48 Hours in San Bernardino - A Complete Travel Guide

San Bernardino is the kind of place where you can lace up your hiking boots and hit a mountain trail in the morning and grab some legendary tacos by lunchtime. This 48-hour itinerary takes you to the best bits, shows you around the top places to eat, and helps you wring the most out of your visit without ending up needing a break after your break. From those scenic parks to some of the quirkier museums you've ever seen, and the local grub that's so good you'll rue the day you must leave, San Bernardino has a whole lot more up its sleeve than people give it credit for. So, grab those comfiest walking shoes, give your phone a charge, and get ready to squeeze two fun-packed days into your Southern California adventure in this often-underrated little city.

Day 1 covers some of the best attractions in San Bernardino, including mountain views, local restaurants, museums, and outdoor activities.

 Get your day in San Bernardino off to a great start with breakfast at Molly's Cafe on North D Street. This diner is up early, serving up breakfast burritos, pancakes, omelets, hash browns, and stuffed French toast. As you step inside, you'll notice the retro Route 66 decorations and comfortable classic booths, a great place to start the day. To beat the crowds, get there before 9:00 AM. Spend an hour or so at the café and then head out to the mountain areas just outside the city. And the good news is that the café is right on the road to the San Bernardino Mountains, so getting there is a breeze. Plus, they've got outdoor seating if you'd prefer to take in the cool morning air.

Address:

1036 N D St, San Bernardino, CA 92410

After breakfast, get yourself out into the San Bernardino National Forest and Mount San Gorgonio for a few hours of fresh mountain air and scenic views. The forest has all sorts of great spots to stop and enjoy the great outdoors: hiking trails, scenic lookouts, picnic areas, and some pretty winding roads. And then there's Mount San Gorgonio, the tallest mountain in SoCal, with views from the top that are simply stunning. People usually stop along the Rim of the World Scenic Byway to grab some photos, and with the cooler air in the mountains, it's a great escape from the city heat. Don't forget to bring some water and snacks; while there are a few services up here, you might be out of luck in some spots. You can easily spend the better part of the afternoon exploring before heading back to the city.

Address:

602 S Tippecanoe Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408

 By this point, you're probably ready for a break, so head on back down to the city and grab some lunch at Mimi's Cafe on Hospitality Lane. They're open all day, so you can get in on all sorts of good stuff: sandwiches, soups, salads, and their famous French onion soup. Lunchtime after 2:00 PM usually means the place is a lot less busy, so you'll get served pretty quickly. Plus, it's right near Interstate 10 and a bunch of hotels, so it's a great stop on the way back from the mountains. Spend a bit of time there relaxing and then head on over to the city's historical attractions. And you'll be happy to know that Mimi's has a pretty big seating area, so you can avoid the crowds.

Address:

395 E Hospitality Ln, San Bernardino, CA 92408

 After lunch, take some time to chill out at Shandin Hills Golf Club, which is nestled in the heart of San Bernardino. The place has an 18-hole golf course with some pretty sweet views of the surrounding mountains and palm-lined fairways. They opened back in the 1960s, and it's still one of the top public golf courses in the area. You can even just head to the driving range or try to sneak in a short round before catching the sunset. Afternoon times are popular because the temperature starts to drop a bit later on in the day. The clubhouse has a seating area where you can take a load off and recharge before moving on to the evening. Try to spend around an hour or two here before moving on to the next stop on your itinerary.

Address:

3380 Little Mountain Dr, San Bernardino, CA 92405

 Spend the late afternoon swinging by the First Original McDonald’s Museum on North E Street. It's located right near where the original McDonald's opened its doors back in 1940. Inside the museum, you'll get to see all sorts of cool stuff like vintage signs, old menus, historical photos, Happy Meal toys, and some of the first fast-food equipment to ever be used by McDonald's. Most visitors end up spending about an hour or so walking through the exhibits and taking some snaps outside in front of the famous sign displays. They've also got some pretty neat collections to check out on American fast-food culture and the history of restaurants from different eras. Visiting in the evening is a good idea since it gets much less crowded later in the day.

Address:

1398 N E St, San Bernardino, CA 92405

 Finish up your first day in San Bernardino with dinner at Cheliz Restaurant near downtown. They serve up some great American comfort food in a casual, relaxing atmosphere right in the heart of the city. Weekdays are usually pretty chill in the evenings, whereas weekends get a lot busier after sunset. Try to plan for about an hour for dinner before heading back to your hotel to get some rest for the next day. The restaurant's downtown location is super convenient, meaning you can wrap up your day without having to do too much extra driving. And getting a good night's sleep will make it much easier to tackle another full day of sightseeing in San Bernardino and the surrounding SoCal area.

Address:

1150 E Highland Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92404

Day 2 includes scenic parks, mountain drives, walking trails, and some popular restaurants in San Bernardino.

