Origin
Palm Desert, CA
Afternoon in Palm Desert on Sunday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palm Desert, CA to San Bernardino, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
68.9 mi
111 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palm Desert, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 70 miles, this straightforward trek from Palm Desert to San Bernardino typically takes about 1 hour and 17 minutes to complete. You will navigate a mix of local thoroughfares like East Palm Canyon Drive and Monterey Avenue before transitioning onto I-10. Because the entire journey is easily manageable in a single day, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $10 on fuel for the trip, making this a budget-friendly way to traverse the Pacific Coast region. It is a practical route for travelers looking to move between these two California hubs without unnecessary complexity. Whether you are headed home or starting a new excursion, this drive serves as a reliable connection between the desert landscape and the Inland Empire.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 38.1 mi | 41m |
| Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway | 19.3 mi | 20m |
| Monterey Avenue | 6 mi | 9m |
| South Waterman Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| East Palm Canyon Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 5th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Hospitality Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| San Luis Rey Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 38.1 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palm Desert, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on San Luis Rey Avenue
434 ft
·
25 sec
·
San Luis Rey Avenue
2
Turn right onto East Palm Canyon Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palm Canyon Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto Monterey Avenue
6.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Monterey Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on Monterey Avenue
228 ft
·
10 sec
·
Monterey Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I-10: WEST
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
41 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 73
Toward Waterman Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto East Hospitality Lane
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Hospitality Lane
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto South Waterman Avenue
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
South Waterman Avenue
11
Turn left onto East 5th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
12
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.5 miles from Palm Desert, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 64.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Palm Canyon Drive
Turn right onto East Palm Canyon Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Monterey Avenue
Turn right onto Monterey Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward I-10: WEST
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-10: WEST
5
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 10 / Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
64.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward Waterman Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 73
Toward Waterman Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.84 one way
$31.67 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.32 | $32.64 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.76 | $33.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.21 | $30.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.23 | $3.31 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.65 | $4.41 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
San Bernardino, CA
Afternoon in San Bernardino on Sunday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
S 0 to 15 mph
13% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 6:04PM PDT until April 14 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
67°F
Beaumont, CA
34 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
34 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 21m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local-focused experience rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend your time navigating off the highway for the majority of the trip, as the route is categorized as 0% highway-share in terms of major arterial dominance. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on East Palm Canyon Drive, requiring your full attention as you transition through various local intersections. This drive demands active engagement behind the wheel, especially as you move from the initial local roads onto the interstate connection. It is less about high-speed cruising and more about steady, technical navigation through regional infrastructure.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.1 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Palm Canyon Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.9 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (Monterey Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Palm Desert, CA
Full guide →Palm Desert is a city of 53,000 people (2018) in the desert of California between Palm Springs and Indio. It lies in the Coachella Valley at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The city is home to many golf courses, attractions, luxury hotels and shops, and spas that make the region a famous getaway for much of Southern California.
Arriving in San Bernardino, CA
Full guide →Founded 1854
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand
Top landmarks
- • San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot — railway station in San Bernardino, the United States of America
- • California Theatre of the Performing Arts — theater and performing arts center in San Bernardino, California
- • San Bernardino County Court House — courthouse in San Bernardino, United States of America
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 68.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (28%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.1 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (Monterey Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Bernardino, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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