Ontario is the gateway to the Inland Empire
Ontario is the home of the Ontario International Airport, which serves the whole cluster of cities and towns between downtown LA and the San Bernardino Mountains. But the urban conglomeration here isn't just a transport hub. Travelers come to enjoy some of the best shopping in the county, to taste the famous local olives, to attend huge business and hobby conferences, or simply to base themselves in a quieter corner of the big city. Ontario vacation rentals are charming and comfy to boot, ranging from mountain-view villas with real-stone pools to large family digs with enough bedrooms for all the kids.
Olives and shopping in Ontario
No visit to Ontario could possibly be complete without a stop off at the local Graber Olive House. This famous packing, pressing, and curing site has been in operation since 1894, churning out California's own version of that favorite Mediterranean fruit. Once you're finished spitting out the pips there, you could hit the sprawling Ontario Mills Mall. One of the largest shopping centers in the whole of San Bernardino County, it's laden with fashion stores, chocolatiers, pizza parlors, and electronics emporiums.
Nestled between the Pacific and the sierras
Ontario sits hugged by the satellite towns around Los Angeles, where the urban tendrils of the city slowly begin to give way to the soaring ridges and sierras that enfold it. It's really not far from here to make your way northwards to the pine-covered hills of Mount Baldy and Mount San Antonio, where trekking and zipline adventures await. Nor is it hard to go east to the San Bernardino, where the national forest hides chipmunks and grey foxes between its secluded mountain lakes.
Transportation options to and around Ontario
Fly into Los Angeles - Ontario Intl. Airport (ONT), the closest airport, located 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from the city center. If you can't find a flight that works for your travel itinerary, you might consider flying into John Wayne Airport (SNA), which is 29.1 mi (46.9 km) away.
If you're traveling by train, make your way to Ontario Station or East Ontario Station to see more of the city.