Working in Los Angeles or San Francisco can make a person yearn to commute, and the small city of Ontario, California, offers the ideal spot. Just 35 miles east of LA, Ontario offers a small city feel and a mere 165,000 residents.You don’t have to travel to Canada to enjoy a place named Ontario. The California location offers an amazing view since it nearly banks onto the Angeles National Forest. Only the communities of Upland and San Antonio Heights separate it from the forest.