Hotel Casa 425

Spring and Summer Events in Claremont, California, Offer Visitors Tasty Bites, Refreshing Cocktails and Activities under the Stars

Claremont, California, is one of the nation’s most acclaimed college towns, located just 30 miles east of Los Angeles. The city’s upcoming food, shopping and entertainment events make a weekend stay in Claremont an even more enticing getaway from “busy L.A.” Discover Claremont’s “Claremont Is the Place to Stay” hotel and merchant promotion offers a tremendous savings for visitors taking this mini-vacation.

Claremont events that are “worth the drive” – or a train ride on Metrolink to the Historic Claremont Depot – include:

March 18 – Claremont Pie Festival, a day-long celebration of pies sweet and savory, organized by I Like Pie bake shop.
May 13 – The Butterfly Pavilion at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden opens for the season, through August 6. The 86-acre botanic garden is home to the largest collection of native California flora.
May 18-21 – Claremont Film Festival, the ninth annual curation of documentaries and shorts from around the world. Scheduled screenings include the documentary “Meru” about climbing Meru Peak, and filmmaker Kerry Candaele showing “Love & Justice: In the Footsteps of Beethoven’s Rebel Opera.” DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont is the host hotel for this event. Visit com for tickets.
June 4 – Mi Casa Es Su Casa wine, spirits and craft beer tasting event at Hotel Casa 425, benefitting the Claremont Community Foundation and Claremont Education Foundation. Call 909-398-1060 for tickets.
June 24 – Claremont Village Craft Beer Walk
July 13-22 – Midsummer Shakespeare Festival, held outdoors at Pomona College’s Sontag Greek Theater, welcomes patrons to bring picnic baskets and Pinot Noirs. Ophelia’s Jump will perform “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Hamlet” in repertory this year. Call 909-734-6565 for tickets.
September 9 – Claremont Village Wine Walk
October 28 – Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire, the largest autumn street fair in the Inland Empire with over 500 arts & crafts booths, takes over the Claremont Village.

Participating Claremont hotels are offering special “Claremont Is the Place to Stay” packages, inspired by the tourism board’s award-winning short that pays homage to film director Wes Anderson. The package includes a comfortable guest room and $100 in Claremont Chamber gift cards – redeemable towards food and services at local hotels, and meals, shopping and services at more than 140 participating Claremont businesses. Guests can redeem cards at many of the city’s most popular eateries, and for nighttime entertainment including lively dueling pianos at PianoPiano, stand-up at Flappers Comedy Club, and live music at The Press Restaurant.

Guests can book directly through participating Claremont hotels: Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272), DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411), Motel 6 Claremont (909-621-4831), Claremont Lodge (909-626-5654), and Knights Inn Claremont (909-626-2431). The package, underwritten by the Claremont tourism board, is subject to availability at each hotel.

Claremont visitor attractions include Folk Music Center, owned by musician Ben Harper and family; Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden; the walkable Claremont Village; Claremont Packing House entertainment center; Candlelight Pavilion dinner theater; vivid examples of California architecture throughout the city and along Historic Route 66; and public walks, galleries and libraries at the Claremont Colleges.

Follow Discover Claremont’s social media channels on Facebook (DiscoverClaremont), Twitter (@visitclaremont), Instagram (visitclaremont), Pinterest (visitclaremont), and YouTube (DiscoverClaremont). A list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards.

Claremont Pie Festival Coming March 18, Author Kate McDermott to be Guest Speaker

The 5th Annual Claremont Pie Festival event will take place Saturday, March 18, 2017, throughout the historic Claremont Village. Event hours are 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The event features pie-baking and pie-eating contests, makers’ stage and bakers’ stage demonstrations, a classic car display, vintage aprons, handcrafted merchandise, great food, great pie and live music. Stroll around the Claremont Village collecting recipe cards from participating stores, wear your favorite apron, learn pie making tips and eat pie! Don’t forget to stick around for the pie tasting buffet after the baking contest winners are announced!

Famed baker Kate McDermott will be a guest speaker at this year’s festival. For years, the world’s culinary superstars have travelled to
Kate’s legendary workshops and Pie Camps in Port Angeles, Washington, to learn pie-baking secrets from the master. Here is your chance to meet her right here in southern California.

