The guide
A guide to Glendora.
Everything we tell our own guests — the Village, where to eat, the hikes we love, and the trips worth taking while the pool warms up.
The guide
Everything we tell our own guests — the Village, where to eat, the hikes we love, and the trips worth taking while the pool warms up.
Glendora calls itself the Pride of the Foothills, and after a few days here you understand why.
It sits at the top edge of the San Gabriel Valley, where the flat grid of Los Angeles County finally runs into the mountains. That gives it two things most L.A. suburbs don't have: a genuinely walkable old downtown — the Glendora Village — and the foothills rising straight up behind it, laced with trails. Historic Route 66 runs right through town, and the pace is a good half-step slower than the freeways a few minutes south.
You're well-placed here. The Village and the Glendora Marketplace are both about five minutes from the house. Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College are close, Cal Poly Pomona is fifteen to twenty minutes out, and the beaches, the mountains, Pasadena and the theme parks all sit inside an easy day's radius. This is the guide we'd hand you at check-in.
01 — Downtown
A few walkable blocks of Glendora Avenue — independent shops, cafés and restaurants, with events most weekends.
The Village is the heart of town: tree-lined, low-rise and easy to park near. It's the right place for a morning coffee, a slow lunch, a browse and an evening out — all on foot. Come on a weekend and there's often a farmers' market, a car show or live music going on.
The independent coffee house on Glendora Avenue and the local favorite for a morning cortado. A good first stop before anything else.
Boutiques, a bookshop, home and gift stores and a handful of tasting rooms line the main stretch — the kind of downtown you can lose an hour in.
Seasonal farmers' markets, classic-car nights and holiday events fill the Village calendar. Worth checking what's on for the dates you're here.
02 — The table
Glendora eats better than its size suggests — a Route 66 institution, a food hall, and a run of small, good, family-run kitchens.
A genuine landmark on Route 66, serving since 1972 and open around the clock. The fresh strawberry and peach donuts are seasonal and famous for a reason — go early, expect a line, get one anyway.
A collection of small vendors under one roof — tacos, Filipino-style burgers and more — which makes it the easy pick when your group can't agree on one thing.
Battered fish and shrimp tacos done properly, in hearty portions. A reliable, unfussy lunch a short drive from the house.
The neighborhood's best-known Lebanese kitchen — shawarma plates, kabobs and falafel. Good for a family dinner or takeout back to the yard.
Argentine empanadas and sandwiches — a small spot that punches above its weight and travels well to a poolside dinner.
Two more local favorites for the nights you just want a good bowl of ramen or a proper cheesesteak with California toppings.
Menus and hours change — a quick check before you go never hurts. For a bigger night out, Claremont Village and Pasadena are both a short drive (see day trips below).
03 — The foothills
The San Gabriel Mountains start where Glendora ends. Trailheads are minutes away, best walked in the cool of the morning.
A local classic that climbs out of the north edge of town for wide views back across the valley. Mostly uphill and a little rocky — an easy morning's out-and-back.
Up Big Dalton Canyon Road you'll find shaded trails that follow the creek past bridges and a campground — the Keiser Trail is the pick when you want trees over sun.
Gentler rolling trails on the town side of the valley — the right call for an easy walk with the family or a quick stretch of the legs.
Not a hike but a drive — the road that climbs into the mountains behind town, beloved by cyclists and worth it for the overlooks alone at golden hour.
Bring water, start early in summer, and check trail and fire-season conditions before heading up. When you get back, the pool's right there.
04 — History
Glendora has more story than a suburb should — a hand-built castle, a stretch of the Mother Road, and a proper performing-arts hall.
A folk-art castle built entirely by hand from river rock and salvage over more than two decades, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours run by appointment through the Glendora Historical Society — book ahead, it's the most unusual thing in town.
The original Route 66 runs straight through Glendora. Follow it east or west for classic roadside Americana — the Donut Man sits right on it.
A 1,400-seat hall on the Citrus College campus with a full season of concerts, theatre and dance — check the calendar if you'd like an evening out.
05 — Within the hour
Part of Glendora's appeal is what's a short drive away. Here's how the region fans out from the house.
A leafy college town with the region's best independent dining and shopping — including the long-running Walter's Restaurant. The easiest upgrade for a special dinner.
Museums, the Huntington Library and Gardens, Rose Bowl, and the shops and restaurants of Old Pasadena. A full, easy day out.
Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knott's Berry Farm are each around three-quarters of an hour off, traffic depending — close enough to do and be home for a swim.
Up into the San Gabriels for cool air, big pines and, in winter, snow — a genuine change of scene without a long drive.
The 210 and 605 put the museums, stadiums and nightlife of central L.A. within reach for an evening or a game.
Santa Monica and the South Bay are about an hour west when the freeways cooperate — a proper day at the coast is on the table.
Drive times are typical and vary with L.A. traffic; leaving early or mid-morning makes most of them shorter.
Getting around. Glendora is a drive-everywhere town, and having a car makes the most of the region. Parking is easy and free at the house and around the Village. See our Getting here page for airports and directions.
When to come. It's warm and dry most of the year — pool weather runs long here. Summer afternoons get hot, which is exactly what the saltwater pool and shaded yard are for; spring and fall are ideal for hiking. The heated spa makes cooler winter evenings outside just as good.
What it's near. The Village and Marketplace, roughly five minutes each; Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College close by; Cal Poly Pomona fifteen to twenty. It's a natural base for a campus visit, a wedding in the foothills, or a family reunion where everyone wants their own space.
Your base in the foothills
Pool, spa, fire pits and a garden studio — five minutes from all of the above. Tell us your dates and we'll come straight back to you.
Check your dates