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Voykit pocket guide · United States
San Dimas
Skip unless you're visiting Raging Waters or staying with family: half a day at the waterpark, then move on.
San Dimas is a small city in the San Gabriel Valley, best known for Raging Waters, a large waterpark. The rest of the town is suburban and quiet, with a handful of local restaurants and a farmers market. Most travellers use it as a stop on the way to Pasadena, Claremont or Pomona.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (waterpark season)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (waterpark closed, cool weather)
- 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 $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Raging Waters day ticket | $50–70 |
| Pizza (large) | $15–25 |
| Burger at a diner | $10–15 |
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Gas (gallon) | $4–5 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ONT · Ontario International
- about 20 min drive
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- about 1 h drive
Typical fares
- ONT → San Dimas (rideshare)
- about $30–40
- LAX → San Dimas (rideshare)
- about $60–80
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. Foothill Transit buses run along Bonita Avenue and Arrow Highway, but frequencies are low. Rideshare is available.
See and do
Known for
- Raging Waters waterpark
- Farmers Market Natural Foods
- Michaelangelo's Pizza
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pasadena | Drive west on CA-210, about 20 min | About 25 min |
| Claremont | Drive east on CA-210, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Arcadia | Drive west on CA-210, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Monrovia | Drive west on CA-210, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Pomona | Drive south on CA-57, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Alhambra | Drive west on CA-210, about 25 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Arrow Highway corridor
- Motels and hotels near the freeway; convenient for a night.
- Downtown San Dimas
- Quieter, walkable to a few restaurants.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom?where is the restroom |
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
- Raging Waters is seasonal (roughly May–September); check the official site for exact dates.
- The waterpark gets crowded on weekends and holidays; arrive at opening.
- No train station in San Dimas; the nearest Metrolink stop is in Pomona or Covina.
San Dimas is a safe suburban city. Standard precautions apply: lock your car and don't leave valuables visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Dimas yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Raging Waters waterpark
- Farmers Market Natural Foods
- Michaelangelo's Pizza
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Raging Waters official site: www.ragingwaters.com/
- Wikivoyage: San Dimas, revision 5240648 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240648
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Dimas
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
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-dimas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.