Rancho Cucamonga

At the center of Rancho Cucamonga is the neighborhood of Victoria, home to quality shopping centers surrounded by an elegant suburban community. Rancho Cucamonga boasts a rich history of winemaking and citriculture that contributed to the rise of the Inland Empire. The neighborhood of Victoria sits just north of the historic Route 66 and is home to several public parks as well as to scores of restaurants and retailers. Residents have no shortage of shopping options in Victoria, including regional grocery stores like Albertson’s and Ralph’s. The centerpiece of Rancho Cucamonga’s downtown is the Victoria Gardens, a 147-acre outdoor marketplace home to familiar brand-name stores and franchise restaurants to enjoy. Just south of the gardens is Richie's Diner, a classic diner reminiscent of 1950s Americana, serving country breakfasts, burgers and shakes. Joseph Filippi Winery & Vineyards is a family-owned vineyard that has been operating for close to a century, offering a variety of excellent wines and tours of the grounds. Residents live around quiet cul-de-sacs and wide suburban streets fringed by desert shrubs and leafy trees. Single-family houses comprise most of the residential landscape, with a small collection of townhouses and condos in the community’s southern portion. Many homes are Spanish Revival, with terracotta roof tile and stucco exteriors. Overall, most homes were built with a range of stylistic influences, resulting in homes that may feature the building materials of the Spanish style and the layout of a ranch-style house. Modern amenities like roof-mounted solar panels and multi-car garages are common in Victora’s suburbs. The community’s condos feature community amenities such as a pool and spa areas as well as fitness facilities. Most residents are within a short bike or car ride from schools, parks and major shopping centers. Home prices range from $500,000 to $650,000 for a one or two-bedroom, whereas homes with four or more bedrooms sell for between $700,000 to $1,100,000. Residents are served by primary schools like Windrows Elementary and Etiwanda Intermediate School, which respectively earn an A and an A-minus on Niche. Students can finish their education at Rancho Cucamonga High School, which scores an A-plus on the site while also being recognized as a California Distinguished School and a U.S. News & World Report-recognized Silver Medal School for its academic excellence. Victoria has several public parks where residents can relax and stay active. Windrows Park, conveniently located next to Windrows Elementary, features sprawling fields for soccer and softball along with playsets and picnic areas, all ringed by a walking and equestrian trail offering views of the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains. Take a walk through the shaded and well-maintained walking trail at Victoria Groves Park, which also features a workout course and basketball courts perfect for a quick pickup game. Residents can peruse The Gathering Farmers and Artisan Market at Victoria Gardens, open on Wednesdays year-round. Omnitrans serves Victoria, connecting locals with the major cities of the San Bernardino Valley through several bus stops along the major thoroughfare of Base Line Road. Residents also have access to the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink. For domestic and international travel, the Ontario International Airport is 6 miles southwest of Victoria. Cucamonga Station, located in Azusa Court, is a multi-modal transportation hub that will provide light rail service to the High Desert and Las Vegas. Scheduled for completion in 2028, this station will also provide environmental benefits through Brightline West with its reduction of CO2 emissions by eliminating 3 million one-way trips between Southern California and Las Vegas.