From a self-taught home baker who learned the magic of pie from her grandmother, Kate became a nationally recognized expert on the subject and,since then, thousands have traveled to her famous Pie Cottage to get a taste. In her publishing debut, ART OF THE PIE: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, Kate McDermott presents the definitive guide to that simplest and yet most intimidating of pastries—the pie. McDermott explains why the time had come to share her wisdom. “I want to pass on the craft of pie making to as many as I possibly can,” she says. “Since not everyone can join me at my Pie Cottage baking counter, I wrote Art of the Pie so I could ‘join’others at theirs.” Readers expecting a technical pastry manual will be surprised and delighted at ART OF THE PIE. McDermott is an advocate for confidence, flexibility, and fun in piemaking. Her recipes encourage readers to feel the dough, taste the fruit, and develop the intuition that turns a baker from good to great. Her recipes and detailed instructions—as sensible as they are whimsical—will make home cooks feel like they have a helpful grandmother at their elbow offering advice, just as Kate did when just as Kate did when she learned pie baking years ago.

Kate will give a brief talk about her life and her book Art of the Pie, followed by a book signing. Books will be available for purchase (while supplies last).

Cost: Free!

Date: Saturday, March 18, 2017

Time: Noon, Saturday, March 18, 2017

Location: Hotel Casa 425 in the Claremont Village, 425 W 1st St, Claremont, CA 91711.

Kate’s 90-minute Pie Making Demo

Cost to attend: $55

Date: Saturday, March 18, 2017

Time: 1:45 PM, Saturday, March 18, 2017

Location: Hotel Casa 425 in the Claremont Village, 425 W 1st St, Claremont, CA 91711.

For event details, like how to enter the pie baking contest or become a vendor, go to

ClaremontPieFestival.com.

Claremont Hotels Welcome Parents and College Visitors Back to Town

As students return to the Claremont Colleges each school year, the City of Claremont’s five hotel properties welcome parents and other campus visitors to stick around and enjoy a relaxing getaway in the “City of Trees.”

From economy to boutique, Claremont’s 449 hotel rooms provide guests with inviting rooms and peaceful nights. Staying in Claremont puts you in walking or bicycling distance to the city’s day spas and salons, locally owned boutiques, galleries and public works of art, and more than 80 pubs, grills, sandwich shops, bakeries, and fine dining restaurants.

Claremont’s attractions include the 86-acre Rancho Santa Fe Botanic Garden, the largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants; and the world-renowned Folk Music Center museum and store, which is owned by musician Ben Harper’s family. The city’s nighttime entertainment boasts classical, jazz, comedy, dueling pianos, a vibrant college music scene, and performing arts at the colleges and Candlelight Pavilion.

At the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont ($149-$350), elegant, contemporary guest rooms and suites offer comfort and convenience with luxurious Sweet Dreams® beds, 32-inch flat screen LCD televisions, in-room safes, refrigerators, and high-speed Internet access. Relax with friends, alumni or business associates in its lush courtyard, enjoy a cocktail or meal by the waterfall, and dine in casual elegance at The Orchard Restaurant, serving a wide selection of California Mediterranean Fusion influenced dishes. Piano Piano’s high-energy, all-request show keeps guests singing laughing into the night!

Hotel Casa 425 ($195-$400) is a stylish boutique hotel and lounge opening onto a tranquil courtyard in the heart of historic Claremont Village. The only sophisticated boutique hotel in Southern California’s Inland Empire, Casa 425 merges California mission architecture with contemporary styling and features 28 sophisticated guest rooms, an onsite lounge and full bar, a beautiful outdoor living room featuring water fountains and fire pits, meeting and event space, and more.

Claremont Lodge ($49-$80) offers unbeatable accommodations with comfortable stylish rooms, including available jacuzzi suites. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and free Wi-Fi.

Motel 6 Claremont ($69-$129) features one of Southern California’s finest tennis facilities available year-round with eight championship tennis courts. Guest amenities include free local shuttle and free use of its championship tennis courts; group and private tennis lessons are available for an additional fee.

