Arlanza - Riverside, CA

The community of Arlanza got its name from the combination of Arlington Avenue and Camp Anza, a World War II debarkation point for soldiers headed to the war in the Pacific. In the 1960s, as the camp was decommissioned and other nearby neighborhoods were annexed to the city of Riverside, Arlanza joined them. The Camp Anza barracks were transformed into homes, but some of the old camp buildings can still be seen in the area.

North of Arlanza, the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center includes a quirky, older museum filled with rocks, fossils, and dinosaur replicas for kids to enjoy. Take a trip into the past when you visit the Van Buren Drive-In Theatre, one of the few of its type left in California, just south of Arlanza. At Christmastime, head to downtown Riverside for the Festival of Lights with its Cinderella carriage rides, ice rink, and Christmas trees.

Culinary tastes in Arlanza lean heavily toward Mexican food, though you also find some American and Asian restaurants clustered along Van Buren Boulevard and Arlington Avenue.

Stop in at Acapulco Pollo on Arlington Avenue for incredibly tender rotisserie chicken. The owner of this local spot expresses his passion for giving back to the community through the care he shows to each customer. Order the juicy chicken as part of a burrito or taco, or just enjoy it on its own.

When you need to pick up something quick and simple for lunch, a couple of Thai places have just what you want. Thai Bay Cafe serves up fantastic drunken noodles, pad Thai, orange chicken, and beef curry. Just down the road, Jumbo Bowl Cafe's hot and spicy soups keep the customers happy, though many regular patrons swear by the pineapple fried rice instead.

Go to Joe's Sushi on your birthday, and enjoy your special moment when the disco ball turns on and the whole restaurant sings to you. This raucous fun-loving sushi bar makes your rolls to order and serves up free ice cream while you enjoy the loud music and festive atmosphere.

While some residents of Arlanza run errands on foot, the neighborhood tends to be too spread out to make doing so feasible. Only a few of the major thoroughfares contain bike lanes.

Public transportation also takes advantage of the major thoroughfares, with several Riverside Transit Agency buses flowing through the neighborhood to connect locals throughout the city of Riverside. You can call taxi companies, Uber, and airport shuttles for door-to-door transportation when you need it. Most families in Arlanza own at least one car and rely it for commuting, errands, and basic transportation. State Routes 91 and 60 run nearby to connect locals to Orange County and southern Los Angeles County, and Interstate 215 provides a quick route to inland San Diego County. Drivers have no problems finding parking in most of Arlanza, with free parking available at most businesses.

The main park within Arlanza is Challen Hill Park, a patch of wilderness that lets hikers get some great exercise and take their dogs for a walk, though you need to keep your eyes open for rattlesnakes while in the hills. For more structured facilities, head south of Arlanza to Rancho Loma Park, where you find several playgrounds, basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, barbecue grills, and plenty of shade trees. Locals head to Riverwalk Parkway when they want to take lovely photos to celebrate weddings or just for a peaceful break in the middle of the city. All the city parks are free to use.

The city of Riverside hosts many major special events in its parks throughout the year, mostly outside Arlanza. Every September, the parks fill with art and music as the city celebrates its Mariachi Festival, Youth Mariachi Competition, Ballet Folklorico Dance Contest, and Art Contest.

The cost of living in Arlanza runs about five percent below the general cost of living in the city of Riverside as a whole. Locals who take the bus to downtown Riverside pay $1.50 for the trip, while those who choose to drive should expect to pay about 19 percent more for gasoline than the national average. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in Arlanza runs around $885 per month.

Arlanza residents ready to do some major shopping typically head just south of the neighborhood to the Galleria at Tyler. This large indoor shopping mall includes high-end shopping in the form of Nordstrom, with the mall also anchored by Macy's, Forever 21, JC Penney, and Barnes & Noble.

Most of the unique non-chain stores around Arlanza focus on making life a little simpler or a bit more pleasant. ARS Billiards on Tyler Street not only sells pool tables, but it also takes all the hassle out of getting your new pool table set up and provides all the accessories. Discount Hydroponics and Parkview Nursery supply gardeners in the neighborhood with different kinds of planting containers and plants, and both provide expert advice.

When you're ready to do your basic grocery shopping, head to Stater Brothers or Vons for all the staples. You can also find many smaller, ethnic grocery stores in the neighborhood. Check out El Tapatio Market on Van Buren Boulevard, a Mexican market with terrific produce, an excellent bakery, a taqueria, a tortilla factory, and even a bank. You find the nearest farmers market in the parking lot of the Galleria at Tyler every Sunday morning. Drop by for locally sourced fruits and vegetables sold by farmers who insist on giving you free samples.