Riverside travel guide

Riverside Tourism | Riverside Guide

You're Going to Love Riverside

With a population of 303,871, Riverside is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Riverside deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Riverside

If you’re looking for affordable options, Mission Inn Restaurant (3649 Mission Inn Avenue) and AY MI PA - Riverside (3775 Tyler St, 1B) are great picks.

When to visit Riverside

Riverside in August
Estimated hotel price
$124
1 night at 3-star hotel
Riverside in August
Estimated hotel price
$124
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Riverside in July, when the average temperature is 77 °F, and the highest can go up to 95 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 39.2 °F, with an average temperature of 53.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 2.2″. In contrast, June is usually the driest month of the year in Riverside, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Riverside

Plane

When flying to Riverside, you’ll arrive at Ontario Airport (ONT), which is located 14 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Riverside include Air Canada, Copa Airlines and Frontier. The shortest domestic flight to Riverside departs from Las Vegas and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Riverside. The train journey from Riverside to Fullerton takes 0h 39m and costs around $14 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Anaheim, expect to pay about $16 for a 0h 47m trip. The train station in Riverside is called Riverside, and is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Riverside is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 54 miles from Riverside. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Riverside, including LuxXpress, FlixBus and Amtrak. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Riverside takes 120 miles and will cost you around $33. From Bakersfield, the ticket costs about $36 for a journey of 125 miles. The most popular bus station is Riverside University Avenue, located 2 miles from downtown Riverside. Riverside Chicago/Spruce is also a commonly used station, and is 1.8 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Riverside, you’ll arrive at Ontario Airport (ONT), which is located 14 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Riverside include Air Canada, Copa Airlines and Frontier. The shortest domestic flight to Riverside departs from Las Vegas and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Riverside. The train journey from Riverside to Fullerton takes 0h 39m and costs around $14 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Anaheim, expect to pay about $16 for a 0h 47m trip. The train station in Riverside is called Riverside, and is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Riverside is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 54 miles from Riverside. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Riverside, including LuxXpress, FlixBus and Amtrak. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Riverside takes 120 miles and will cost you around $33. From Bakersfield, the ticket costs about $36 for a journey of 125 miles. The most popular bus station is Riverside University Avenue, located 2 miles from downtown Riverside. Riverside Chicago/Spruce is also a commonly used station, and is 1.8 miles from the city center.

Airports near Riverside

Airlines serving Riverside

Lufthansa
Good (4,678 reviews)
KLM
Good (845 reviews)
SWISS
Good (950 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,622 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,257 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,582 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,109 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,434 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,983 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,996 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (856 reviews)
LOT
Good (677 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (812 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (934 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,169 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Riverside

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Santa Cruz Inn Riverside and Riverside Inn & Suites.

Where to stay in popular areas of Riverside

Most booked hotels in Riverside

Hampton Inn Riverside Downtown
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 750 reviews)
$169+
The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1206 reviews)
$138+
Ontario Airport Hotel & Conference Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1111 reviews)
$123+
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Ontario Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1710 reviews)
$126+
Holiday Inn Ontario Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1122 reviews)
$132+
Ontario Airport Inn
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1009 reviews)
$95+

Renting a car in Riverside

Renting a car in Riverside costs $62 per day, on average, or $123 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 26% more expensive than at Los Angeles.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Riverside (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Riverside is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) are, on average, 76% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Riverside costs $62 per day, on average, or $123 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 26% more expensive than at Los Angeles.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Riverside (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Riverside is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) are, on average, 76% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.