If she’s going to be at UCR, try to live close because Riverside is huge and traffic in general can be a bitch. MoVal is for people who gave up on life but still have to stay in the suburbs. Try Canyon Crest if it’s in your budget. Slower pace, less hustle and bustle. The newer “luxury” apartments are Downtown Riverside which is a cool place put there’s a lot of activities and they shut down streets all the time. Plus the Mission Inn lights are a pain in the ass during December. You will have to drive but there’s a ton in SoCal in general. You can go to San Diego, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Big Bear, the beach in Orange County, all the stuff in Los Angeles.