Terra Vista is a sprawling master-planned community in central Rancho Cucamonga, one of many stops on the legendary Route 66. This dense suburb sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, about 12 miles west of San Bernardino and 33 miles east of Los Angeles. It’s designed for convenient, often walkable living, with multi-use paths connecting locals to parks, shops and schools. Residents are usually within 2 miles of where they need to go at a given moment. “It’s a very family-oriented neighborhood,” says Flavio Nuñez, a management analyst with the City of Rancho Cucamonga Economic Development Division. “Someone can move into an apartment, and if they love the community, there’s opportunity to progress into homeownership into a townhouse or single-family home.” “The community is known not just for good schools and parks, but also the trails and paseos that link different subdivisions to each other, neighborhood services and the rest of the community,” Nuñez says. Indeed, paved greenways weave throughout Terra Vista, past trees and beneath roadways. The 20-mile Pacific Electric Trail runs alongside the community to the north, accommodating walkers, runners and bikers. “It runs through the entire city, connecting western and eastern Rancho Cucamonga,” Nuñez says. “The trail also connects you to our neighboring cities of Upland and Fontana.” It’s directly accessible from Central Park, Terra Vista’s most prominent green space. This 100-acre expanse features an all-ages community center, a senior center, pedestrian trails and playfields. It’s also home to The Bark at Central Park, a 4-acre dog park with three separate off-leash enclosures. Per Nuñez, future developments at Central Park will likely include an amphitheater, more trails and potentially a water park. Single- and multi-family housing developments fill Terra Vista, housing nearly 20,000 residents. Almost all residential structures feature Mediterranean Revival architecture with stucco siding; some feature Craftsman and Tudor-style touches. The neighborhood’s higher-end single-family subdivisions include the gated Village of Independence. This community typically carries the area’s highest price tags, with some five-bedroom homes exceeding $1 million. Smaller properties start in the mid-$400,000s, which could buy a two-bedroom condo. Home values average at around $730,000. Homebuyers might find a three-bedroom house from the early 2000s at this price point. Several public schools serving Terra Vista students operate within the community. These include Terra Vista Elementary School, which accommodates kindergarten through fifth grade. It has a commendable A rating from Niche and over 900 students. Ruth Musser Middle School has a similarly sized student body and a B-plus rating. Rancho Cucamonga High School is less than 1 mile north of the neighborhood and has an esteemed A-plus rating. Students can enroll in two dozen Advanced Placement courses and career pathways in building and construction, manufacturing and product development, and other professions. Terra Vista Town Center occupies the neighborhood’s southwest corner. More than 50 retailers operate in this open-aired mall, including Target, Old Navy and Ross Dress for Less. Locals can grab groceries from two Ralphs supermarkets, Aldi and the fish-filled Seafood City. Among the area’s more popular restaurants is Bushfire Kitchen, part of a small California chain. This globally inspired eatery prides itself on made-from-scratch, health-conscious entrees, including bowls with Thai chicken curry and grass-fed beef. Historic Route 66 flanks Terra Vista to the south, accommodating bustling traffic. While many passing through are commuters, others cruise the famed freeway to transport themselves to simpler times. “It’s got the Rancho Cucamonga Service Station, which was built in 1915 just before Route 66 was established,” Nuñez says. Today, it’s a museum that “lets you learn about the history of Route 66.” Terra Vista is within easy reach of several newer freeways, taking drivers throughout Southern California and beyond. Interstate 10 connects locals to Los Angeles, while Interstate 15 takes drivers to Orange County, San Diego, the mountains and the high desert. “If you drive long enough, you can even reach Las Vegas, Nevada,” Nuñez adds. Meanwhile, a Metrolink commuter train station operates about 1 mile south of Terra Vista. San Bernardino commuters have about a 20-minute ride east, while Los Angeles commuters travel about an hour west.

Alta Loma is a sweeping suburban community that gently rises toward the mountains. "It's a nice friendly area situated at the foothills with some of the best school districts," Cheryleigh Aday, broker with Heritage Realty, says. The area's name is derived from the Spanish words for "tall hill," as the elevation changes from 1,400 feet to 3,000 feet above sea level. The northern section of the neighborhood is made up of deep home lots with more suburban tracts sloping south toward the downtown area. You'll find a community of large estates in the deeper, more rural northern section, peppered with orange, lemon and eucalyptus trees harkening back to the area's agricultural past. Large, ornate Spanish-style villas and contemporary estates have home lots that span nearly half an acre, often featuring expansive back patios where you can get breathtaking views of the hillsides and snowcapped mountains. Compared to the southern section, prices tend to be a little more expensive, with some homes costing as much as $1.1 million. The neighborhood's southern section features more traditional suburban tracts lined with leafy oaks and towering palms. It's populated by expansive ranch-style homes, giving residents abundant living space with open floor plans. Homes also feature a mixture of design touchstones from the Spanish style and more contemporary features, like large windows and multicar garages. Prices for single-family homes trend lower as you get closer to the Foothill Freeway; they hover around $680,000. Though single-family homes are most prevalent, there are some condominiums in the southern section. They tend to feature community amenities such as pools and fitness centers. Alta Loma's condo prices range from about $250,000 for a 700-square-foot unit to as much as $525,000 for one with 1,400 square feet. Students attend public schools like Carnelian Elementary from kindergarten through sixth grade. They move on to intermediate and secondary schools like Vineyard Junior High and Alta Loma High. All three received an A- grade from Niche. The high school also earned a Golden Ribbon Award from California's Department of Education and was a Silver Medalist for the 2018 U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools. Community parks are just a short bike or car ride from most Alta Loma homes. In the north, Heritage Park features playsets, shaded picnic areas, athletic fields and rolling green spaces perfect for playing catch, all with views of the San Bernardino Mountains. Enjoy more athletic amenities at Beryl Park, which provides tennis courts and a lighted soccer field perfect for friendly or rec league games. Residents are also a short distance from excellent shopping centers offering a bevy of products and services. Colonies Crossroads and the Alta Loma Square offer familiar stores like Vons, selling fresh produce, bulk products and other home goods to stay stocked up on. Alta Loma has several restaurants to choose from. Slide into a booth at Brandon's Diner, a family-owned regional establishment offering a mix of American and Mexican classics and an all-day breakfast selection. For a quick bite, local fast-food chains like Legends Burgers offer a retro-themed environment and an assortment of burgers, gyros, burritos and more to enjoy. Stylish homes and proximity to major thoroughfares make the neighborhood of Alta Loma a community worth considering.