Hemet, California

Jill's Journal: Hemet, California, isn’t exactly a destination for travelers, at least for those under a certain age. It is a huge snowbird destination, quite popular with older folks looking to escape winters. In fact, in the RV park we’re staying in, about 80% of the residents are Canadian (and Rob and I are at least 20, if not 30 or 40, years behind all of them). With the kids, we bring the median age down a bit.

So, why are we here? Hemet is out of the way and off the major freeways that connect all the good-sized towns in California. It’s out in the desert, roughly halfway in between L.A. and San Diego, but it’s inland and not on the coast. There are no major attractions. It’s not a pretty town, although it is in a large valley surrounded by hills.

We’re here because this small town (now medium-sized town: the 1980 census listed its population at just over 22,000 people while the 2010 census noted over 78,000 residents) is where I spent most of my childhood. I was almost eight when my family moved here and I was 19 when I officially left. So although it’s out of the way, although there’s not much to see, and although it’s nothing to write home about as a destination, we’re in Hemet because it used to be home for me. We’re here solely for nostalgia and to visit some of the wonderful people who remain here, including my brother.

It took us one single afternoon to drive by my family’s former homes, my former school, my former church, and all the old hot spots. For kicks, we stopped in at the charming Hemet Museum/Santa Fe Depot to learn a little of the history of the town.

The museum is small, but nicely displays the town’s Native American and agricultural beginnings.

There’s smudge pots, which were used to help protect citrus trees from frost…

…an old scoreboard from the local high school…

…and even a little horse history.

Hemet’s claim to fame is most definitely the Ramona Pageant, held every spring at the Ramona Bowl.

Every Hemet Valley school child, usually around the fourth grade, attends the Ramona Pageant at least once, as do visitors from all over the world. The natural amphitheater and “stage” look exactly like I remember them. How I’d love to take the girls, but it’s still several weeks away and we should be long out of the area by then.

If you’ve never heard of the Ramona Outdoor Play (and chances are you haven’t if you’re not a Southern Californian), it’s the oldest outdoor play in America and California’s official state play. It’s part historical and part fictional, set in Hemet during the 1800s. It’s almost like an American version of Romeo and Juliet, with a wealthy young Mexican ranch girl, Ramona, falling in love with an Indian named Alessandro. Their love is, of course, forbidden. The pageant has been running since 1923, features a cast of over 300 (not counting the live animals), and has had actresses like Raquel Welch and Anne Archer in the lead role.

With our sightseeing officially done for the week, we can concentrate on the people we want to see. First and foremost is my brother. The girls were dying to see his bachelor pad, although they were disappointed it’s a little too cool to swim in his pool. But my goodness, they are happy as clams to be able to see their Uncle Adam regularly. They promptly decorated his refrigerator with their drawings. He, in turn, made a kid-friendly dinner for them (and us) one night! Yes, he’s handsome, a great guy, and he cooks. Sorry, single ladies…he’s got a girlfriend. :)