The Festival of Lights has become a tradition in Riverside, Calif. (Photo: Mission Inn Hotel & Spa)Mission Inn
Riverside, California
Southern California’s Inland Empire isn’t really an empire at all, but it does have a crowning jewel, the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.
Every Christmas for the past 20 years, the inn has become a glittering beacon, packing nearly 4 million lights onto the square block of property it’s located on in downtown Riverside.
In addition, the inn, which isn’t a mission at all, crowds 400 vintage animated figures onto cornices, terraces and cubbyholes to light up the night and delight visitors.
Located 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the century-old inn is a National Historic Landmark and a member of the Historic Hotels of America.
