Part of our California guide.
This Chino Hills travel guide covers two articles: six historic sites and seven local eateries. The city sits in southwestern San Bernardino County, with a history that includes Native American landmarks and Spanish colonial-era structures.
Related travel guides: Chino Travel Guide, Secret Butterfly Valleys Of California's Santa Cruz, 12 Scenic Hikes To Take In Napa, California, and Victorville Travel Guide.
6 Must-Visit Historic Sites In Chino Hills, California
These six sites connect directly to the region's heritage and cultural evolution.
- Chino Hills State Park – Originally part of the Santa Ana River floodplain, this park preserves native grasslands and oak woodlands used by the Tongva people for centuries. The park's 14,000 acres include remnants of early ranching operations.
- Bane Canyon – A historic route used by Native Americans and later by Spanish missionaries traveling between missions. The canyon contains bedrock mortars and grinding stones still visible along the trail.
- Carbon Canyon Regional Park – Features the Carbon Canyon Redwood Grove, a stand of coast redwoods planted in the 1970s that now reaches over 100 feet tall. The park sits on land that was part of the 1841 Rancho Santa Ana del Chino land grant.
- Chino Hills Historical Society Museum – Located in a former schoolhouse built in 1914, the museum displays artifacts from the city's agricultural and ranching past, including tools from the dairy farms that dominated the area through the mid-20th century.
- Prado Dam – Completed in 1941 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this flood-control dam created Prado Lake and altered the landscape used for centuries by the Luiseño and Tongva peoples. The dam's construction also uncovered several Native American burial sites.
- Old Schoolhouse Park – The site of the original Chino Hills schoolhouse (built 1887), which served the area's farming community until the 1950s. The park now contains interpretive panels about the region's one-room school era.
7 Best Local Eateries In Chino Hills, California
These seven eateries range from cozy cafes to upscale dining, each capturing a different aspect of the city's food culture.
- Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken – A Memphis-style chain known for its spicy fried chicken and Southern sides. The Chino Hills location opened in 2019 and serves the signature recipe that originated in 1946.
- Pho 79 – A family-run Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho and banh mi. The broth is simmered for 12 hours daily, using beef bones and traditional spices.
- Mama's House – A Korean-Mexican fusion spot that offers bulgogi tacos and kimchi fries. The restaurant uses locally sourced produce from nearby farms.
- Chino Hills Sushi – A Japanese restaurant that has operated since 2005, known for its omakase menu and fresh fish flown in from Tokyo's Toyosu Market twice weekly.
- El Pollo Loco – A California-based chain that started in 1975 in Los Angeles. The Chino Hills location offers fire-grilled chicken marinated in citrus and spices, served with flour tortillas made on-site.
- Bella's Italian Kitchen – A family-owned trattoria that has been in business since 1998. The pasta is made fresh daily, and the marinara sauce uses tomatoes from the San Marzano region of Italy.
- Sweet Butter Café – A breakfast and lunch spot that opened in 2017, known for its lavender lattes and house-made pastries. The café sources eggs from a local farm in Chino.
