San Bernardino sits at the eastern end of the Inland Empire, the 50-mile corridor of urban sprawl that extends from Los Angeles through Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The city is often associated with the county at large, and is known more for its annual festivals than its downtown charms. The Route 66 Rendezvous, a classic car festival, attracts visitors from around the country, as does the National Orange Show and the Western Regional Little League Championships.
As the hometown of the first McDonald's restaurant it should come as no shock to find that there's a small community museum well-stocked with relevant ephemera, though in addition to big burger chain tidbits look around for the Heritage House and the Inland Empire Military Museum. Strictly speaking, San Bernardino isn't really a major tourist destination but it does serve as a convenient stopover for those bound on to southwest California destinations like Palm Springs or the forested Santa Ana and San Bernardino mountains, which frame the city to the north and east. Nature enthusiasts hoping to beat traffic and a suburban slump can hit nearby ski resorts (of which there are several), take paddle to tree-framed lakes or wander a few of the 500 trail miles lacing local national forest. Optionally, leave the shade and breeze behind and blow on east to see the state's largest lake, the Salton Sea, or spend some sunny hours wandering trails in Joshua Tree National Park.
San Bernardino is located in southwest California, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.
