go

Claremont and Pomona are a good hour’s drive east from Westside art hubs, but they’re nevertheless a destination for gallery hoppers. The two cities in the Pomona Valley can be a study in contrasts, with Claremont having been rated by Money magazine as the fifth best place to live in the U.S., while its southern neighbor has served as the butt of many a joke. But art, and convenient Metrolink stops, unite them.

Start off with a stroll in the Village, a roughly 8-square-block assortment of coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques and more next to the train depot. Lest you mistake yourself for a starving artist, though, you might grab a bite at Walter’s (310 Yale Ave., [909] 624-2779), which offers the standard omelets and waffles but spices things up with its take on Afghan street food. Or hit up Some Crust Bakery for pastries (119 Yale Ave., [909] 621-9772).

The Claremont Museum of Art (536 W. 1st St., [909] 621-3200) opened in April in the Village’s southeast corner with a retrospective of Karl Benjamin, one of the area’s more renowned artists. Housed in the first floor of the 1922 College Heights Lemon Packing House, the museum is presenting the five-artist show “Ephemeral: Explorations in Light.” Then head upstairs to the tiny gallery Beautiful Crap (532 W. 1st St., [909] 291-5685) -- with that name, how could you not?

Morning

AH, BOHEMIA! (FORGET THE HUNGER PART)

A NEW MUSEUM AND, ER, STUFF

Afternoon

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOLS

Claremont is called “The City of Trees and PhDs,” so no wonder the colleges provide a vibrant scene. Among the highlights: Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps College (1030 Columbia Ave., [909] 621-8000) is showing contemporary paintings and more in “L.A. Live”; next up is January’s 64th Ceramics Annual. Pomona College Museum of Art, actually in Claremont, is presenting works from influential light and space artist James Turrell, below. (330 N. College Way, [909] 621-8283). And in Pomona proper, Cal Poly’s Kellogg University Art Gallery (3801 W. Temple Ave., [909] 869-4302) looks at its environs with “East in Eden.”

LOOK OUT BELOW

In downtown Pomona, an arch with the words “Arts Colony” points out that you’ve arrived, despite the pawnshops and closed storefronts. To find much of the action, go underground -- literally -- to the nonprofit spaces. Enter the Progress Bulletin building (300 S. Thomas St.), head down the pink-and-green stairs and you’ll find the Pomona Valley Art Assn. ([909] 469-1599), which shows members’ work in the Soho Gallery and rents out the Prog Space Gallery. Just down the hall is the contemporary 57 Underground ([909] 397-0218). Across the way, under the Founders Building (281 S. Thomas St.), is the Latino Art Museum ([909] 620-6009), which shows works from around the Spanish-speaking world but will have a local focus next month with “Angels in Pomona,” and the SCA Project Gallery ([909] 620-5481).

BACK INTO THE LIGHT

After all that subterranean crawling, the American Museum of Ceramic Art (340 S. Garey Ave., [909] 865-3146) will help shake off the claustrophobia with its airy gallery, to be filled next weekend with works from the late “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” George Ohr, top right. Around the corner, Armstrong’s Gallery (150 E. 3rd St., [909] 623-6464) presents ceramic works as well; it’s owned by the head of the museum. Meanwhile, Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center (300 W. 2nd St., [909] 469-0080) has three galleries and sponsors a kids’ program the fourth Saturday of the month.

Night

DO WINE AND OIL PAINT MIX?

Most downtown Pomona galleries have new shows up Dec. 8. Why? Because an art walk every second Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. (metropomona.com) brings out the night-crawlers. But you don’t need to wait for special occasions to stay out late at dba256 (256 S. Main St., [909] 623-7600), a brand-new wine bar that doubles as a gallery. Does the thought of drinking alcohol while considering whether to buy an $18,000 acrylic on canvas scare you? Head to the sleek new sushi place Sakura Ichi (101 W. Mission Blvd., [909] 865-2059), which should be a slightly less expensive proposition.

A DIFFERENT FORM OF ART

Cap things off at Pomona’s Glass House (200 W. 2nd St., [909] 865-3802), where even the White Stripes, below, have played. Or if you prefer a more lounge-y setting, head to Claremont for the Press Restaurant (129 Harvard Ave., [909] 625-4808) or Hip Kitty Jazz & Fondue (502 W. 1st St., [909] 447-6700).

-- Scott.Sandell@latimes.com