A One-Day Guide to Things to Do in Pomona: Art and Outdoor Stops

Plan the art visit first, fit the park around its access hours, and leave downtown for the end of the day. This order makes it easier to account for the museum’s set visiting hours and the park’s day-of-week restrictions.

The Benton Museum of Art is at Pomona College, while the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts is on the Fairplex grounds. Choose one for the first stop, then check the venue’s visitor information for current access details.

The park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so on those days you’ll need to rearrange the outdoor part of the itinerary or choose a different day.

For a car-based day, the three stops fit within the Pomona area: Bonelli Park is about a 9-minute drive from the motel. Allow time for the drive between destinations and for checking the day’s schedules rather than assuming every venue follows the same hours.

Choose the Benton Museum of Art for a museum visit at Pomona College, or the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts for a gallery on the Fairplex grounds.

Benton Museum of Art

The museum’s usual published hours are Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., with extended hours until 10 p.m. every Thursday.

Its visitor page is the source for visiting information, so use that to confirm access before you go. You can build the art-focused part of the day around its hours, then continue to the park if it is open.

Benton Museum of Art in Pomona is a natural choice if you want the museum as the day’s cultural anchor.

Millard Sheets Center for the Arts

The Millard Sheets Center for the Arts is a gallery on the Pomona Fairplex grounds. Its location makes it a distinct alternative to the college museum; check the center’s visitor information to plan a visit around its access schedule.

Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park offers wilderness trails for mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders, as well as a lake open to boating during its stated operating period.

Los Angeles County says the park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For recreation lakes, the County’s usual hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from March 1 through October 31, and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. from November 1 through February 28.

The daily vehicle entrance fee is $15; the fee is $8 for a vehicle with a driver or passenger who is 65 or older, or a disabled person with a DMV-issued ADA placard or plates.

Boating hours run from sunrise until one-half hour before sunset, Wednesday through Sunday. Vessels need a quagga and safety inspection and a launch permit before launching. Daily permits cost $12 for motorized boats and $9 for non-motorized boats.

If you use a wilderness trail, yield in this order: bikers, hikers, then horseback riders. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trails.

Kites, drones, and other model aircraft are prohibited, as are alcoholic beverages and smoking on County property. Animals must be on leashes no longer than six feet and cannot enter the water or go on sand beaches.

Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park access, activities, and fees can help you decide which part of the park fits your day.

Finish downtown with time for its streets and public spaces, or plan the visit around ArtWalk if your day falls on the second Saturday of the month.

Downtown Pomona’s ArtWalk runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the second Saturday each month. Street closures run from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. and include sections of 2nd Street between Park Avenue and Main Street, 2nd Street between Main Street and Garey Avenue, and Thomas Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Build in time for these closures if you’re driving into the area.

The Collector’s Street Faire takes place on the last Saturday of select months: January, March, May, September, and November. It runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with street closures from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you’re coordinating downtown with the park or an art visit, check which recurring event, if any, coincides with your plans.

A visitor’s guide to downtown Pomona covers the area for a more focused downtown stop.