Discover Monrovia: Nature, History, and Route 66

Monrovia combines outdoor experiences with local history and Route 66 culture. Those planning a trip with varied daily rhythms can consider including hiking trails, historic sites, and the Monrovia Street Fair & Market in their plans. When choosing your vacation rental, you can therefore first decide whether hiking, insights into history, or the atmosphere of Old Town should be the focus for you.

Experience Nature: Canyon, Trails, and Views

Monrovia Canyon Park is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and has more than 100 visitor parking spaces. Its trail network leads to Canyon Park Waterfall. This makes it possible to plan an outing around a specific destination while taking the opening hours into account when organizing your day.

The Hillside Wilderness Preserve offers more room for outdoor activity. It has more than 4.5 miles of trails and open spaces, as well as opportunities for hiking. The preserve also offers views of Monrovia and the San Gabriel Valley. Those traveling with children of different ages can deliberately alternate days in nature with sightseeing in the city without limiting the trip to just one type of experience. The Santa Anita Wash Trail also runs through Monrovia and expands the options for visitors who enjoy spending their time on foot.

History and Route 66 in Monrovia

The Monrovia Historical Museum has regular opening hours on Sundays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is located in the former municipal swimming pool building, which operated from 1925 to 1983 as the Monrovia Municipal Plunge, also known as “The Plunge.” Trip plans that include a museum visit should take these fixed hours into account.

The three-dimensional display artwork “Route 66: A Road Through Time” is part of Monrovia’s Route 66 history. It focuses on the people, places, and automobiles that shaped Monrovia’s Route 66 experience. The Aztec Hotel is also a historic motel on Route 66. It opened in 1925 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Another historic building is the George H. Anderson House, which was built in 1886. It is open to the public on the third Sunday of each month from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. These limited opening hours provide a specific reference point for visitors who want to coordinate their stay with a particular weekend.

Old Town and Special Events

The streets of Old Town Monrovia are lined with historic buildings, and numerous works of art can be found in and around Old Town. The Historic Monrovia Walking Tour leads to six locations in Monrovia, providing a clear framework for exploring the city’s history. Those who prefer to plan around a set time can include the Monrovia Street Fair & Market. It takes place on Fridays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; in spring and summer, extended hours apply until 10:00 p.m.

When making your selection, consider which experiences you want to define your stay and how you would like to divide your days between hiking trails, historic sites, and the market.

More Destinations for Orientation

For further trip planning, you can also view the pages on Calabasas, Irwindale, Duarte, Pasadena, Culver City, Huntington Park, Norwalk, and Montebello.

For the broader travel overview: Los Angeles.