Another Gothic
Revival building is the Magnolia United Presbyterian
Church, the oldest church building in Riverside. Like the
Mission Inn, the Union Pacific Depot is an example of
Mission Revival architecture.

Walking around the Historic Mission Inn District, you
notice a mission symbol on flags and in various locations
around the inn - that’s the raincross symbol that was
designed for the Mission Inn and given to the city by Frank
Miller.

There are several antique stores and specialty shops in the
Historic Mission Inn District. Many of the stores are
small, but the Mission Gallery encompasses several floors
of the Old Sears Building and offers a wide selection of
antiques and collectibles in addition to a deli, a floral
shop and a fine jeweler. In this case the store itself is
something of an antique - it’s been there for more than 65
years.

If the fine dining, shopping, museum-hopping and spa aren’t
enough to keep you occupied, Riverside is conveniently
located for day trips to a couple of other popular getaway
destinations - Big Bear Lake and the Temecula wineries.
Either is reached in under an hour’s drive from Riverside.
Big Bear Lake offers mountain scenery reminiscent of the
Sierra Nevadas, while there is a growing wine industry in
Temecula offering a variety of tasting rooms and winery
gift shops.

For us, however, the Historic Mission Inn District was
plenty to keep us busy during our brief stay in Riverside.
Just like you miss a lot in the “flyover” states when
traveling by air to the East Coast, sometimes you also miss
a lot in the “drive-over” cities when you don’t bother to,
now and then, come down off the Interstate.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: The Historic Mission Inn is in Riverside, 55 miles
east of Los Angeles, near the junction of the 60 and 91
freeways. It’s also easily reached from the north or south
by way of Interstate 215.

WHAT: The Historic Mission Inn is one of the most
spectacular and historic hotels in California. Riverside
has a surprising history that is in evidence throughout the
city. It has a warm inland climate with plenty of sunshine.

WHEN: A visit to Riverside can be pretty warm in the
summer, although not unbearable. Best time to visit would
be non-summer months.

WHY:  There just aren’t many historic hotels that have been
restored to this degree. Combine that with the world-class
dining and luxurious amenities and the hotel itself is
enough reason for the getaway even if the surrounding
museums and shops weren’t so interesting.

HOW: For more information on the Historic Mission Inn, call
800-843-7755 or visit www.missioninn.com. For more
information on the city of Riverside, phone 909-683-7100.

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Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp which
publishes websites focused on regional travel. Among the
sites offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com
and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com .