Local spots to try

By Carolyn Solar |Staff Writer|

Classes are done for the day, now what?

Let’s go explore!

Once the mundane school day is complete, students are eager to hang out with friends, read some books or enjoy live entertainment—anything to distract them from the responsibilities of school and work.

A Shop Called Quest, Augie’s Coffee House and Raquel’s Jazz Lounge are among CSUSB favorite hangout spots.

Students are loving the variety that the Inland Empire has to offer.

A Shop Called Quest in Redlands, is a local comic book store that sells a vast collection of comics, t-shirts, collectibles and art.

Student Casey Ysaguirre enjoyed the book selection, but the local art is what makes this place one-of-a-kind.

“They have art nights too, where artists come and do on the spot (work) and they sell it in the store,” said Ysaguirre.

Another favorite in Redlands is Augie’s Coffee House.

This artsy coffee shop is a mix of a student study joint with friendly neighborhood ambiance.

This place screams hipster, all the way down to the latte art and gluten-free pastries.

Augie’s offers a relaxed atmosphere, tasty drinks and a friendly staff, perfect for an after school study session.

For the adventure-seeking student, Exodus Escape Room in Rancho Cucamonga is the place to be to escape from school responsibilities (no pun intended).

Guests are given an hour to solve this real-life adventure game by working on puzzles and solving clues in order to escape from this mysterious room.

This is meant for larger groups, so gather up the posse and solve some puzzles.

Bars are another aspect of the IE that we are fortunate enough to have in our backyard.

From Redlands to Riverside, a wide variety of bars are accessible to students (of age).

A local favorite is Pixels in Downtown Riverside.

The weekends are filled with eager college students but weekdays offer fun nights like Arcade Wednesdays, where the bar is turned into a night filled with retro video game tournaments, including Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, good music and drink specials.

For other students, drinking wine while listening to poetry is the perfect way to relax after a long week of school.

Raquel’s Jazz Lounge in Rialto is one spot of interest for students.

“Every first and third Sunday of the month, they do a poetry/ open mic night at 7 p.m. It’s a small, cute venue but the talent is always great,” stated student Taylor McIntyre.

Raquel’s Jazz Lounge is 21 and over and offers comedy, karaoke and live music throughout the week.

Whether you’re just looking for a place to relax, or looking for a new adventure, there are plenty of local spots to try out in the area.