Hi all,
I'm working on the article on cheap eats and student deals/discounts in Claremont. Do you have any spots/recommendations worth adding where you like to eat when you don't want to have a meal at your dining hall? Thanks!
I run a hyperlocal Claremont website and put together a guide for incoming 5C and graduate students from someone who actually lives here. It includes information that may not be in your orientation packet.
It covers:
Guide: https://iloveclaremontca.com/Guides/claremont-student-guide.html
Move-in specifics: https://iloveclaremontca.com/Guides/claremont-colleges-move-in-2026.html
Happy to answer questions about the area too.
I run iloveclaremontca.com and I'm putting together a practical guide for students arriving this fall. I'm thinking about writing something on how to get around without a car, where to actually buy groceries, mail stuff, that kind of thing.
Before I start that work, I wanted to ask people who've been here: what do you wish someone had told you your first week? What took you embarrassingly long to figure out? What's the thing you always tell your friends when they visit?
Trying to make something genuinely useful, not just a list of coffee shops. Any and all (non-trolling) answers appreciated.
To show I'm real, here's a picture of one of my cats:
I'll share the guide here when it's done.
Have you stepped outside for an afternoon run or dog walk lately and noticed the air feels unusually heavy?
Because our foothills tend to trap inland ozone on hot summer afternoons, Claremont's air quality can shift dramatically in just a few hours. If you are relying on your default iPhone or Android weather app, you might actually be getting inaccurate data for our specific area.
On less smoggy days you can actually see the mountains!
I just put together a quick Claremont Air Quality & Fire Watch that pulls from a station at the Claremont colleges, and aggregates outdoor sensors from Claremont residents through PurpleAir to get a more accurate reading than the closest station in Pomona.
Check it out here:
https://iloveclaremontca.com/Guides/air-quality.html
If there are any guides/tips/recommendations you want to see before the next semester starts, please feel free to submit a tip: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOS6lL7_4UksNWIfVkDr5K2E2N9z6mH5iDTyWN6g3wO91gOQ/viewform?usp=send_form
#ClaremontCA #91711 #ClaremontAirQuality
If you're stuck in the dorms or local apartments doing summer research, taking summer sessions, or just working a local gig, you know the town can feel a little quiet during July.
If you are looking for something fun, free, and off-campus to do on a Monday night, the city's annual Summer Concerts in the Park officially kicks off tomorrow night (July 6) at Memorial Park. It runs every Monday through August 24 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
It’s basically a massive, free outdoor music series just a short walk north of the colleges (840 N. Indian Hill Blvd).
Here's a clean, fast breakdown of the full season schedule on I Love Claremont so you can check out the layout before you head over:
Check out the full summer schedule and performer list before you head down tomorrow evening:
🔗Read the 2026 Claremont Summer Concert Guide
Grab some friends, bring a blanket, and come touch some grass tomorrow night! 🎸🍿🌴
For those of you looking to explore the eastern edge of LA County and the Inland Empire before the true summer heat locks us all indoors, we wanted to share a deep-dive trail guide we've just finished for the Claremont area.
Claremont, CA sits right at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, meaning you can pull off a rugged canyon hike and be back in the historic downtown Village for an iced coffee or a heavy breakfast fifteen minutes later.
If you're tired of doing the exact same loops or want to know the local logistics before making the drive out here, we compiled our best routes by terrain, difficulty, and weekend strategy:
You can check out the full breakdown here:
🔗The 91711 Hiking & Trail Guide | ILoveClaremontCA.com
If anyone is planning to head out this way this weekend, just a heads-up that the dirt is dry and the foothills get hot fast. Hit the trails before 8:00 AM, pack extra water, and keep an eye out for wildlife.
Happy hiking!
P.S. For the locals in here: Are you team Clockwise or team Counter-Clockwise when you do the Wilderness Loop? Let's settle it.
Jacaranda season is peaking in SoCal. Question for the native-plant crowd: would you accept Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) as a like-for-like substitute, or is the canopy density/scale too different to satisfy the people who plant jacarandas for "spring purple"?
Asking honestly — I live in Claremont, where jacarandas are basically civic identity, but the ecological argument against them is strong. Curious whether native alternatives can compete on the cultural use case (street trees, photo blocks, neighborhood vibes), not just on ecosystem function.
Obviously, a Redbud won't hit the massive height of an old-growth Jacaranda, so I'm curious what other purple/pink natives you'd advocate for to preserve that iconic urban canopy character.
I put together a photo spotlight of our local canopy's current peak bloom over on my neighborhood project site if you want a look at the spectacular display we are discussing:https://iloveclaremontca.com/jacaranda-guide.html
If you live in SoCal, drop a photo below of the blooms peaking in your neighborhood right now, or hit me with your best native shade-tree alternatives! 📸💜
Jacaranda season is peaking in SoCal. Question for the native-plant crowd: would you accept Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) as a like-for-like substitute, or is the canopy density/scale too different to satisfy the people who plant jacarandas for "spring purple"?
Asking honestly — I live in Claremont, where jacarandas are basically civic identity, but the ecological argument against them is strong. Curious whether native alternatives can compete on the cultural use case (street trees, photo blocks, neighborhood vibes), not just on ecosystem function.
