IF CAROLS FILL YOUR HEAD, and twinkly lights, and animatronic angels, and the peppermint scents of December, well, that's understandable. You love the yuletide, which means you probably have a soft spot for the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside. It is a place that's known for Christmas lights, some 5,000,000, give or take, and lots of other adorable and photo-ready decorations beyond the bulbs. So the spot's Christmas cred? It's really through the roof, which, at the Mission Inn, is tiled and turreted and one of the prettiest roofs in Riverside (or, really, anywhere else). But the destination takes on a different look, oh, about six or so weeks before its famous Festival of Lights kicks off. That appearance is fully autumn-strong, in short, with oodles of pumpkins lining the property's pretty front walkway. Indeed, it's the Mission Inn's October-lovely...
PUMPKIN STROLL, and it is now ready to delight visitors looking for a line-up of gorgeous gourds to admire, pose next to, and photograph. There are some 12,000 pounds of pumpkins now on display, as of the first day of October 2019, which is not inconsiderable (note that there are not 12,000 pumpkins; rather, we're talking the combined weight of all of the squashes in view). Have these pumpkins been placed by the Mission Inn's iconic arch? They have been, which only ups the charm factor. A bonus? Like visiting the Festival of Lights, these awesome orbs are all free to see. Of course, you can plan a lunch or an overnight at the hotel, and really soak in the squashy sights, or you can swing by for a fall-ready snapshot or two. And hang tight: The Festival of Lights will flicker on, as it always does, on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
