Beyond the Obvious in San Bernardino: Foothill day trips and local weekends
Curious about what you'll do when you live in San Bernardino? If you like the idea of hiking through desert trails, getting artsy at downtown galleries, and are daring enough to try ziplining over canyons, San Bernardino might be your match! This list of fun things to do will take you from mountain peaks to valley floors and give you a full taste of San Bernardino's diverse outdoor and cultural scene.
Jessica, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Jessica is a born and raised Angeleno who has spent 30 years bouncing between East LA, the Westside, and the Valley, usually with a trunk full of boxes and a strong opinion about neighborhoods. She moved eight times between 2013 and 2023 and genuinely loves it, especially the decluttering part and the chance to reinvent herself with each new move. A former teacher of eight years, she has taught everyone from pre K kids learning their ABCs to high schoolers stressing over college essays. She loves California for the beaches, sunshine, hidden lakes, and hikes that feel like they belong in another state entirely. Her guilty pleasure is the Custard Front Drive donut from Donut Friend, she road trips whenever possible, and she is slowly working through a bucket list of every national park. She lives with two bonded cats, Marty the black cat and Jelly the tabby. At Snappy Scout, Jessica edits California guides with deep local instincts built over decades of real CA living.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in San Bernardino?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
On a Saturday with perfect weather
Glen Helen Regional Park where you can almost touch the mountains
When the gals come to town for the weekend
Wine tasting in nearby Temecula because we earned this
Dude hangout
Route 66 Rendezvous cruise where classic cars outnumber people
Rainy dreary day
Original McDonald's Museum celebrating burgers and architectural oddity
Outdoorsy
San Bernardino National Forest for that mountain town fantasy and a drop in temperature
Fitness-oriented
Perris Hill Park trails with views worth the uphill burn and early am wake up
With your dog
Wildwood Dog Park where your pup has more besties than you
Family-oriented
Splash Kingdom Water Park for maximum kid exhaustion goals
In need of a selfie
Historic Route 66 signs screaming vintage Americana vibes
You have to see this
California Theatre of Performing Arts dripping in 1928 Spanish glory
On a budget
Free concerts at Court Street Square all summer long
For sports fans
66ers minor league baseball where tickets cost less than nachos
My Favorite Local Spot in San Bernardino
Hands down, The Original Mommie Helen's Bakery makes some of the best pumpkin pie. It’s indulgent and warm and tastes like fall! If you want something that’s a tad healthier, they also make sugar-free cobblers.
— Jessica Montes
California Local Expert
Ready to See If San Bernardino Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full San Bernardino guide for the bigger picture.