Get to Know UCR
There's no better way to get a feel for life at UC Riverside than with a campus tour. Explore UCR's colleges, get to know our campus history and culture, and discover why UCR is home to bold and brilliant students just like you!
Prospective Student | Daily Tours
Come to campus and bring up to four (4) guests! Whether you’re just considering UCR, have already submitted your application, or were recently admitted, these tours are for you. Register for a general campus tour and admission presentation today.
Book a Reservation
Counselor/Organization | Group Tours
Find available group tours for high school, community college, and community-based organizations with groups of 10 or more students. Students can take a 60-minute, student-led walking tour to explore resources, academics, and student life.
Self Guided Tours
Explore UCR on your schedule and at your own pace. We encourage you to register for your intended visit date to receive important information .
Let Us Know You Are Coming
Take a Virtual Tour
Science and
Engineering
Visit interesting locations for students that enroll in:
- Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE)
- College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS)
Humanities, Business, Education, and Public Policy
Visit interesting locations for students that enroll in:
- College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS)
- School of Business
- School of Education (SOE)
- School of Public Policy (SPP)
Activities and
Resources
Check out the locations where students study, get involved, and find everything they need to succeed at UCR.
- Student Recreation Center
- Housing and Residence Life
- Academic and Career Support
- The Highlander Union
After your tour, stay to explore more UCR!
Campus Dining
We’ve got your dining needs covered! Get snacks and more from Scotty's. Coffee is served at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Ivan's, and Starbucks. Get a bite in the HUB Food Court (with Chronic Tacos, Hibachi-San, and Panda Express), Subway, The Habit, Bytes, or Emerbee's. Enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining in our Residence Halls.
UCR Library
Our libraries are home to many notable collections, including African American, Native American, Latin American, Chinese, and Sikh history and literature; science fiction, fantasy, and horror, manuscripts, comic books, fanzines, correspondence, and photography; as well as local history, agriculture, and medical education.
UCR Botanic Gardens
Our Botanic Gardens cover 40 acres in the foothills of the Box Springs Mountains, just east of the center of campus. The Gardens feature more than 3,500 plant species and thousands of specimens from around the world, and is utilized for teaching, research, demonstrations, and enjoyment and appreciation of nature.
Recreation Center
The Student Recreation Center helps Highlanders develop a positive attitude towards healthy lifestyles, both mental and physical. Tour the North Wing to see our activity rooms and the gymnasium, or you can visit the South Wing to see our workout space, our indoor rock wall, and our amazing pool.
UCR Athletics
UCR is home to 17 men’s and women’s NCAA Division I teams. Catch a game, meet, or match while you’re on campus and cheer on the Highlanders to victory! Visit gohighlanders.com for team schedules and ticket information.
UCR Arts
Located 10 minutes west of campus in Downtown Riverside, UCR Arts is home to the California Museum of Photography, the Jack and Marilyn Sweeney Art Gallery, and the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts. Learn more about exhibits, events, collections, and film screenings.
The City of Riverside
Explore the vibrant cultural hub and economic powerhouse we call home, the City of Riverside. It offers the perfect balance of small-town friendliness and big-city fun with year-round festivals, museums, eateries, music venues, boba and coffee houses, and so much more.
Getting to UCR
Here's all the information you need about getting to campus for your tour.
- UC Riverside is located at 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521.
- If driving, check in at the University Kiosk at 141 West Campus Drive for a parking pass (required).
- For Group Tours, review and print out these directions to UCR with loading/unloading instructions.
Parking is free with a confirmed Campus Tour reservation.
Please bring your confirmation email and check in at the Campus Tours Office if you don't have your confirmation email. Regular parking rates will apply. Cash, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.
The Campus Tours Office is located on the first floor of the Student Services Building (see photo), east of Lot 1. Follow the path from flagpole. Pass the Student Success Center on the left, and the next building on the left is the Student Services Building, where the Campus Tours Office is located on the first floor. Look for the orange "Campus Tours" sign above the outside-facing front door. The building will be on your left. Look for the Campus Tours Office sign.
Air
Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the most convenient air travel choice, located about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of UCR. By car, it takes 20 minutes to get to UCR from ONT in light traffic and up to an hour at rush hour. Bus and shuttle transportation options are also available.
John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA) to is 45 miles (72 km) southwest of UCR. By car, it takes 45 minutes to get to UCR from the airport, though that travel time can triple in rush hour traffic. Shuttle options are also available.
Long Beach Airport (LGB) is 60 miles (97 km) west of UCR. By car, it takes about an hour in light traffic to get to UCR and up to two-and-a-half hours in heavy traffic. Shuttle options are also available.
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is 60 miles (97 km) east of UCR. By car, it takes 50 minutes to get to UCR, but that jumps to an hour-and-a-half at rush hour.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about 70 miles (113 km) west of UCR. By car, it takes about an hour-and-15-minutes to get to UCR in light traffic, though that travel time increases to over three hours in the heaviest traffic. Shuttle options are also available.
Train
Metrolink is the regional rail system linking Riverside County to Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties. UCR is located near the Riverside – Downtown Riverside – Hunter Park/UCR stations, and Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) bus transportation is available from both stations to campus.
Amtrak is a national rail system that operates across the United States. The Riverside – Downtown station is accessible to campus via RTA bus.
Bus
Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) buses connect UCR to the surrounding communities as well as the Riverside — Downtown and Riverside — Hunter Park/UCR train stations.
OmniTrans provides bus service from ONT to campus.
Car
If you’re driving to UCR, review our driving directions prior to your visit. If needed, car rental facilities are available at all major airports.
Upcoming Events
Check out Admission Events for upcoming virtual events, college fairs, and connections with current students and admission counselors. Then join the UCR community for year-round events open to the public, including athletics, extraterrestrial life seminars, career exploration conferences, and more!
