Things to do in San Bernardino County – Welcome to San Bernardino County

This section focuses on family-friendly events that are sponsored by the County Library, Museum, Regional Parks, Special Districts and other county departments and offices.

Small Changes, Big Impact: Sensory-Friendly Hours Introduced at County Museums

At both the San Bernardino County Museum and Victor Valley Museum, a pilot program aimed at accessibility offers a Quiet Hour on select Wednesdays and Thursdays of each month. To create a calmer and quieter museum experience, during this hour, some exhibit features will be turned off to minimize audio and visual stimulation.

Quiet Hour is designed to make the County Museum’s exhibits more accessible to people with sensory processing differences, but it may also be beneficial to anyone who may get overwhelmed with the sounds of the museum or who is just in seek of a quieter museum experience.

The program is among a slew of ways the San Bernardino County Museum has made its collections, buildings, programs and services more accessible to visitors. In the future, the County Museum will offer sensory bags that contain fidget toys and noise-dampening headphones available for check-out at the admissions desk.

“Our exhibits, programs and events are developed with accessibility and our complete community in mind, so we are excited to launch this initiative, which will make visiting us easier for a large portion of our community,” said Curator of Education Eliana Zacarias.

San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Sep. 11, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Sep. 25, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.

Victor Valley Museum, 11873 Apple Valley Road, Apple Valley

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, Sep. 12, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, Sep. 26, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.

The San Bernardino County Museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Victor Valley Museum is located at 11873 Apple Valley Road, Apple Valley. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and museum members are admitted free. Parking is free. The museums are accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information, visit museum.sbcounty.gov or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

Big Bear Alpine Zoo Twilight Safari Tours return in October

Beginning Saturday, Sept. 21, for four weekends only, the Big Bear Alpine Zoo will open its doors after hours to visitors for an hour-long guided tour of the zoo’s nocturnal animals.

Tickets are $30 each and must be purchased online only. No tickets will be sold at the door. There are limited tickets available. This opportunity comes once a year, and tickets sell out quickly. Flashlights and jackets are encouraged. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available for purchase.

The event is sponsored by the Big Bear Alpine Zoo and Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo. To purchase tickets, visit Big Bear Alpine Zoo.

Public Health to host event celebrating National Breastfeeding Month

In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, the Department of Public Health and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) invite pregnant and breastfeeding residents and their families to a Community Baby Shower in Apple Valley. The event will take place at the Desert Mountain Education Service Center on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 1 – 4 p.m. No registration is required.

Every year, National Breastfeeding Month is celebrated during the month of August. The San Bernardino County WIC program is committed to supporting breastfeeding families not only during the month of August, but every day throughout the year.

This year’s theme for National Breastfeeding Month is “Nourish, Sustain, Thrive” and highlights the importance of supporting lactation and the role that organizations play in supporting our community. This month also allows organizations to review their lactation policies and identify and address disparities related to breastfeeding.

To learn more about the WIC program, visit wic.sbcounty.gov.

The Fragile Bee: Artist Nancy Macko’s illuminating installation

Victor Valley Museum (VVM) is proud to present The Fragile Bee: Works by Nancy Macko, an exhibition exploring the relationship between technology and nature as art.

With her use of honeycomb imagery combined with close-up photography, artist Nancy Macko expresses the interconnection of life with art and nature.

Nancy Macko is the director of the Digital Art Program at Scripps College in California. She has been teaching and producing art since the 1980’s–showcasing her work in more than 140 exhibitions.

Using multiple mediums, her work is a striking integration of science and art depicting the complexity of the natural world. In addition to teaching and creating artwork, Macko is highly involved in museum and curatorial work. She has held state and national leadership positions as an advocate for the arts.

If you would like to learn more about this exhibit, click here. The exhibit closes at VVM on Jan. 5, 2025, and will be on exhibit at the San Bernardino County Museum from Jan. 10 through June 9, 2025.

Victor Valley Museum is located at 11873 Apple Valley Rd., in Apple Valley. The museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and museum members are admitted free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information, visit museum.sbcounty.gov or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

The Victor Valley Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

New Regional Parks swim complex schedule

The 2024 swim season at Glen Helen and Yucaipa Regional Parks has been a busy one. As summer comes to a close, both swim complexes schedules have transitioned back to weekends (Saturday and Sunday only). As a result of the transition, both swim complexes are now closed during the week for the remainder of the 2024 swim season.

The Labor Day holiday weekend will be the last weekend of the 2024 swim season and both pools will be open through Monday, Sept. 2. Pool hours, including Labor Day, will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We advise swimmers to arrive early as the line begins to form when the parks open at 7:30 a.m. Once each complex reaches capacity, no new arrivals will be allowed inside. For pool schedules, admission prices, and FAQs, visit parks.sbcounty.gov/swim-schedules.

Regional Parks monthlong catfish derby offers cash prizes for heaviest catches

The monthlong catfish derby at Cucamonga-Guasti, Glen Helen and Mojave Narrows Regional Parks is offering up to $1,000 for the heaviest caught from derby entrants. This event is a skilled competition open to the general public and anglers of all ages.

The monthlong derby ends Aug. 31. Daily derby hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The final weigh-in of the day must be recorded at the gatehouse with park staff by 5 p.m. for the catch to be eligible for the derby. Participants are allowed to enter the derby daily.

