Montclair, CA

Montclair began in the 1950s when residents in what was then called Monte Vista voted to incorporate as their own city to avoid being absorbed by neighboring towns. The fledgling city held its very first council meeting in an old butcher shop, borrowing a table, chairs, and an American flag for the occasion. A couple of years later, after regular mail mix-ups with another California town sharing the Monte Vista name, residents voted to rebrand as Montclair. The city found its economic footing in 1968 with the opening of Montclair Plaza along Interstate 10, establishing the community as a major regional retail destination.

ATTRRuben Gonzalez Own Work / Public domain

For commuters, North Montclair serves as a convenient transit hub right on the border of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The Montclair Transcenter connects Metrolink trains on the San Bernardino Line with local bus routes from Foothill Transit and Omnitrans, complete with large park-and-ride lots. The neighborhood surrounding the station has also seen steady investment in modern, transit-oriented apartment communities like the Paseos and Alexan Kendry, giving residents an easy commute into downtown Los Angeles or east toward Ontario and San Bernardino.

ATTRVash 51993 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Just south of the tracks, the regional mall remains the city's commercial focal point. Rebranded as Montclair Place, the 1.2-million-square-foot complex has expanded well beyond department stores to feature a dine-in movie theater, a bustling food hall, casual restaurants, and live entertainment. On weekday mornings, the upper concourse hosts the city-sponsored Montclair Walkers program, providing a climate-controlled indoor track for local exercise groups before shops open. Long-range city plans continue to guide the area toward a walkable mix of dining, retail, and new housing.

ATTRGordon F. Smith 's parents / CC BY-SA 3.0

Away from the shopping centers, Montclair maintains a friendly, suburban atmosphere centered on its neighborhood parks. Sunset Park features the Montclair Community Fruit Park, where residents can harvest fresh fruit from more than twenty varieties of trees planted as a nod to the valley's citrus-growing past. Near City Hall, Alma Hofman Park serves as a central gathering spot with a public library, senior center, a popular splash pad for kids, and a full calendar of family events like summer concerts, outdoor movie nights, and holiday festivals.