Small town · 32 min northeast
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Day Trippin' › California › From San Bernardino
Day trips from San Bernardino
From San Bernardino, Lake Arrowhead Village is under 40 minutes away, Big Bear Lake under an hour, and Universal Studios Hollywood about an hour. The best day trips from San Bernardino, by drive time.
183 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from San Bernardino
- Lake Arrowhead Village 32 min northeast
- Disneyland Park 52 min southwest
- Knott's Berry Farm 52 min southwest
- Mission San Juan Capistrano 1 hr 1 min southwest
- Universal Studios Hollywood 1 hr 7 min west
- Griffith Observatory 1 hr 8 min west
- Aquarium of the Pacific 1 hr 11 min southwest
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 2 hr 4 min southeast
- Catalina Island Avalon 2 hr 56 min southwest
- Solvang 3 hr west
Within an hour from San Bernardino 44 spots
Theme park · 52 min southwest
Disneyland Park
The original Disney park with classic rides and character meetups.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 52 min southwest
Knott's Berry Farm
Roller coasters, a Western ghost town and famous boysenberry treats in Buena Park.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 58 min southeast
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
A rotating tram car lifts you from desert floor to cool alpine forest in about ten minutes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; annual maintenance closure in fall (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 1 hr southwest
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Lake · 48 min northeast
Big Bear Lake
A mountain lake with boating, fishing, paddleboards and a lively village. Snow play in winter.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Beach · 59 min southwest
Laguna Beach Main Beach
A pretty cove beach in a classic art town with basketball and sand volleyball.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free; parking is paid
Small town · 1 hr southeast
Idyllwild
A cool pine-forest village under Mount San Jacinto with art shops, cafes and trailheads.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
1 to 2 hours from San Bernardino 100 spots
Historic site · 1 hr 1 min southwest
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A historic mission with gardens, the Great Stone Church ruins and swallows legend.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 7 min west
Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie-themed rides, a studio tram tour and Super Nintendo World.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Observatory · 1 hr 8 min west
Griffith Observatory
Free views of the city and the Hollywood Sign, plus space exhibits and a planetarium. Sunsets here are a classic LA moment.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Aquarium · 1 hr 11 min southwest
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet forest in Long Beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 1 hr 17 min northeast
Calico Ghost Town
A restored silver mining town with shops, mine tours and a mini train.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 1 hr 18 min west
Getty Center
A hilltop art museum with big gardens and wide views over the city. Entry is free.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 1 hr 21 min south
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A big wildlife park in Escondido with African savannah areas and a tram or safari tour.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 26 min west
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from San Bernardino 33 spots
State park · 2 hr 4 min southeast
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California's largest state park, with palm canyons, badlands and, in some years, spring wildflowers.
- Full day · Moderate
- Best Oct-Apr
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 3 hr west
Solvang
Danish-style village with bakeries, windmills and shops in the Santa Ynez Valley.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Island · 2 hr 56 min southwest
Catalina Island Avalon
A ferry ride to a car-free island town with beaches, glass-bottom boats and golf carts.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 2 hr 59 min west
Santa Barbara Mission
Large, elegant mission church often called the Queen of the Missions.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 2 hr 6 min northwest
Red Rock Canyon State Park
Colorful cliffs and canyons where the Mojave meets the Sierra. Easy trails and camping.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Best Oct-Apr
- California State Parks day-use fee per car
Zoo · 2 hr 22 min west
Santa Barbara Zoo
Small, hilltop zoo with ocean views and animals from around the world.
- 3-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Food town · 2 hr 8 min west
Downtown Ventura
Craft beer, vintage shops and good dining a short walk from the beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Bike trail · 2 hr 36 min northwest
Kern River Parkway Trail
A paved path along the Kern River in Bakersfield, good for biking and walking.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 92401 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.