Cash Prizes include:

Overall heaviest caught: $1,000
Heaviest caught per park: $500
Second heaviest caught per park: $300
Third heaviest caught per park: $100

Participants must fish with one closely attended fishing rod. Derby rules prohibit hand lines, netting, or catch and release. Snagging of fish is also prohibited and will not qualify for derby prizes. All catfish must be freshly caught, fresh in appearance, intact and not overly stiff.

Derby entry forms, rules and prizes are available online, at each participating park or by scanning the QR code. A fishing license is required for ages 16 and over. A fishing license can be purchased online at wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.

The derby fee is $5 per person. A fishing permit is also required and is $10 per person, Monday-Wednesday, and $12 per person, Thursday-Sunday. Park admission is $8 per vehicle, Monday-Friday, and $10 per vehicle, Saturday and Sunday.

Derby winners will be announced Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, via San Bernardino County Regional Parks social media outlets and website. For more information on Regional Parks, visit parks.sbcounty.gov or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for weekly catfish stockings and announcements.

Investigate Animal Evidence at the park

Yucaipa Regional Park hosts search the park for animal evidence activity

Join us at Yucaipa Regional Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon as we track down animal evidence in the park. Yucaipa is home to several species of birds and wildlife and often leaves tracks for us to find. If you have binoculars, feel free to bring them along. Spend the day fishing, picnicking, hiking, biking or cooling off at the swim complex. Admission is $10 per vehicle and free for those camping with us. All ages are welcome! Leashed pets are welcome too! Yucaipa Regional Park is located at 33900 Oak Glen Rd., in Yucaipa. Park hours are daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on camping and events, visit parks.sbcounty.gov or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Glen Helen Regional Park hosts search the park for animal evidence activity

Join us at Glen Helen Regional Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., as we track down animal evidence in the park. Glen Helen is home to several species of birds and wildlife and often leaves tracks for us to find. If you have binoculars, feel free to bring them along. Spend the day fishing, picnicking, hiking, biking or cooling off at the swim complex. Admission is $10 per vehicle and free for those camping with us. All ages are welcome! Leashed pets are welcome too! Glen Helen Regional Park is located at 2555 Glen Helen Pkwy., in San Bernardino. Park hours are daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on camping and events, visit parks.sbcounty.gov or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

LEGO building event at Apple Valley Library

Calling all LEGO fans! The San Bernardino County Library encourages patrons of all ages to participate in a special contest to build their own one-of-a-kind LEGO creation, which can be entered in a competition during our LEGO event at the Newton T. Bass Apple Valley Branch Library.

To receive an entry form, builders must check out 10 items with their library card at any of the 32 San Bernardino County Library branches. Creations can be built individually or in a group but must be a unique build that does not use a LEGO kit.

Participants can drop off their entries at the Apple Valley Branch Library between Aug. 20 – 22 in preparation for the grand showcase event on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, from 10 a.m. to noon. This event will also include jumbo block play, crafts and more! Winners will be announced at the end of the event, which will include award categories such as “most creative” and “most likely to become a kit sold in stores.”

For more information about rules and participation, customers are encouraged to visit https://www.sbclib.org or contact Library Administration at 909-387-2220.

This event is another opportunity to celebrate and support the Countywide Vision’s literacy campaign, Vision2Read, as well as San Bernardino County’s newest Opportunity Campaign.

The Newton T. Bass Apple Valley Branch Library is located at 14901 Dale Evans Pkwy., in Apple Valley.

The San Bernardino County Library System is a dynamic network of 32 branch libraries that serves a diverse population over a vast geographic area. The County Library System strives to provide equal access to information, technology, programs, and services for all people who call San Bernardino County home.

The library plays a key role in the achievement of the Countywide Vision by contributing to educational, cultural and historical development of our county community.

For more information about the San Bernardino County Library System, please visit http://www.sbclib.org/ or call 909-387-2220.

Summer fun events at Regional Parks

DOWNLOAD PARKS SUMMER EVENT CALENDAR

Join us at any one of our Regional Parks this summer. From Cucamonga-Guasti to Yucaipa, there is plenty to do this summer. For more information on our events at Regional Parks, please visit parks.sbcounty.gov/events.

Avis Marvelous: An inside look at native birds of North America

The Victor Valley Museum (VVM) is proud to showcase Avis Marvelous: Ornithology on the Western Frontier, an exhibition that explores the work of notable avian artists who documented the birds of North America during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The artworks are a collection of 50 historic engravings featuring a variety of birds ranging from the Columbia Magpie Jay to the Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Mountain Bluebird.

As nineteenth-century reproduction technology improved, avian art became widespread and some artists became household names. John James Audubon, a contributor to the paintings, said, “I know that I am no scholar, but I am aware that no man living knows better than I do the habits of our birds; no man living has studied them as much as I have done.”

If you are curious about this exhibit, click here to find out more. The exhibit closes at VVM on Oct. 27, 2024, and will be on exhibit at the San Bernardino County Museum from Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 through April 19, 2025.

The Victor Valley Museum is located at 11873 Apple Valley Rd., in Apple Valley. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and museum members are admitted free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural, and natural history and the museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

County Museum brings summer of fun for the entire family!

The San Bernardino County Museum is all-in for a fun-filled summer! Mark your calendars for Summer Family Fun Days! These family-friendly events will take place every Saturday in August from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a variety of entertainment, crafts and treats where the entire family will make lasting memories.