Knights Inn Claremont ($55-$85) provides free Rise & Dine continental breakfast and an outdoor pool. Features include free Wi-Fi, available laundry services, and parking for vehicles of any size.

Visitor information and a complete listing of restaurants, hotels, boutiques, day spas, events and more can be found at www.discoverclaremont.com.

Claremont Hotel Specials

“Share the Secret” About Claremont

Claremont hotels invite visitors to come “Share the Secret” about Claremont with a special getaway package. The “Share the Secret” hotel package includes a guest room and $100 in Discover Claremont gift cards, redeemable for hotel dining or at more than 140 Claremont restaurants, boutiques, day spas and entertainment venues.

Package includes:

-Comfortable Guest Room
-$100 in Claremont Chamber of Commerce gift cards

Book directly at participating Claremont hotels, based on hotel availability, from October 1, 2015, through January 31, 2016.

The hotel package, underwritten by the Claremont tourism board, is subject to availability at each hotel. The promotion is tied to a new tourism video, inspired by the style of film director Wes Anderson, which highlights several of the city’s hotels and attractions.

Mt. Baldy Adventure Outing Package

Discover Claremont is partnering with Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts to provide ski lift passes and lunch vouchers as part of a Claremont hotel room package. With lift passes, guests have access to enjoying a number of activities up on the mountain, including hiking, mountain biking and disc golfing.

Package includes:

-Guest Room

-Two Sugar Pine Lift (ski lift) passes to the top of the mountain – good for any open date, including for special events

-Two $10 Lookout Lunch vouchers, good towards food at the Top of the Notch Restaurant

Book directly at participating Claremont hotels, based on hotel availability.

Discover Claremont to Offer “Flitter and Frolic” Getaway Package, May 23 to July 27

Families who come Discover Claremont this spring and summer can experience a unique opportunity to walk among California native butterflies. Discover Claremont, the Claremont tourism board, is partnering with the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden for a “Flitter and Frolic” overnight package that includes garden admissions, local dining and shopping credits, and a comfortable hotel room.

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s annual Butterfly Pavilion runs from May 10 through

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Butterfly Festival — The Butterfly Pavilion at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden opens on May 10.

July 27, 2014. The pavilion unites science education and hands-on fun for visitors of all ages as hundreds of butterflies call the temporary enclosure home this spring and summer. Visitors can walk among the butterflies and caterpillars as well as explore the 86-acre botanic garden, the largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 23, and continuing until the butterflies are set free on July 27, Southern Californians looking for a local escape will find Discover Claremont’s “Flitter and Frolic” getaway package to be an attractive “stay and relax” option. The package includes a minimum one-night stay, separate Botanic Garden and Butterfly Pavilion admissions for up to four guests, and $50 in Discover Claremont gift cards redeemable at participating hotels and more than 130 other locally owned establishments.

A limited number of “Flitter and Frolic in Claremont” packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis to guests who book directly through participating Claremont hotels, including Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272), DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411), and Hotel Claremont and Tennis Club (909-621-4831).

Claremont’s visitor attractions also include the world-renowned Folk Music Center museum and store, owned by musician Ben Harper’s family; Fair Trade Shopping at dozens of independently owned boutiques; live entertainment at PianoPiano, Hip Kitty Jazz, Flappers Comedy Club, Candlelight Pavilion and other spots; and local and regional craft beers at Claremont Craft Ales, The Back Abbey and other pubs and eateries.

A complete list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards.

Discover Claremont to Find Fair Trade Gifts and Getaways

Claremont, the first Fair Trade Town in Southern California, is offering an opportunity for visitors to “save green” when they “stay and shop green”. Now through April 30, 2013, the Claremont tourism board is offering its popular “Discover Claremont” stay-and-relax package that includes $100 in gift cards, which can be used to shop Claremont’s collection of shops, markets and restaurants offering Fair Trade products.

Shopping in Claremont, California, includes a number of boutiques that carry Fair Trade Certified merchandise.

