Yucaipa

Welcome to the jewel of the Inland Empire. Yucaipa means “green valley” in the language of the Serrano Native Americans, the valley’s inhabitants for over 1,000 years. Clean air and natural spaces define the area, just 22 miles east of downtown San Bernardino and 72 miles from Los Angeles. The compact and walkable downtown area was renovated in 2010 with new signage, public art and a revamped two-lane road. Residents stay close-knit through annual events like the Yucaipa Music and Arts Festival, a holiday parade and Fourth of July fireworks. It’s also home to California Historical Landmarks like the Yucaipa Rancheria, the original site of the Serrano settlement, and the 1842 Yucaipa Adobe, possibly the oldest home in San Bernardino County. The semi-rural suburb is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise resting in the 2,000-foot-high foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. “Yucaipa is a fast-growing community with commercial shops, new restaurants and great amenities. It’s accessible to the freeway, and the demand is quite high because the property values are more affordable than places like Rancho Cucamonga,” says Gerry Ramos, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and 20 years of experience. “Yucaipa is a modern community with a HOA and a mix of contemporary and older homes with large lots. There are also numerous builders creating new communities and inviting the public to view model homes. The majority of my clients are looking into those because closing costs are often included.” Downtown Yucaipa contains single-family homes from the 1950s and two mobile home parks, holding more than 200 sites for manufactured houses. Depending on which part of the neighborhood residents live in, they may have the option for spacious lots and attached garages. Trees are scattered throughout the community, although downtown has a very urban feel. The price of homes can vary widely, with some manufactured homes selling for $50,000 to $175,000, while other single-family homes sell for between $460,000 to $525,000. Depending on where students live downtown, they might attend Chapman Heights or Valley Elementary, Mesa View or Park View Middle or Yucaipa High. However, most will likely use Valley and Mesa View before high school. Valley Elementary earned a C-plus from Niche, while Mesa View Middle and Yucaipa High have a B and B-plus, respectively. Valley Elementary is the home of the Vikings and hosts events like Friday Flag and Leadership Day. Mesa View Middle offers STEM courses in design and digital literacy and has a dedicated makerspace for robotics. Yucaipa High has a college and career center to help students transition from high school to the next stage of life, as well as dozens of clubs and extracurricular activities. Yucaipa has a Mediterranean climate with dry, warm summers and wet, cool winters and can experience Santa Ana winds late in the year. That means the area is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Two of Yucaipa's most popular green spaces are the Yucaipa Regional Park and Wildwood Canyon State Park. The first is a large area with tent and RV camping, hiking trails and three lakes for fishing and pedal boats. There’s a seasonally open swimming complex with dual flume water slides, picnic areas with grills, horseshoes and disc golf. Wildwood Canyon State Park is located in the foothills of the San Bernadino Mountains and is adjacent to the San Bernardino National Forest. It’s filled with protected wildlife and plants, like oaks, chaparral and sage scrub. It has incredible views of the Inland Empire and Santa Clarita Valley and is open for daily use. Downtown Yucaipa has a host of amenities. There’s the Yucaipa Library branch on Fifth Street, and the Yucaipa Performing Arts Center is only a few blocks away. The center opened in 2019 and is already an integral part of life in the city. It boasts an indoor/outdoor stage for concerts, dances and galas and offers arts education workshops and classes for youth and adults. There are several visual arts galleries, including a photography gallery in the waiting room for national and regional touring acts. Everyday essentials are close to hand from downtown. There are shopping centers and grocery stores like Stater Bros. The supermarket chain was established in 1936 in Yucaipa by twin brothers and now operates 170 stores throughout Southern California. It gives back to the community through local organizations and charities and has donated nearly $40 million since 2008. The Marketplace At 5th is a shopping center containing businesses like Hops & Spokes Brewery, L.O.L. Kid’s Club, Ivy Day Spa and more. Hops & Spokes Brewery’s founder was an avid cyclist for decades before deciding to start brewing. Starting with the original blackberry wheat recipe, the company transformed from a 16-seat bar in the owner’s home to a brick-and-mortar brewery in the heart of town. Del Mar Grill and Cantina has a happy hour with food and drink specials and serves authentic Mexican dishes like taquitos, enchiladas and molcajetes. Yucaipa is located between Interstate 10 and California State Route 38. Bus routes to much of the city are on the main drag, Yucaipa Boulevard, and First and Fifth Street. Well-used local roads include Bryant Street and Canyon Road, and there are limited sidewalks around the area.