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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Rialto
Rialto, California
Skip unless you need a cheap bed near San Bernardino or want to sleep in a concrete teepee at the Wigwam Motel. Half a day is enough for a Route 66 photo stop.
Rialto is a small city of about 100,000 people in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. It has no major sights beyond the historic Wigwam Motel and a few local eateries. Most travellers use it as a budget overnight stop on Interstate 10 or as a Metrolink commuter suburb. A half-day stop covers the Route 66 novelty; otherwise, skip it for San Bernardino or Ontario.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Rialto, California
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot), Dec–Feb (cooler but still mild)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. bed · Mid $80–120 excl. bed · High $120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Wigwam Motel room (double) | $60–80 |
| Brother's Pizza slice | $3–5 |
| Metrolink one-way from LA Union Station | $10 |
| Taxi from Ontario Airport to Rialto | $30–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ONT · Ontario International Airport
- About 20 min drive; no direct public transport, taxi or rideshare needed.
- LAX · Los Angeles International Airport
- About 1.5 h drive; Metrolink from LA Union Station to Rialto station.
Typical fares
- Metrolink LA Union Station → Rialto
- about $10, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi Ontario Airport → Rialto
- $30–40, about 20 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. Metrolink trains connect Rialto to Los Angeles and San Bernardino, but the station is a 15-minute walk from the Wigwam Motel. No local bus network worth relying on for sightseeing.
See and do
Known for
- Wigwam Motel
- Route 66
- Metrolink station
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino | I-10 east, 10 min drive; Metrolink 5 min | 15 min |
| Ontario, California | I-10 west, 15 min drive | 20 min |
| Big Bear Lake | CA-330 east, about 1 h drive | 1 h 15 min |
| Barstow | I-15 north, about 45 min drive | 50 min |
Sleep
- Near I-10 / Foothill Blvd
- Motels along the historic Route 66 corridor, including the Wigwam Motel. Car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Wigwam Motel is a novelty, not a luxury stay: thin walls, no soundproofing.
- No Uber/Lyft surge pricing is common late at night; book a taxi in advance.
- Heat in summer: carry water if walking anywhere.
Rialto is generally safe for a small city. Standard suburban precautions: lock your car, avoid walking alone late at night in unlit areas. The Wigwam Motel area is well-travelled.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rialto yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wigwam Motel
- Route 66
- Metrolink station
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Metrolink Rialto station: metrolinktrains.com/rider-info/general-info/stations/rialto/
- Wikivoyage: Rialto (California), revision 5086330 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5086330
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
RialtoRialto, California
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
Embassies are in Washington, DC; consulates in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rialto-california). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.