Claremont made history in April 2012 when its city council approved a resolution to become a Fair Trade Town. The designation means Claremont encourages its merchants to support small producers locally and worldwide that adhere to environmental standards to protect the planet, safe working conditions, fair prices and no forced child labor.

Claremont visitors will find dozens of locally owned boutiques that carry Fair Trade Certified™ merchandise and products, including The Bath Workshop, Buddhamouse Emporium, Cloud Nine, Colors 91711, Folk Music Center, Heirloom, On A Mission, Phebie’s Needle Art, Rio de Ojas, Studio Claremont and Tintura Salon. Eateries serving Fair Trade coffee or tea include Espiau’s, Euro Café, The Motley, Pit Stop Café, The Press Restaurant, Sage Hen Café, Some Crust Bakery, The Spot and Wolfe’s Market.

The “Discover Claremont” package includes a one-night stay and $100 in Claremont gift cards redeemable at more than 100 participating retailers, including locally owned shops, day spas and salons, and restaurants and pubs. A limited number of “Discover Claremont” packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis through April 30, 2013, to guests who book directly through participating Claremont hotels, including Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272) and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411).

A complete list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards/.

About Discover Claremont

Discover Claremont is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Claremont, California. Known for its seven nationally renowned colleges, Claremont is a hidden gem in greater Los Angeles – an ideal destination for intimate, relaxing days and nights. Visitors who “Take Time to Exhale” under Claremont’s urban canopy will discover inviting guest rooms, relaxing day spas, more than 80 restaurants and pubs, dozens of locally owned boutiques, and an abundance of outdoor activities from bicycling to skiing to golf. Claremont is also the first Fair Trade Town in Southern California, reflecting the community’s commitment to using ethically sourced products; many local retailers and eateries carry Fair Trade Certified™ merchandise and foods. Whether by car or Metrolink, Claremont is “the getaway that’s only a few miles away.”

Where To Stay In Claremont

Visitors to Claremont will find a variety of hotel choices to fit most any traveler’s budget and needs. From economy to boutique, Claremont’s 449 hotel rooms serve thousands of annual guests.

Whether as a gateway to an early-morning skiing or cycling adventure, a relaxing getaway to experience local shopping and dining, or for a college visit, Claremont’s five lodging choices match the uniqueness of the town itself: Three locally owned motor inns near Interstate 10, a full-service business hotel and conference center on Historic Route 66 for business travelers and guests, and an upscale boutique property in downtown Claremont that caters to couples and business travelers alike.

The Claremont Five are the preferred destination hotels for visiting college dignitaries and students’ parents, Fairplex visitors, area skiers and cyclists, and business persons seeking a peaceful respite from Ontario and other Inland Empire cities.

Claremont Village

Hotel Casa 425 ($$$) – http://www.casa425.com/

Casa 425 is a stylish boutique hotel and lounge opening onto a tranquil courtyard in the heart of historic Claremont Village. Located on the town square and within steps of fine restaurants, cafes, boutiques, art galleries and the prestigious Claremont Colleges, Casa 425 is the only sophisticated boutique hotel in Southern California’s Inland Empire. The hotel merges California mission architecture with contemporary styling and features 28 sophisticated guest rooms, an onsite lounge and full bar, a beautiful outdoor living room featuring water fountains and fire pits, a fitness room, meeting and event space and more.

Casa 425 also offers a host of complimentary amenities for guests including a European-style breakfast each morning, bicycles to borrow, wireless Internet service, use of fitness room and garage-covered parking. Each of the very spacious guestrooms offers a flat-screen television, Tempur-Pedic bed, coffee maker, refrigerator with complimentary water, plush robes and an oversized tub and separate shower. The hotel has several family-friendly rooms with two queen beds or one king and one twin bed, as well as some pet-friendly rooms (fee and advance pet reservation is required).

Business travelers seeking stylish accommodations will appreciate Casa 425’s discerning service and relaxed atmosphere. Guest rooms offer up-to-the-moment amenities, including high-speed Internet access, desk with comfortable chair and same-day dry cleaning. Casa 425 also offers a sophisticated yet relaxing venue for your upcoming event whether a wedding, business meeting, luncheon, board retreat, or just a private party. The Outdoor Living Room is ideal for larger gatherings and will accommodate up to 250 guests. The beautiful and private Casa Room is ideal for an intimate dinner, luncheon or a more formal business meeting and will accommodate up to 50 guests.

