Get to know San Bernardino County

Where else in Southern California can suburbia and ski resorts coexist? San Bernardino County is the nation’s largest county, in area, and not far behind in population, bridging the 200 miles from the Los Angeles metro to neighboring Nevada and Arizona. Blending several dynamic economies with a prime location just 60 miles from the coast, it’s home to two million residents, a figure expected to double over the next three decades. The county’s principal communities, aside from its namesake, include Barstow, Hesperia, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and Victorville, along with no less than four ghost towns. Add a desirable climate, trending at 340 days of sunshine annually, and San Bernardino quickly rises to an enviable spot on the “great places to live” chart.

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San Bernardino County History & Culture

While there’s plenty of modern lore, the most prolific history here is of the natural sort. The scenic wonders of San Bernardino County have drawn for generations, with countless attractions covering the vast expanse from its arid valleys to mysterious peaks. Mitchell Caverns, perched in the Providence Mountains at 4,300 feet, offers guided tours of its stalactite-lined limestone caves, while a turn off Route 66 into Mojave National Preserve will bring you to Amboy Crater, a 6,000-year-old volcanic cider cone. Kelso’s Sand Dunes are famed for its “singing sands”: hikers often slide down the dunes to create the low-rumbling “song” that can be heard and felt through the ever-shifting ground.

San Bernardino County Dine & Shop

Aside from the vibrant downtowns found throughout its communities, the county's purpose-built shopping centers are destinations unto themselves. Ontario Mills Fashion District ranks among Southern California’s largest malls, drawing nearly 30 million shoppers annually. Up in the mountains, there’s the Village at Big Bear Lake, an artsy-tchotchke assemblage by the ski slopes with its own bowling alley and a full roster of eateries representing a myriad cuisines from Nepalese to Caribbean island fare. History-steeped Redlands, with its ornate 19th century structures, offers an idyllic Main Street experience with sidewalk dining and hip watering holes pouring out craft-drafts.