County of San Bernardino
Located in what Southern Californians call "The Inland Empire", San Bernardino has its own thriving economy while also remaining greatly tied to Los Angeles and Orange Counties where many residents commute to jobs some 40 to 60 miles distance. Much attention was drawn to this county seat of San Bernardino County when it was announced that it was selected as the new site of an Amazon Fulfillment Center.
Why would people drive that far to work each day? Housing! You can buy a house for up to half the price of similar homes in LA and OC.
There was a time when some vacationers from around the world preferred staying in San Bernardino and Riverside, especially in the winter months when the temperatures are mild and the air was once crystal clear, filled with the scent of fragrant citrus orchards where oranges grew abundantly. (The average daytime high pleasantly ranges between 69 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit between October and May.) While fruits still do grow well in the San Bernardino climate, you're less likely to see and smell them when passing through today.
Most the year the weather is actually quite nice in San Bernardino with the exception of a few months (June, July, August & September) where average daytime high temps are in the 90s, but frequently climb into the 100s. That's when locals like to pack up their cars and either head to the San Bernardino mountains nearby or west and south to the Southern California's beaches to spend the day.
From the visitor's perspective, San Bernardino has some great architecture & buildings of interest, colleges & universities, major freeways that may take you through the area (110, 215 and 210 freeways,) festivals such as Rendezvous Back to Route 66, and one of Southern California's most popular casinos, Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel, located on the outskirts of town in Highland, California.
An Orange County resident who makes weekly visits to Yaamava to try her luck at gambling doesn't even know she's passing through San Bernardino - but she is very familiar and in touch with the casino which sends her texts offering free hotel nights and specials to lure her into coming. Yaamava is not listed as one of the sources for jobs locally in San Bernardino, nor does the city list it as a significant revenue generator since tribes in California are taxed and make payments to three different state-run funds.
Arts: Historic California Theater opened its doors in 1928 and a century later it hosts Broadway plays and musicals and provides a home for San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. Sturges Center for the Arts, Roosevelt Bowl, National Orange Show Events Center, Glen Helen Amphitheater and the Garcia Center for the Arts round out the many options for entertainment.
Sports: Two golf courses, Jerry Lewis Municipal Swimming Pool, Inland Empire 66ers Class A-Advanced Minor League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Little League Western Region Headquarters and San Bernardino Soccer 50-acre Complex with 17 full-sized soccer fields, including 4 lighted championship fields.
On a final note, San Bernardino's official city website in its "ABOUT" section focuses NOT on tourists and tourism but on residents and issues affecting the city which as of this posting include homelessness and cleaning up parks, etc.
According to the city: "San Bernardino is, now more than ever, a city of opportunity. As the City rests in the heart of inland Southern California it offers affordable housing, a pathways-focused public education system, an innovative Cal-State university, low-cost of doing business, a large labor force, and a multifaceted transportation hub. Opportunities for first-time home buyers, entrepreneurs, investors and employers are vast; one only needs to see the potential."