Historic Route 66

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont ($$$) – http://doubletreeclaremont.com

Beautifully appointed and newly renovated guest rooms with one king or two double sized beds. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont’s elegant, contemporary guest rooms and suites offer comfort and convenience with luxurious Sweet Dreams® beds, 32-inch flat screen LCD televisions, in-room safes, refrigerators, and high-speed Internet access. Guests can stay connected and productive on the road at its fully equipped, 24-hour Business Center. Relax with friends, alumni or business associates in its lush courtyard and enjoy a cocktail or meal by our waterfall. Dine in casual elegance at The Orchard Restaurant, serving a wide selection of California Mediterranean Fusion influenced dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. After hours, Piano Piano pits two piano players face to face on baby grand pianos, performing a high energy all request show that will keep guests singing and laughing into the night! Enjoy a relaxing day at the full service Essentials Day Spa on property. And don’t forget about those famous DoubleTree cookies provided upon check in, served nice and warm!

Near Interstate 10

Claremont Lodge ($) –http://www.claremont-lodge.com/

Enjoy unbeatable accommodations near the cultural and recreational center of southern California with comfortable stylish rooms, cable television, and swimming pool; some rooms with in-room spas.

Hotel Claremont & Tennis Club ($$) – http://www.myhotelclaremont.com/.

“Come To Where The Racquet Is.” The Hotel Claremont features one of Southern California’s finest tennis facilities available year-round with eight lighted championship tennis courts. Contact the hotel for information regarding tennis package weekends for singles, couples or groups. The Hotel Claremont & Tennis Club provides guests with such amenities as free local shuttle, free use of its championship tennis courts, group and private tennis lessons available for an additional fee. Hotel guests also enjoy a daily continental breakfast, which includes fresh waffles, fruit and cereal, and free Wi-Fi.

Howard Johnson Express Inn Claremont ($) – http://bit.ly/hojoclaremont

Enjoy “homey” accommodations at a reasonable price. Features include free Wi-Fi, complimentary continental breakfast, outdoor pool, 24-hour front desk service and free cribs. In rooms, the hotel offers a refrigerator, 25-inch color TV with cable TV service, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, hair dryer. An in-room safe is also available for a small fee. The property offers both smoking and non smoking rooms.

