The region got its name as “Inland Empire” in the 1950s, in order to distinguish this from the coastal areas of the Greater Los Angeles Area and Los Angeles as well.
The name includes “inland” due to the fact that this region is 37 miles(60km) inland from the Pacific Ocean, from Huntington Beach, and falls east of downtown Los Angeles. The San Jose hills form the dividing line between Los Angeles and the Inland Empire from west to east. The hills also separate the San Gabriel Valley from the Pomona Valley and lead to the cluster of urban homes in San Bernardino Valley.
Inclusion of cities in the Southeastern Los Angeles County like Pomona, Diamond Bar, La Verne, and Claremont, lying east of the hills, can be attributed to the fact that they all fall in the Pomona Valley and are close to the Riverside, San Bernardino county line.
Looking at the south-north segment, it is the Santa Ana Mountains that divide Orange from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. The Riverside area and San Diego county are segregated by the Santa Rosa Mountains and the Southern California part of the Sonoran Desert. However, physical boundaries are non-existent between the Inland Empire and the Greater Los Angeles Area, due to the interconnectivity provided by the comprehensive freeway systems in the United States.
The area falling north of San Diego county and east of LA and Orange county, was essentially a rural ”intermediate” area, which has seen rapid industrialization, urbanization and commercial development since the 1970s. Today, the Inland Empire is the 14th largest metropolitan area in the United States of America.
Los Angeles just a few miles away and you can easily reach Pasadena within minutes too. So, if you are visiting the Inland Empire, take the time to stay at the
Langham Hotel Pasadena for a comfortable and convenient experience exclusive to just a few
Pasadena hotels.
