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.” 

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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. 

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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.

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.

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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/.

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CLAREMONT, Calif. (March 27, 2012) – Travelers to Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire seeking to escape the urban sprawl will find a pleasing collection of restaurants, day spas, attractions and hotels in Claremont. The city’s tourism board has launched a new website, DiscoverClaremont.com, that provides a descriptive overview of Claremont hotel accommodations, links to the more than 80 restaurants in Claremont, and a list of the region’s visitor attractions.

Guests to Claremont will find information on DiscoverClaremont.com about the city’s many “relaxing” amenities, like its dozen day spas and salons; popular galleries in the Claremont Village and at the Claremont Colleges; its numerous unique, locally owned boutiques; local bike-friendly and outdoor activities in the San Gabriel Mountains, including nearby Mount Baldy; and Claremont’s thriving food,  music and entertainment scene.

“More and more tourists are finding Claremont is truly the perfect getaway to take time to exhale and relax,” said Andrew Behnke of Discover Claremont, the Claremont tourism board. “We strive to turn your visit into an experience that you’ll be talking about for a long time. By visiting the new DiscoverClaremont website, you’ll get an idea of what Claremont has to offer for many return visits.”

Claremont hotels will feature special shopping, spa and dining packages, as well as post last-minute getaway deals on DiscoverClaremont.com. Hotel choices in Claremont range from economy to upscale, including luxury boutique Hotel Casa 425 in historic Claremont Village and the lush garden, resort-type setting at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont. Budget-minded tourists will find the Hotel Claremont and Tennis Club, Claremont Lodge and Howard Johnson Express Inn Claremont.

Tourists seeking art and culture will find details on DiscoverClaremont.com about such local treasures as the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, the Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, and the museums, libraries and galleries at the Claremont Colleges. Claremont also features the only paleontology museum located on a high school campus in the nation, the newly remodeled The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.

An updated calendar of events for Claremont visitors will feature information about the city’s popular “Village Venture” and “Blues and Brews” events, as well as the weekly Sunday Farmers and Artisans Market in the Claremont Village. The DiscoverClaremont.com website also tells you where to find professional jazz, rising regional rock bands, Las Vegas-style piano shows and even belly dancing.

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This lush, European village-like “city” in the middle of urban Southern California quickly transports couples into an idyllic, romantic setting where they can stroll tree-lined streets adorned with charming shops, outdoor cafés, historic neighborhoods and nearby college campuses.

Claremont abounds with highly rated restaurants, inviting boutiques and evening entertainment to let couples design their own custom getaways that will provide lasting, loving memories.

Begin by considering the range of lodging options. Local hotels, such as Hotel Claremont and Tennis Club, Hotel Casa 425, the DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont Hotel, Claremont Lodge and Howard Johnson Express Inn Claremont, provide a full range of amenities and price levels.

Next, find the perfect dining experience with dozens of locally owned restaurants throughout the city, including many in the Claremont Village. Top choices include La Piccoletta (Italian fare at 114 N. Indian Hill Blvd.), The Back Abbey (Bistro, 128 N. Oberlin Ave.), Arrufo’s (Italian, 126 Yale Ave.), Harvard Square Café (French, 206 W. Bonita Ave.), La Parolaccia Osteria Italiana (201 N. Indian Hill), Tutti Mangia (Italian, 102 Harvard Ave.), Viva Madrid (Spanish, 225-B Yale Ave.), and Union on Yale (American, 232 Yale Ave.).

Or consider an evening at the Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, which provides patrons with fine dining and performances the caliber of the Broadway shows. The 2012 season includes “Aida,” “The Music Man,” “Miss Saigon” and “Anything Goes.” Make reservations at www.candlelightpavilion.com

With dinner secured, it’s time to enjoy the rest of those special moments.

Couples may find inviting a quiet morning or midday walk among the many shops of the Claremont Village. Start the day with the warmth of a special brew of coffee, homemade pastries or crafted breakfasts at one of the local cafés, such as the Last Drop Café (119 Harvard Ave.) or Some Crust Bakery (119 Yale St.). From there, consider a tour of the internationally famous Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, or visits to the many local museums and art galleries.

The San Gabriel Mountains beckon to the north, and a dramatic view of Southern California is just minutes away by driving up Padua Ave.and continuing onto Mt. Baldy Rd. Couples who enjoy hiking and mountain biking together will find trails in the Claremont Hills, Marshall Canyon and the Glendora Ridge.

To start or end an evening with drinks, appetizers and/or dessert, consider the intimate settings found at the Lounge of Hotel Casa 425, walk across the street to the Packing House Wine Merchants, or enjoy the selections at Walter’s (310 Yale St.).

If nighttime entertainment is part of your romantic retreat, consider musical choices at the Hip Kitty Jazz and Fondue (502 W. First Street), the PianoPiano dueling piano bar at the Doubletree Hotel (555 W. Foothill Blvd.) or The Press restaurant (129 Harvard Ave.).

A complete listing of shops, hotels, events and more can be found at www.discoverclaremont.com.

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Due east from Hollywood, at the edge of Los Angeles County, lies a town that a studio executive might have ordered up as a real-life Main Street USA movie set.

