Seniors Visit The Canyon City

Senior travelers will find Azusa, The Canyon City, in the San Gabriel Valley, 20 miles outside of Los Angeles. The huge letter A on the side of the San Gabriel Mountains can be seen within a 30-mile radius. The population runs around 58,000. Azusa is located along historic Route 66.

Historical museums in Azusa detail the population growth of California and its rich Spanish and Native American ties. Nestled against the San Gabriel Mountains, the community of Azusa exemplifies the neighborly atmosphere and historic character that has been lost in so many Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Hiking up to the “A” has become a favorite local activity for a nice workout and panoramic views of the city, and additional hiking from this point brings senior hikers to the expansive canyon and San Gabriel River on other side.

Seniors Look For The Bridge To Nowhere

Though it was originally inhabited by the Tongva people, Mexican settlers arrived in the area in 1841 and set up the Rancho el Susa. When wealthy English immigrant Henry Dalton purchased the land in 1844, he built a winery, vinegar house and distillery. Dalton handed the land over to a banker named Jonathon Slauson in 1880. After planning the city, Slauson founded Azusa in 1887.

 TripAdvisor wants senior visitors to be aware of the Bridge to Nowhere, an arch bridge that was built in 1936 north of Azusa in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Nearby is the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, which encompasses parts of the Angeles National Forest and the San Bernardino National Forest. It contains the Sheep Mountain Wilderness, the San Gabriel Wilderness, and Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness.

 “Azusa stands for everything from A to Z in the U.S.A.”

Azusa Pacific University, one of the top Christian Colleges in the nation, was named one of the best colleges for 2008 by the US News & World Report.  Besides a nationally recognized university, Azusa also has several Christian Grade Schools and High Schools. Azusa also has a private Buddhist institution called Dhammakaya Open University.

Fish Canyon Falls is a beautiful three-tiered waterfall that drops over eighty feet in a canyon in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains near Azusa.

“Azusa stands for everything from A to Z in the U.S.A.” In the 19th century, the name, Azusa, was used to refer to the San Gabriel Valley and the San Gabriel River. It appears to have been derived from the Tongva place name Asuksagna as the area was part of the Tongva peoples (Gabrieleño Indians) homeland.

Seniors, when you travel to California, take in Azusa and enjoy. -jeb