Route 66 is one of the strongest reasons to include San Bernardino on a Southern California road trip. The historic highway reached the city on its way toward Los Angeles, and traces of that roadside era still give the area much of its character.
Look beyond the road sign
The fun of Route 66 here is not simply driving a marked stretch of asphalt. Stop at places connected with the road’s history. The Original McDonald’s Site tells an unexpectedly important fast-food story, while the Wigwam Motel is one of those roadside buildings that could only belong to the age of the American highway.
Mitla Cafe is another stop I would make. It has served generations of travelers and locals and gives you something better than a photograph of an old neon sign: a chance to sit down and eat in a place with genuine local history.
2026 is a special year
Route 66 reaches its centennial in 2026, so interest in the road is especially high. That makes San Bernardino a useful stop for anyone following the Mother Road through California.
My advice is not to rush through collecting landmarks. Route 66 is most enjoyable when you allow time for an old restaurant, a museum and the ordinary streets between them. San Bernardino is not a preserved movie set. It is a living city through which the old highway still runs, and that contrast is exactly what makes the route interesting.