<p>Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, Scripps and Harvey Mudd are all located in Claremont CA, which is in LA County, but suburban. There is a Rail Line right there that will take you into downtown LA. They have a ski and beach day each year where you start on the slopes in the morning and then drive to the beach in the afternoon. That’s fun for people not from a similar environment. While you will likely spend most time on campus and in the Claremont Village, no doubt there are opportunities to get into LA, Hollywood, Santa Monica. Definetely not in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>Occidential College is about 20-30 minutes West, more toward LA proper, but I don’t think there is a rail line there, though the area has gotten somewhat hipsterish. It is much smaller because it is not in a group like the Claremont Colleges. Barak Obama whet there for a couple of years.</p>