Can’t Miss Reasons to Discover Claremont

Claremont Village. “Discover the charm, explore the change.” A European-styled village with more than 150 unique restaurants, shops, bakeries, day spas, art galleries, entertainment venues, hotels, lounges and more. Walking these streets will immediately make you feel you’re no longer in Southern California.
Local dining. American, Afghan, Argentinean, French, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Persian, Thai and more. There are nearly 80 restaurants to sample in Claremont, most with local operators, and some with top chefs, including 2011 Best Chef in the Inland Empire Jose Ruiz of Tutti Mangia Italian Grill. The variety and abundance makes this a weekend trip you want to make several times a year.
The Packing House. Originally built in 1909, the College Heights Lemon
Packing House has been recently renovated to include shops, galleries, dining and night clubs. Home to Flappers Comedy Club and Hip Kitty Jazz & Fondue, it also features vintage clothing stores, a cooking academy, and a nationally famous bookstore, Thoreau’s Bookshop, that provides donated books to inmates.
A boutiquing paradise. Claremont Village is filled with locally owned stores that offer a window shopping experience second to none. Clothing boutiques including Amelie, Nectar and The Little Dress Shop, the teas of the world shop Bamboo Tea House, and even a vintage clock store, American Clock Co., are among dozens of unique gift stores and merchants that give the downtown area its unique vibe. Many stores feature locally designed clothing, jewelry and handicrafts from local artists, and locally sourced materials, as well as Fair Trade sourced merchandise. The Packing House and Old School House also feature additional galleries and artisan shops.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. The largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants, the Garden displays about 2,000 taxa of California plants spread across 86 acres, including plants native to the California Floristic Province as a whole – from southern Oregon to Baja California. In addition to featuring a world-class botanical library and graduate-level education program, the Garden offers horticulture and community education programs to the public to encourage the use of California native plants in home landscapes.
Locally baked goods and sweets. From sweets at the Some Crust Bakery and morning treats at the Last Drop Café to bagels made fresh all day long at 42nd Street Bagel Café, Claremont Village is a Sweet Tooth’s delight. Local chocolatier A. Kline’s candy shop is filled with hand-dipped treats, and creamery Bert and Rocky’s features more than 31 unique, homemade ice cream and sherbet flavors.
Wine and cheese. A walking tour of Claremont’s shops finds such unique stops as The Packing House Wine Merchants. This wine bar and shop located on the western end of the Packing House offers a world of wines by the glass and varietals from growing regions all over the globe and offers light bites from a new executive chef. The Cheese Cave, a busy cheese shop on Yale Ave., offers dozens of cheeses from around the world, their own hand-pressed olive oils, and a selection of unique foods.
Bike-friendly streets. Awarded a Silver Level by the League of American Bicyclists, Claremont’s streets are ideal for bicycling. For families, Claremont’s tree-lined streets offer majestic views of historic homes and the town’s college campuses, and easy rides to the Claremont Village to find an ideal eatery. Experienced cyclists can tackle the same route as the 2011 Amgen Tour of California from Claremont to Mount Baldy.
Pubs and grub. Befitting a college town, Claremont features several unique pubs that feature good food, live music and televised sports. From the Back Abbey’s “Best in L.A.” pub burgers and dark ales, to the live bands that play The Press Restaurant’s stage, Claremont has a scene that’s all its own.
Dinner Theater and Historic Route 66. The Foothill Blvd. corridor includes the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont and the popular Candlelight Pavilion dinner theater that is housed within the gymnasium of the Old School House, Claremont’s original 1911 school building.
Seven world-class colleges. A consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education all within walking distance. Internationally recognized for producing leaders in business, government and the professions. Check their calendar athttp://www.collegescalendar.org/ for stimulating presentations, musical productions and other events.
The Village Square. Newly built in 2007, the Village Square and public plaza is surrounded by shops, restaurants and the boutique hotel and lounge Hotel Casa 425, and is home to the Laemmle 5 Claremont Theatre. A modern public art fountain meanders through the square, providing both soothing water sounds as well as space for outdoor picnicking and music.
The great outdoors. In Claremont’s backyard are Mount Baldy and the majestic San Gabriel Mountains.
Free parking. Indeed, there is one place in Los Angeles County where you can keep your quarters and credit cards in your pocket: Claremont offers free parking throughout the city.

Claremont Offers Cyclists Ideal Conditions

Families and avid cyclists alike should plan a weekend in Claremont to enjoy dozens of bicycle-friendly and scenic routes with varying degree of challenges, the city’s unique European-like village atmosphere, and a broad range of hotels, restaurants, spas and nightlife.

For families and casual riders, Claremont is easily navigated on bicycle at just 14 square miles, and the city takes great pride in being a leader in providing bicycle-friendly initiatives for visitors. The League of American Bicyclists has acclaimed Claremont as a Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community, noting Claremont’s funding of bike lanes, road diets (reducing the number of vehicle lanes), and intersection improvement. The Claremont Hills Wilderness Park has an additional 10 miles of mountain bike trails and five miles of shared use pathways.

For riders seeking longer, more challenging rides, Claremont is well-known as a key starting and finishing spot for a strenuous road circuit along the Glendora Ridge Road through the San Gabriel Mountains, as well as many established and safe routes to cities as far away as Long Beach.

Gaining in popularity is the ride up to Mount Baldy. Claremont hosted Stage 7 of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, a nearly 100-mile ride from city’s historic train depot that climbed close to 10,000 vertical feet in elevation and finished at the base of the Mount Baldy ski resort. Amateur cyclists seeking to experience the same road course as the professionals will find Claremont to be an ideal wake-up-and-ride starting point or an evening dine-and-stay experience. Local cyclists usually complete the circuit by riding downMt. Baldy Roaddirectly into Claremont.

