For those of you who don’t live in Southern California, you might not know about the Mission Inn in Riverside. The Inn is an absolutely gorgeous piece of Spanish architecture that demonstrates the true history of California. Every year they decorate the entire hotel with gorgeous Christmas lights. It is definitely a sight to see. There are horse-drawn carriages, gingerbread houses, caroling, and more.
For 125 years it has been the center of Riverside, host to a number of seasonal and holiday functions, as well as occasional political functions and other major social gatherings. Pat and Richard Nixon were married at one of the two wedding chapels, Nancy and Ronald Reagan honeymooned there, and eight other US Presidents have visited the Inn: Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and George W. Bush.
Social leaders that have stopped at the Mission Inn include Susan B. Anthony, Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Collis and Henry Huntington, Albert Einstein, Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Hubert H. Bancroft, Harry Chandler, Booker T. Washington, Helen Keller and John Muir.
The list of entertainers who have toured the Inn is extensive; Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt and Harry Houdini were early visitors to Frank Miller’s hotel. Other guests have included actors such as Ethel Barrymore, Charles Boyer, Eddie Cantor, Mary Pickford, Ginger Rogers, Bette Davis (who was married at the Inn in 1945), W. C. Fields, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Fess Parker, James Brolin and Barbra Streisand, Raquel Welch and Drew Barrymore. Comedians and musical entertainers such as Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard and Tears for Fears have stopped by.
The Inn continues to be a getaway for notable individuals to this day; Arnold Schwarzenegger has stayed there during his tenure as Governor of California and the Osbournes have also paid a visit in the past few years.
If you ever get a chance, whether it be at Christmas or another time of year, you must pay a visit to the Inn.
Wow it’s SO BEAUTIFUL! I wish I could visit! I’d probably feel like I’m in a delightful dream! 🙂
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amazing post!!!
This is one of the very few events I wait for each year – I have never before seen such gorgeous light displays than those at The Festival of Lights!! 🙂
That’s brilliant! I had never heard of it before. Aw, I’d love to visit there.
Your pictures are beautiful!!!
Thanks for putting me in the Xmas spirit. 🙂
Your lovely comments were such a pleasure to read. Thank you!
Have a fantastic Friday!
B xx
Good post.. thanks for sharing…
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Good post.. thanks for sharing…
You can try a Salwar Kameez also to loo much better…
Good post.. thanks for sharing…
You can try a Salwar Kameez also to loo much better…
I go to southern California and have not been… It has been added to my list. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!
I love the pictures. The horses look so pretty and the lights do too! I’ve heard of Mission Inn, but I don’t know how. Maybe I read about it or watched something about it. I want to see it!
These photos are stunning! I love historic places like that.
Wow would I like to visit that…with a steaming cup of hot chocolate!
That looks awesome Kori- I’ve never been. I always learn a lot from you girl!!!
Your blog looks amazing too! I love your banner!!!Wishing you a fabulous Christmas season!!! xOxO
omg amazing!!
Wow, that is beautiful!
I am absolutely loving these pics!
That’s awesome! I had never heard of it before. Thanks for sharing!
I have lived in, what is considered, Southern California for most of my life & never even knew about this Gorgeous Hotel. Thank you for sharing. I am definitely putting it on my list of Must See Places!!
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