Obviously, a Redbud won't hit the massive height of an old-growth Jacaranda, so I'm curious what other purple/pink natives you'd advocate for to preserve that iconic urban canopy character.
I put together a photo spotlight of our local canopy's current peak bloom over on my neighborhood project site if you want a look at the spectacular display we are discussing:https://iloveclaremontca.com/jacaranda-guide.html
If you live in SoCal, drop a photo below of the blooms peaking in your neighborhood right now, or hit me with your best native shade-tree alternatives! 📸💜
Jacaranda season is peaking in SoCal. Question for the native-plant crowd: would you accept Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) as a like-for-like substitute, or is the canopy density/scale too different to satisfy the people who plant jacarandas for "spring purple"?
Asking honestly — I live in Claremont, where jacarandas are basically civic identity, but the ecological argument against them is strong. Curious whether native alternatives can compete on the cultural use case (street trees, photo blocks, neighborhood vibes), not just on ecosystem function.
Obviously, a Redbud won't hit the massive height of an old-growth Jacaranda, so I'm curious what other purple/pink natives you'd advocate for to preserve that iconic urban canopy character.
I put together a photo spotlight of our local canopy's current peak bloom over on my neighborhood project site if you want a look at the spectacular display we are discussing:https://iloveclaremontca.com/jacaranda-guide.html
If you live in SoCal, drop a photo below of the blooms peaking in your neighborhood right now, or hit me with your best native shade-tree alternatives! 📸💜
Jacaranda season is peaking in SoCal. Question for the native-plant crowd: would you accept Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) as a like-for-like substitute, or is the canopy density/scale too different to satisfy the people who plant jacarandas for "spring purple"?
Asking honestly — I live in Claremont, where jacarandas are basically civic identity, but the ecological argument against them is strong. Curious whether native alternatives can compete on the cultural use case (street trees, photo blocks, neighborhood vibes), not just on ecosystem function.
Obviously, a Redbud won't hit the massive height of an old-growth Jacaranda, so I'm curious what other purple/pink natives you'd advocate for to preserve that iconic urban canopy character.
I put together a photo spotlight of our local canopy's current peak bloom over on my neighborhood project site if you want a look at the spectacular display we are discussing:https://iloveclaremontca.com/jacaranda-guide.html
If you live in SoCal, drop a photo below of the blooms peaking in your neighborhood right now, or hit me with your best native shade-tree alternatives! 📸💜
[effacé]
Jacaranda season is peaking in SoCal. Question for the native-plant crowd: would you accept Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) as a like-for-like substitute, or is the canopy density/scale too different to satisfy the people who plant jacarandas for "spring purple"?
Asking honestly — I live in Claremont, where jacarandas are basically civic identity, but the ecological argument against them is strong. Curious whether native alternatives can compete on the cultural use case (street trees, photo blocks, neighborhood vibes), not just on ecosystem function.
Obviously, a Redbud won't hit the massive height of an old-growth Jacaranda, so I'm curious what other purple/pink natives you'd advocate for to preserve that iconic urban canopy character.
I put together a photo spotlight of our local canopy's current peak bloom over on my neighborhood project site if you want a look at the spectacular display we are discussing: https://iloveclaremontca.com/jacaranda-guide.html"
If you live in SoCal, drop a photo below of the blooms peaking in your neighborhood right now, or hit me with your best native shade-tree alternatives! 📸💜
To the 7C community—
I know you’re currently in the thick of finals and the general chaos of the semester winding down. As a local who sees you all caffeine-loading in the Village every day, I wanted to share a resource I’ve been working on to help you (and your visiting families) navigate the food scene here.
We all know the "Where should we go to dinner?" text from parents is coming. To save you from the "I don't know, wherever you want" loop, I’ve put together a comprehensive Dining Spotlight specifically designed for a splurge weekend in the Village.
I’m calling it the "Parental Credit Card" Tour. It’s a multi-phase guide to the best decadent meals, dessert walks, and farewell brunches in town.
What’s in the guide:
You can check out the full guide here:
🔗The 91711 Dining Spotlight | ILoveClaremontCA.com
Good luck with the home stretch, everyone. We’re rooting for you from the other side of the tracks!
P.S. For those graduating: If you haven't made reservations for the weekend of May 16-17 yet, consider this your 2-minute warning. Most places are already filling up!
#7Cs #ClaremontColleges #Pomona #Scripps #CMC #Pitzer #Mudd #91711 #ClaremontEats #Graduation2026
First off: Take some deep breaths. If you’re currently staring at Page 42 of a thesis that was supposed to be 60 pages long by yesterday, you aren't alone. Here's a resource that might be useful:
I've put together a local coffee guide a while back, and a few folks have been using it for thesis survival — so sharing it in case it helps anyone else.
It includes some of the best coffee shops in Claremont coffee, sorted by what you actually need from them:
🔗The 91711 Caffeine Guide | ILoveClaremontCA.com
Disclosure: I run iloveclaremontca.com (local guide site, not affiliated with any of the coffee shops). I'm not a student myself, but hearing enough "where can I plug in at 10 PM" questions from neighbors that I figured this community would get use out of it too.
Hang in there. Graduation is so, so, close. You're in the final mile. You got this!
#7Cs #ClaremontColleges #ThesisSeason #Pomona #Scripps #CMC #Pitzer #Mudd #91711
