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Voykit pocket guide · United States
San Bernardino
Use San Bernardino as a 1-night Route 66 stop or a car base for the mountains — not a sightseeing city: 2 nights max, and only with a car.
San Bernardino is the largest city in San Bernardino County and a freeway junction on I-10, I-215 and I-210, about 60 mi east of Los Angeles. Downtown is quiet and the draw is thin — the site of the first McDonald's stand, a Route 66 motel and the San Bernardino Mountains 30–45 minutes up the road. Most travellers sleep here for one night between Los Angeles and Joshua Tree, or skip the city and go straight to Big Bear Lake or Lake Arrowhead.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (95–100°F highs), and Santa Ana wind days
- Stay
- 1–2 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 $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $110–180 excl. bed · High $180+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Fast-food or taqueria meal | $10–18 |
| Sit-down dinner, before tax and tip | $18–35 |
| Beer at a bar | $7–10 |
| Rideshare, 5 mi | $12–20 |
| Metrolink, San Bernardino to Los Angeles Union Station | about $13–15 one way (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SBD · San Bernardino International
- About 3 mi east of downtown on the former Norton Air Force Base; commercial service is limited — check current routes before booking.
- ONT · Ontario International
- About 22 mi west on I-10; the practical airport for this area, with more flights and usually lower fares than LAX.
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- About 76 mi west; use it only if the fare gap is large — allow 1.5–2.5 h by road.
Typical fares
- Metrolink, San Bernardino → LA Union Station
- about $13–15 one way, about 1 h 45 min (check)
- Rideshare, downtown → Hospitality Lane
- $12–18
- Mountain Transit, San Bernardino → Big Bear Lake
- check current fare and timetable
Get around
A car is the practical way: I-10, I-215 and I-210 cross the city and almost everything is a drive. Omnitrans runs local buses from the Downtown Transit Center, Metrolink's San Bernardino Line reaches Los Angeles Union Station, and Mountain Transit goes up to Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs and Big Bear Lake. Rideshare works downtown but waits grow at night.
See and do
Known for
- Site of the first McDonald Brothers hamburger stand
- Route 66 and the Wigwam Motel
- Gateway to the San Bernardino Mountains
- Inland Empire freeway junction
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bear Lake | Drive Highway 330 then Highway 18, or Mountain Transit from the transit centre | About 1 h by car |
| Lake Arrowhead | Drive Highway 18 via Crestline, or Mountain Transit RIM route | About 45 min by car |
| Ontario, California | Metrolink San Bernardino Line west, or I-10 | About 40 min |
| Barstow | I-15 north, or Victor Valley Transit route 15 | About 1 h by car |
| Upland | Metrolink to Upland station, or I-10 west | About 40 min |
| Chino Hills | CA-60 west, or Omnitrans connections via Ontario | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Hospitality Lane (I-10, south side)
- Chain hotels at the I-10/Hospitality Lane exits; easiest with a car and the safest default for a family stop.
- Downtown / Santa Fe Depot
- Walk to the Metrolink and Amtrak depot and the transit centre; budget motels, quieter at night, few restaurants.
- Route 66 / Foothill Blvd (west, toward Rialto)
- The Wigwam Motel and older roadside motels; car needed, some blocks are run-down.
- University Parkway / north (I-215)
- Motels near Cal State San Bernardino and the I-215 exit; handy for the mountains and for CSUSB.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the bus stop? | Where is the bus stop? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| I need help | I need help |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Is this seat taken? | Is this seat taken? |
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
- Summer heat: highs average around 96°F (36°C) in July and August, with occasional days above 107°F (42°C) — carry water and plan indoor stops midday.
- Downtown is quiet after dark and some blocks are run-down; keep to lit streets and drive between areas at night.
- Intercity buses stop at separate stations across town (Mill St, the Downtown Transit Center, the Santa Fe Depot) — check which one your ticket uses before you book a transfer.
- Winter mountain roads: chains or snow tyres may be required on Highway 18 and Highway 330 — check Caltrans conditions before driving up.
San Bernardino has a higher crime rate than most US cities its size, and downtown is quiet at night. Stay in the Hospitality Lane or University Parkway hotel clusters, drive after dark, and keep bags out of sight in parked cars.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Bernardino yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Site of the first McDonald Brothers hamburger stand
- Route 66 and the Wigwam Motel
- Gateway to the San Bernardino Mountains
- Inland Empire freeway junction
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of San Bernardino: www.sanbernardino.gov/
- Metrolink — San Bernardino Line: www.metrolinktrains.com/schedules/
- Wikivoyage: San Bernardino, revision 5253142 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5253142
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Bernardino
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies here. Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador keep consulates in San Bernardino; most other countries are in Los Angeles.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-bernardino). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.