Origin
Palm Springs, CA
Late night in Palm Springs on Tuesday
Local time
2:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palm Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
53.4 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palm Springs, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 53.4-mile drive from Palm Springs, CA, to San Bernardino, CA, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes to complete. You'll navigate primarily on local roads, including Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and North Palm Canyon Drive, with no highway driving. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $12. The route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, suggesting frequent adjustments rather than long, steady stretches. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is perfect for a spontaneous excursion or an easy leg of a larger Pacific Coast adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 38.1 mi | 41m |
| North Palm Canyon Drive | 11 mi | 14m |
| South Waterman Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| East 5th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Hospitality Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Alejo Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 38.1 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palm Springs, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on East Alejo Road
469 ft
·
19 sec
·
East Alejo Road
2
Turn right onto CA 111 Business
11 mi
·
14 min
·
North Palm Canyon Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
41 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 73
Toward Waterman Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
5
Turn left onto East Hospitality Lane
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Hospitality Lane
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn right onto South Waterman Avenue
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
South Waterman Avenue
7
Turn left onto East 5th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
8
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Palm Springs, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 52.8 — 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
|
CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive
Turn right onto CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
49.3 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
4
49.6 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
East Hospitality Lane
Turn left onto East Hospitality Lane
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
49.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
South Waterman Avenue
Turn right onto South Waterman Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
52.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.27 one way
$24.55 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.65 | $25.30 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.99 | $25.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.79 | $23.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Late night in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
2:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Beaumont, CA
27 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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 3m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 drive' experience for the entirety of this 53.4-mile route, as it features a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 38.1 miles along Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. This means you'll be navigating city streets and local thoroughfares for most of your journey, with frequent turns and changes in speed. The road character will likely shift as you move from the Palm Springs area towards San Bernardino, transitioning through various urban and suburban landscapes.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 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?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Palm Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA is easy. At 1h 3m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 49.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.6 miles (East Hospitality Lane): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Palm Springs, CA
Full guide →Palm Springs is a resort city in the California desert. It became a destination during the 1950s and 1960s when Hollywood movie stars flocked there in droves. Nowadays, the area offers entertainment for all ages, although the most common demographics consists of retirees. Palm Springs offers a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities. Known for its hiking, mid-century modern architecture, stunning natural beauty and sparkling pools, Palm Springs has the perfect blend of outdoor activities and casual relaxation. Palm Springs is a favorite for gay travelers, naturist communities, and many other people.
Top landmarks
- • Palm Springs Art Museum — art museum in Palm Springs, California
- • Twin Palms — historic house in California, United States
- • Tahquitz Canyon — canyon located in 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 3m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
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 (CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 49.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.6 miles (East Hospitality Lane): 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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