Origin
Palm Springs, CA
Afternoon in Palm Springs on Friday
Local time
2:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palm Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 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.
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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
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.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 38.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.7 mi from Palm Springs, CA · 31m into the drive
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.
Arriving in San Bernardino, CA
The final approach into San Bernardino, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
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
Afternoon in San Bernardino on Friday
Local time
2:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°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
3 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Palm Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA covers 53.4 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, North Palm Canyon Drive, South Waterman Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.7 miles from Palm Springs, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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.
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.
The route from Palm Springs, CA to San Bernardino, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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