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10 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | AUGUST 2023 By Clare Mendez, Resident I love to explore historical main streets and the surrounding areas. Someone recently told me about the quaint town of Redlands so I had to go explore for myself. It seemed that everyone in the area was shopping or dining in the downtown area. Aer ignoring the public parking garage and circling around a two or three block area, we parked in the CVS parking lot which is listed as "Mall Parking." I have learned, when exploring any new areas, the Visitors Center is always the best place to start. is one did not disappoint. Walking from the mall parking lot to the Visitors Center at 14 North 5th Street, you will cross under the picturesque Umbrella Alley, aka Orange Street. Redlands is not the only place to see umbrella covered avenues. ere are ones in Portugal, Peru, Ireland and Germany and perhaps more I'm unaware of. It is a beautiful sight viewing the 420 multicolored umbrellas back lit by the sun and providing shade. Additionally, along this colorful street there are murals painted on the walls. In fact, there are 140 murals in Redlands representing the local people and the history of Redlands. e wonderful people at the Visitors Center will tell you where to scout them out. ey also have a Clock Walk and a Scavenger Hunt which are designed for families to keep the kids entertained while you're out exploring. More about those can be found on their website AboutRedlands.com. Adventuring off on your own will not disappoint. ere are specialty shops, antique shops, and stores to entertain children and plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat. Our favorite spot, Darby's, has 30+ TVs and 40 beer taps. BTW, I saw on line there is a Beer Trail Passport. Next time. Wait! ere's more. Guided History Tours are offered at the Visitors Center every Saturday at 10 am for a fee of $10. On this particular trip we didn't save time to visit any of the historical homes, buildings, library, and music hall. Speaking of music, Redlands boasts the longest summer concert season in the area. Historic Downtown Redlands