California Citrus State Historic Park
Riverside, CA
Free; parking ~$5
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.7(1,415 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
Ranger-led tours engage kids well when they run, but guides are volunteers and one reviewer arrived on a tour day to find nobody there. That same visit found debris across the grounds, broken signs and fruit rotting under the trees, while others describe it as well kept. The visitor center is not open daily.
Living-history park among working orange groves with picnic lawns, trails, and a glimpse of SoCal's citrus heyday. Almost half of the 248-acre park is planted with more than 100 citrus varieties, tracing back to 1873, when the USDA sent Riverside resident Eliza Tibbets two of the first navel orange trees grown in California — trees that helped launch the state's entire citrus industry. Trails wind through the working groves past historic buildings and exhibits explaining how citrus reshaped the region.
Good for
- Ages 0–2
- Ages 10+
- Stroller-friendly
- Nap-schedule friendly
- Sensory-friendly
- Restrooms
- Works for a wide age range
Happening near here
- Riverside Spooky Spooktacular Festival at Hunt ParkRiverside · 1 miFree
- Riverside Halloween Carnival at Nichols ParkRiverside · 4 miFree
- Cars & Coffee CoronaCorona · 5 mi · Saturdays 7–9amFree
- Doors Open Riverside (8th annual)Riverside · 7 miFree
9400 Dufferin Ave, Riverside, CA 92503, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Map
What visitors say
- Pauline L-C★★★★★
We were lucky and came in just as Ranger Adam started a tour of the museum. It was nice to be walked through the history of how the citrus came to this area from ancient times along the Silk Road. The Ranger delivered the history in a engaging and fun way for both adults and kids in our group. The exhibits provide just enough history with supporting imagery to be interesting and informative without be tiring or overwhelming. Afterward we got to try some locally grown lemons, grapefruit and orange. The kids also had a place to play with coloring books and books to read. Sadly the gift shop was closed but we learned it is run by high school students which is cool that they help students gain volunteer and work experience. It's a really beautiful place with lots of walking trails through the groves and picnics areas an a beautiful event space. Really a cool "slice" of local history and fun!
4 months ago
- Art Harrington★★★★★
I used to come here about 50 years ago to pick oranges with our church. Can’t believe these orange trees are still here. It was nice to walk among the orange grove and smell the citrus and now they have avocado trees by the dozens. We came here in early February so the trees were full of oranges ready to be picked. It was Tuesday so there were hardly any people here except for the workers. Visitors center was closed. If you come here you won’t regret it.
8 months ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
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