Downtown San Bernardino - San Bernardino, CA

The known history of San Bernardino dates to the early 19th century when Spanish missionaries settled the area. They built a mission and worked with the local Native Americans to create farmland, but a governmental decree closed the mission in 1834. After a period of unrest, a group of 500 Mormons arrived and built a stockade. They called it Fort San Bernardino.

An 1860 gold rush caused a short population boom but the area really exploded after the arrival of the railroad. The population doubled from 1900 to 1910 and the area continues to thrive as an important hub in the Inland Empire.

The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art displays a wide collection of ceramics, Egyptian artifacts and contemporary art. The Cal State San Bernardino art department provides the best facilities in the Cal State system. Regular exhibitions and events keep the neighborhood involved in the art community.

For downtown residents, Alfredo's Pizza & Pasta provides large portions of good Italian food within walking distance. This Inland Empire institution has been serving pizza and pasta since 1979. Alfredo's 3-Way Combo keeps bringing customers back with large portions of lasagna, sausage, and mostaccioli piled high with cheese and meat sauce. Other favorites include the red or white cannelloni, veal parmigiana, and Alfredo's works pizza.

For some good Eastern food, head over to India's Clay Oven for the garlic naan, chicken coconut curry, or chicken tikka masala. This local favorite features authentic Northern Indian cuisine made with fresh ingredients daily. If you want to try a little bit of everything, the restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet starting at 11 a.m. each day.

Although special events periodically turn downtown into a concert destination, everyday nightlife consists of neighborhood bars and recorded music. The South Side Saloon provides inexpensive drinks, friendly bartenders, and the opportunity to play pool and darts while meeting new friends. For something a little different, venture to the Pharaoh Hookah Lounge.

Omnitrans services the public transportation needs of San Bernardino residents. With 27 fixed bus routes, a rapid transit and service for the disabled, residents don't have to wait long to catch a ride.

As with most of Southern California, residents here like to use personal vehicles. San Bernardino is located in the middle of Interstates 10, 15 and the route 210 bypass, providing connections to Los Angeles, southern Orange County, Victorville and Palm Springs. As with most of Southern California, traffic is extremely busy most times of the day and especially at rush hour.

Both Uber and Lyft provide rideshare service in the city. Taxi services accept both phone and online booking, but hailing a cab from the street proves difficult.

Although downtown has paved sidewalks that make it easy to walk around, the city is not an easy place to walk for errands. There are some bike trails and bicycle friendly roads in the city, but traffic makes riding a bicycle somewhat dangerous.

With 26 parks and 31 playground areas, San Bernardino provides plenty of opportunities for residents to enjoy some outdoor recreation. Located near downtown, Meadowbrook Fields encompasses almost 5 acres and includes a baseball diamond, soccer field, outdoor basketball court and two racquetball courts.

Seccombe Lake Park covers 45 acres downtown and includes a large lake that has enormous potential. The cash-strapped city continues to cut the parks and recreation budget, resulting in a reliance on resident volunteers to conduct maintenance.

Despite the economic troubles, San Bernardino carries on with events such as the Route 66 Rendezvous. As part of the route that linked Southern California to the Midwest, San Bernardino celebrates every year with a car show and fair that draws more than 400,000 visitors.

The cost of living in San Bernardino is slightly higher than the rest of the nation, but well below that of other areas of California. Although housing costs are 5 percent lower than the national average, transportation, groceries and utilities are all 12 to 15 percent higher. Expect to pay about $840 a month for a single bedroom apartment.

Buses provide an inexpensive transportation option at just $1.75 for a one-way fare. Discount passes save money for frequent riders. The cost of a beer at a local bar is about $4 for domestic offering and $2-3 higher for imports. A gallon of gasoline runs about 15 percent higher than the national average.

Layered by CAKE displays a wide variety of hand-picked clothing for stylish shoppers in San Bernardino. By providing unique designs for tops, dresses, bottoms and sweaters, the store attracts trendy local shoppers who want a modern look at a reasonable price. Jewelry, handbags and other accessories are also available at this boutique, which advises shoppers to "layer accordingly."

Nectar, in nearby Redlands, has blossomed using the business model of providing designer clothing at affordable prices. The store makes a concerted effort to sell fashions made in America with a goal of offering only U.S. produced products. Everything from designer denim to attractive outerwear makes this small store a shopping destination in the Inland Empire.

For national retailers like Forever 21, Helzberg Diamonds, Hot Topic and Macy's, shoppers head to the Inland Center Mall in San Bernardino.

As one of the largest California grocery chains, Stater Brothers not only provides fresh meat, produce and staples to San Bernardino residents, but is one of the city's largest employers. Ralph's, Von's and Walmart also have grocery stores in the community.

For everything from fresh produce and antiques to used furniture and food booths, locals attend the San Bernardino Market every Sunday at the National Orange Show Events Center. Some vendors make a living just selling at this show every week, while private residents can also rent a space and get rid of some unwanted items.