Greetings from Southern California

Palm trees, snow-covered mountains, sunny blue skies, citrus groves and mild temperatures -- no where else but Southern California. But this isn't Los Angeles nor even Orange County. In fact, it's Inland Southern California -- once simply referred to as the "Orange Empire."

A row of palm trees is silhouetted
against the mountains above
Highland Friday morning.
(Terry Pierson/The Press-Enterprise)

For well over a century, the Orange Empire's landscape -- combined with a distinctive and clever citrus marketing cooperative -- has proven the perfect palette and climate in enticing Americans to eat, sleep and think oranges as well as lure frigid easterners westward to enjoy the warm Southern California sunshine. And with postcard-perfect vistas, valleys and views, it's no real surprise why.

So, grab your snowboard and come get some mountain air Southern California style. Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen!

Related

• Orange-Empire.com - Photo Galleries


• UC Riverside - Citrus Variety Collection


• Big Bear Mountain Resorts

Redlands

Riverside

Riverside

Redlands