 Kick off your second morning in San Bernardino by heading over to D J Coffee Shop near downtown for some breakfast. Open early, this place serves up all the breakfast basics: eggs, pancakes, bacon, breakfast sandwiches, hash browns, and all the coffee you need to start your day off right. You'll find a decent crowd of locals and travelers alike coming in to get their morning fix. Getting to D J around 8:00 AM is a good move since the real breakfast rush usually doesn't kick in till later in the morning. Spend about an hour here before heading out to do some actual exploring, and the location gives you easy access to all the roads that'll take you out to the surrounding parks and scenic areas. Plus, getting your breakfast out of the way early means you'll have plenty of time to get to the other attractions on your list.

Address:

174 W Base Line St, San Bernardino, CA 92410

After fueling up at D J, head on over to Glen Helen Regional Park in the northern part of San Bernardino. This place is a real gem, covering over 1,300 acres of land. It's got lakes, picnic shelters, playgrounds, hiking trails, and all sorts of grassy areas just begging to be explored.

You can even rent a pedal boat and get out on the water for a bit or take a stroll through the shaded picnic areas if the weather's cooperating. And, of course, there's a swimming area to beat the heat during the warmer months in SoCal. Plan on spending a few hours here getting in some quality outdoor time before it's time to move on to the afternoon schedule.

Getting there early is a good idea; the heat can get pretty intense in the afternoon, especially during the summer, so beat the crowds and the heat by getting in while it's still cool. Just don't forget to bring some water and comfy shoes. The park is a lot bigger than it looks, and you'll be doing some walking to get to all the different activity areas. Parking's plentiful near the main entrances and all over the park, so that's not something you'll have to worry about.

Address:

2555 Glen Helen Pkwy, San Bernardino, CA 92407

Time to leave the park and get some lunch at Mitla Cafe in central San Bernardino. This place has been around since 1937, which makes it one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the city, and it's still serving up all the classics: enchiladas, tacos, tamales, burritos, and all the rest. You'll also spot some nods to the restaurant's past; it turns out the founders of Taco Bell were actually inspired by the very same recipes and menu ideas that Mitla Cafe has been serving up for all these years.

Lunchtime after 1:00 PM is usually a lot quieter than the middle of the day, so you can get a bite to eat without too much fuss. Spend about an hour here, grab a bite, and then get on your way to whatever scenic attractions are on your list for the afternoon. The inside of the cafe is a real treat; you'll see all sorts of traditional Mexican-style decorations and pics on the wall that'll give you a sense of just how long this place has been around.

Address:

602 N Mt Vernon Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411

After lunch, head out to explore a chunk of the Santa Ana River Trail near San Bernardino. This trail goes on for ages in Southern California, following bits of the river as it winds its way through different towns and parks along the way. People come here to walk, jog, cycle, and take snaps all year round, making the most of the paved path. You'll pass through some pretty open landscapes, bits of the riverbed, and then, on a clear day, you can see the mountains looming in the distance.

Visiting later in the afternoon means you get the bonus of better light for photos and easier visibility across the whole scene. Don't forget to grab a bottle of water; some bits of the trail don't have much shade, and it can get pretty hot in the afternoons. Spend an hour or two here before moving on to the mountain roads and scenic viewpoints that are planned for the evening.

Address:

Multiple access points across San Bernardino, CA

 After that, take a drive along the Rim of the World Scenic Byway in the San Bernardino Mountains. This route takes you on some mountain roads where you can get really up close and personal with the views, and there are some top spots to pull over and take a few snaps along the way. It's definitely a fair bit more comfortable driving in the evening than it is during the middle of the day. The temperature drops a bit, and the crowds thin out. You get to see all sorts of fantastic scenery on the drive: pine forests, mountain towns, and then you have the elevated roads with just stunning views across the valley. Spend an hour or two here before heading back into the city for a bite to eat.

Address:

State Route 18, San Bernardino Mountains, CA

 Finish off day number two in San Bernardino with a visit to the Black Angus Steakhouse on Hospitality Lane. They serve up a mean steak, of course, plus ribs, seafood, burgers, all sorts of baked spuds and salads, and a load of other tasty dishes to boot. The place has a big indoor dining area and all the western-style decorations you would expect.

Eating here between 7:00 and 8:00 PM tends to be a lot more relaxed than the earlier dinner rush, and you can spend a good hour or so unwinding after a big day spent wandering around the parks, trails, and mountain roads of San Bernardino. It's also in a pretty great location, near all the major hotels and I-10, so if you are staying nearby, you won't have to go too far to get back.

Finishing off the night here is a great way to round off the day and have a nice chill-out before one final night of this 48-hour San Bernardino adventure.

Address:

500 E Hospitality Ln, San Bernardino, CA 92408

In a nutshell, from mountain drives and hiking trails to local cafés and museums, there are many fun things to do in San Bernardino during a 48-hour trip.

Book a stay at Orange Show Inn and enjoy affordable comfort near downtown San Bernardino and the National Orange Show Events Center.