Few people think of the region east of Los Angeles as a worthwhile travel destination. But despite its tangled freeways and suburban sprawl, the area does have its charms. The streets of downtown Riverside buzz with people on their way to shop for antiques, eat in exciting restaurants, and listen to live jazz. The scene is completely different northeast of Riverside, in the San Bernardino Mountains. There, Wrightwood, Big Bear Lake, and Lake Arrowhead lie amid prime ski country. To the south, in the San Jacinto Mountains just west of Palm Springs, Idyllwild is a popular year-round getaway with romantic bed-and-breakfasts, fashionable boutiques, and cozy restaurants. On the way from Riverside to San Diego is the wine-growing region around Temecula.
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