Claremont’s ever-growing bicyclist population has created many clubs willing to offer tips. Ranging from college groups to baby boomers, these groups regularly announce events, trips and other useful information. Local bicycle shops include Jax Bicycle Center near the Claremont Depot.

Getting to Claremont is easy. Metrolink’s bicycle-friendly San Bernardino line stops in Claremont, giving weekend riders a short train ride from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles or other neighboring cities. Claremont’s historic train depot is located in the heart of the Claremont Village, a short bicycle ride away from the Claremont Colleges and shopping along Historic Route 66 California. Bikestation Claremont provides bike storage facilities at the depot to members.

Claremont’s five hotel choices range from economy to upscale. Options include the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont on Historic Route 66, and the Hotel Claremont & Tennis Club near Interstate 10. The budget-minded cyclist will appreciate the Claremont Lodge or Howard Johnson Express Inn Claremont south of downtown, while the boutique Hotel Casa 425 offers upscale accommodations in the heart of the Claremont Village. Casa 425 also offers bicycle rentals to its guests (the DoubleTree will be adding this service soon).

Claremont features more than four dozen cafés and restaurants across a wide range of cuisines, including many locally famous eateries that families and cyclists alike will appreciate discovering.

Just a few blocks from boutique hotel Casa 425 to Harvard and Yale avenues, early morning risers will find locally crafted pastries and coffee at popular Claremont eateries or can enjoy midday noshing at local brunch spots peppered throughout the village. Claremont is also home to a variety of international cuisines and restaurants, while nightlife reigns at numerous hotspots at the College Heights Lemon Packing House (532 W.First St.), in the Village and throughout the Claremont Public Plaza. More than a dozen day spas and salons can also help sooth sore muscles and freshen windworn skin after a day of riding.

Located just 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, the City of Claremont prides itself on being a showcase community in Southern California. Its tree-lined streets, Village shopping districts, five distinctive hotels and spas, and stately college campuses have made it a destination for tourists and locals alike. More information about dining and staying in Claremont can be found at http://www.discoverclaremont.com and http://www.thevillageclaremont.com/.

Hotel Casa 425 and Claremont Yoga Present Vino & Vinyasa: Free Yoga Class Followed by Happy Relaxation Hour

Hotel Casa 425 and Claremont Yoga are teaming up Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, to present Vino & Vinyasa, an afternoon of stress relief and relaxation. The event takes place at the hotel’s outdoor courtyard.

Participants will start at 3 p.m. with a complimentary, hour-long yoga session led by Nicole Schwander Riel, co-owner of Claremont Yoga and lululemon ambassador. Vinyasa, also called flow yoga, is a style that employs synchronized postures and breathing techniques at a faster pace, thus providing aerobic benefits in addition to the increased flexibility, better posture, and stress reduction commonly associated with traditional forms of yoga.

From 4 to 7 p.m., the class wraps up with Happy Relaxation Hour in the Hotel Casa 425 Lounge, with select glasses of wine and small plates starting at just $5.

Participants should bring a yoga mat and arrive 15 minutes prior to class start time, as spots are on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit www.casa425.com.

Hotel Casa 425 + Lounge is located in downtown Claremont at 425 W.First Street, in historic Claremont Village. The lounge offers a casually sophisticated venue for mingling with friends, along with signature drinks, an extensive wine and beer list and gourmet small plates. Indoor seating is available, or relax in the hotel’s central courtyard, which feels more like an outdoor living room with its canopy of trees, lounge furniture, fountains, and glass fire pits.

Hotel Casa 425 is part of the Four Sisters Inns collection, including 14 properties in California. The group includes the Blue Lantern Inn (Dana Point), Hotel Casa 425 (Claremont), Channel Road Inn (Santa Monica), Newport Beach Hotel (Newport Beach), Gosby House Inn and Green Gables Inn (Pacific Grove), Seal Cove Inn (Moss Beach), West Cliff Inn (Santa Cruz), Blackbird Inn (downtown Napa), Maison Fleurie and Lavender (Napa Valley), Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza (Healdsburg), Inn at Sonoma (Sonoma) and the Gaige House (Glen Ellen).