Santa and your carriage of lights await! |
You can barely make out the horse-drawn wagon filled with tourists beneath all the glittering lights! |
It took us about an hour to drive out there, and was worth every minute it took!
Every year, the Inn puts up nearly three million Christmas lights, and over 400 animated figures to celebrate the Christmas Season.
The Main Entrance features a Spanish Archway covered in lights |
An estimated 65,000 people attend annually to view these amazing holiday decorations.
The back side of the front entrance arch - with mission bells and a huge hanging Mistletoe. Several couples took advantage of the mistletoe while I struggled to take this photo! |
However, it includes all kinds of architectural details in many styles, matching Spanish Gothic architecture with Moorish Revival, Spanish Colonial, Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles into a wonderful fairy-tale structure.
President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat were married in one of those beautiful chapels, as was actress Bette Davis. President Ronald Reagan and his wife honeymooned at the Inn.
Other notable visitors include eight other presidents from Benjamin Harrison to John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush. Portraits of all the presidents who have stayed at the inn hang in the lobby.
Spiced nuts and donuts were sold on the plaza next door |
On the plaza, food vendors were making donuts and spiced nuts, producing a delectable aroma of cinnamon and other holiday spices. Further on, Santa's reindeer were on display for the children.
This beautiful reindeer and his friend are no doubt part of Santa's team |
I think the last time I saw a live reindeer was in Norway, many many years ago! I sometimes forget how small they are. I guess they make up for their size by being adorable... and magic.
Animatronic Pandas played Christmas Carols |
Suffragette Susan B. Anthony once stayed at the Inn. So have industrialists Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Naturalist John Muir once visited, as have Helen Keller, Booker T. Washington and publishing giants Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.
Early entertainers such as Lillian Russel, Sarah Bernhardt and Harry Houdini have visited the Inn. So have Charles Boyer, Ethel Barrymore, Mary Pickford, Ginger Rogers, W.C. Fields, Clark (sigh) Gable, Cary (again sigh) Grant, Spencer Tracy and others, including comedians Jack Benny and Bob Hope.
I loved this archway |
The hotel has four restaurants, a day spa and 239 guest rooms, including several rooms designated as presidential suites.
All sides of the Inn are covered in lights, even the rear entrance (above) with its happy FELIZ NAVIDAD greeting.
It was cold! The temperature was in the low 50s (okay, cold for HERE, anyway), and the brisk wind made it seem even colder. We've had rain off and on for many days, and it had cleared all the smog and dust out of the air, leaving it crisp and clear as can be.
Entering the hotel's main floor, we found it to be as beautifully decorated as the exterior.
I want that fireplace.
A massive, 2-story tall tree graced the main lobby.
The interior concourses were thronged with visitors.
Blooming hibiscus with tiny lights in them |
I kinda agreed.
I loved the horse-drawn carriages |
I briefly became a part of the display.
They made me do it.
Honestly.
The Mission Inn's Railroad |
The Mission Inn is also designated a National Historic Landmark, and a California Historic Landmark. Not to be left out, the City of Riverside named it their number one landmark, but I think they were just jumping on the bandwagon.
Me standing in front of Rivers of lights |
It was a great evening!
Some Photos courtesy Me, others courtesy R. Fry. Thanks Ray!
2 comments:
RgrougOooo--That looks so pretty! Thanks for sharing!
You did a great job in making the post about our adventure to Mission Inn. I need to buy a professional soon. Wonder if Santa knows? ;)
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