For things to do in El Monte, build your day around a guided tour at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum and a visit to Tony Arceo Park. The museum is in the City of Industry, while the park and El Monte’s transit connections give you stops within the city.
- Museum: Free public tours run Friday through Sunday, with an exception for the fourth weekend of each month.
- Park: Tony Arceo Park is at 3125 N. Tyler Avenue.
- Transit: El Monte’s fixed-route buses run five routes from El Monte Transit Station.
At a glance
4 places · swipe
01Before you set your scheduleCheck the museum tour pattern and local bus operating hours before you decide which stop comes first.
02Start with the Workman and Temple Family Homestead MuseumThe Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum offers a guided look at local history, with the day’s plan…
03Make time for Arceo ParkTony Arceo Park is a 3.4-acre neighborhood park at 3125 N.- 04FAQsRegular public tours are free.
Before you set your schedule
Check the museum tour pattern and local bus operating hours before you decide which stop comes first. The Homestead Museum is open to the public by guided tour only: regular tours do not require reservations, but spaces are limited and admission is first-come, first-served.
Workman House tours are offered at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.; La Casa Nueva tours are offered at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Groups of 10 or more are asked to schedule a visit, with group tours available any day between 10 a.m. and noon. The El Campo Santo family cemetery can be visited daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For a one-day El Monte itinerary, plan the museum around a tour time rather than assuming you can arrive whenever you like. The City of El Monte’s fixed-route buses operate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., and on weekends from 9:20 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.; the fare is $0.50 per ride.
Schedules and tour arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go, including the City of El Monte’s transit information. A guide to El Monte Station and local transit covers the station’s connections.
Start with the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum
The Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum offers a guided look at local history, with the day’s plan shaped by its scheduled house tours. It stands at 15415 Don Julian Road in the City of Industry, so treat it as a separate stop outside El Monte proper.
Choose a Workman House or La Casa Nueva tour time, then allow the visit to follow the museum’s guided-tour format.
The Homestead’s story begins with William and Nicolasa Workman, who came to the area from Taos, New Mexico, in 1841, when the land was part of Mexico. For more on the site and its tours, read this Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum visitor guide.
If you want to include the cemetery, El Campo Santo is open daily during its stated visiting hours. It can fit around the house-tour schedule, but keep the tour times in mind when arranging the order of your visit.
Make time for Arceo Park
Tony Arceo Park is a 3.4-acre neighborhood park at 3125 N. Tyler Avenue, with space for a walk, play, or an outdoor picnic. The City of El Monte describes the park’s walking path with custom mile markers, band shell, play structures of various sizes, restrooms, and outdoor picnic area available for rental.
Use the walking path for a low-key break between other city stops, or plan a picnic if you have arranged to use the rental area. The play structures offer another option for a stop with children. Details about the park’s location and facilities appear in this guide to Arceo Park in El Monte.
How do you get between stops and back?
El Monte’s fixed-route buses leave from El Monte Transit Station at 3679 Center Avenue approximately every 40 minutes. The station connects with Foothill Transit, Metro buses, City of El Monte commuter shuttles, the City of El Monte Trolley, and Metro Micro. Metrolink gives the station address as 10925 Railroad Street.
For the final leg back to the motel, Arceo Park is about a 3-minute drive from Aqua Inn Motel, a hotel in El Monte, and the Homestead Museum is about a 14-minute drive away. Arrange the museum visit around its tour schedule, then use the park or a transit connection to round out the day.
FAQs
Is the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum free?
Regular public tours are free. You do not need a reservation for these tours, but spaces are limited and admission is first-come, first-served.
Can you visit the Homestead Museum without a guided tour?
No. The museum can be visited only on a guided tour. Workman House and La Casa Nueva have separate scheduled tour times.
What can you do at Tony Arceo Park?
The park has a walking path, play structures, a band shell, restrooms, and an outdoor picnic area available for rental.
Where do El Monte’s fixed-route buses depart?
They leave from El Monte Transit Station at 3679 Center Avenue, approximately every 40 minutes.