It might look like an Eastern seaboard village with blocks of bustling, locally owned shops. Or maybe a small Midwestern, railway town with a train depot within walking distance of trendy restaurants and hearty pubs. Or even a Southern community with its tree-lined streets of well-kept craftsman homes providing the ideal setting for a leisurely bicycle ride.

Beyond the beaches, but not quite to the mountains or desert. Beyond the master-planned suburbs, but not quite to sprawling bedroom communities. Beyond the Kellogg Hill interchange, but not quite the Inland Empire. It’s the kind of town that you fell in love with on a vacation to Maine – or was it Indiana? – but never thought you’d find again in Southern California.

It’s Claremont.

The City

The eastern-most city in Los Angeles County, Claremont is 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles along Interstate 10. It’s a destination quite unlike any other in Southern California: A hidden gem within the sprawling, urbanscape of the L.A. basin.

Some still call it The City of Trees and PhDs, a legacy born more than 100 years ago with the founding of Pomona College amidst acres of foothills adorned with citrus ranches. In fact, it was only in 1889 that the town’s “shade tree committee” reported a gift of 250 trees, which were planted throughout the community shortly thereafter.

But the city is so much more than its seven nationally renowned colleges and 23,000 city-owned trees: It’s a true getaway from the everyday bustle of commuter Los Angeles, and a gateway to the mountains and deserts.

Claremont Village

It begins with a walkable – and yes, tree-lined – downtown. Claremont Village is adorned with more than 150 locally owned boutiques and galleries, restaurants, eateries and pubs with entertainment and music. The Claremont Depot, a California historical landmark, greets visitors at the south end of downtown, servicing the Amtrak and Metrolink trains that stop there daily.

Leaving the depot, pleasant strolls along Yale and Harvard Avenues and Claremont Village’s numbered streets await visitors, calling to mind a classic New England cape town or a mid-American downtown. The architectural features of Claremont’s downtown buildings reflect a city that came to rise in the early 1900s, with its classic bank and shop facades, and then grew with the rise of the automobile as seen in some of its more modern storefronts.

Across Indian Hill Blvd. are two unique shopping and arts centers – the modern Village Square Public Plaza, built in 2007, and the sharply retrofitted Packing House, a tribute to the city’s citrus roots that reopened in 2007.

The Public Plaza is surrounded by shops, restaurants and the boutique hotel Hotel Casa 425, and is home to the Laemmle’s 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 College Heights Lemon Packing House is one of four working packing houses that lined the railroad tracks during the city’s citrus heydays. In fact, Claremont citrus growers were among the first to organize a cooperative method for marketing their fruit, a coop which later became known as “Sunkist.” Art galleries, night clubs, a wine bar and dining now call the Packing House home.

Historic Route 66

While much of Claremont was built close to the train depot, Historic Route 66 runs alongFoothill Blvd., 12 blocks to the north. The businesses and restaurants along this district include 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 that now is home to additional, unique retail shops and eateries.

Just upCollege Ave.from Route 66 is the famous Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, the largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants. Encompassing 86 acres, the Garden displays about 2,000 taxa of California plants and includes those 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.

The Colleges

Internationally recognized, locally admired and academically respected, the Claremont Colleges define the city in multiple ways – from the contagious intellectual capital that is nurtured by a traditional American educational system to supporting retail establishments to the overall lifestyle and commitment to community preservation.

Clustered both geographically and academically, the seven Claremont Colleges – five undergraduate and two graduate campuses – enable their students to attend a small, tightly-focused college even as they enjoy the benefits their “big school” seven-college consortium offers: cross-enrollment in classes; participation in a host of multi-campus social, academic, political, creative and religious organizations; all-campus dining privileges; and participation on a host of highly competitive NCAA Division III men’s and women’s athletic teams.

The Culture, the Arts

Naturally, the colleges foster the arts and independent studies.  Museums include The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, the Claremont Museum of Art, the Folk Music Center Museum, and multiple galleries both at the colleges and around town. Walks about the Village and on the campuses will reveal dozens of pieces of world-class public art.

A Way of Life

To visit Claremont is to be welcomed into a town that embodies the phrase “community spirit.” Its annual Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire each October welcomes more than 20,000 visitors to Claremont Village. Community-oriented events such as Friday Nights Live! (summer), Claremont Farmers and Artisans Market (Sundays), First Friday Art Walks and classic-car Cruise Nite in the Village reflect a true slice of Americana in Southern California.

At just 14 square miles Claremont is easily navigated on bicycle, 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 Wilderness Park has an additional 10 miles of mountain bike trails and five miles of shared use pathways. It’s no wonder the AMGEN Tour of California selected Claremont as a host city for its 2011 tour.

And indeed, Claremont is still a city of trees: It has been a winner of the National Arbor Day Association’s Tree City USA award for more than 20 years.

A Surprising Retreat

With its lush, European village-like setting, Claremont is an ideal destination for intimate, relaxing getaways. This “city” in the middle of urban Southern California quickly transports couples into an idyllic, romantic setting, perhaps taking them back to a different era as they stroll tree-lined streets adorned with charming shops, outdoor cafés and historic neighborhoods. And Claremont’s thriving community of spas, yoga and pilates centers, such as Essentials Day Spa & Salon, are ready to provide visitors with an array of personalized services and treatments to make their getaways complete.

Now, you get the idea why many chose Claremont to live, to learn, to enjoy nature…and to relax.

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