Steel built Fontana, and the Kaiser Steel legacy still shapes its identity, though today it is better known as a warehouse and logistics hub in the Inland Empire. About 221,000 people live here, roughly 50 miles east of Los Angeles. The old Auto Club Speedway closed in 2023, so all that remains is a look from outside.
Honestly, most people come to live rather than visit. Fontana works as a commuter base, with Southridge and Summit Heights offering newer master-planned neighborhoods and Sierra Avenue as the historic core. Outdoors, the Pacific Electric Trail, Lytle Creek and the Angeles National Forest are close, and Route 66 heritage stops line Foothill Boulevard. Housing is pricey, though cheaper than coastal California. Summers are hot, air quality is often poor because of freight traffic, and car theft and break-ins are the main crime problem.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
Demand follows business travel and warehouse and event weekends in the Inland Empire
Nearest airport
Ontario International (ONT), 8 miles west
Highlights
Fontana Park and Lake Jodie
Center Stage Theater
Fontana Days events
Jack Tetreault and Southridge community parks
Cycle and trail use on the Pacific Electric Trail
Lytle Creek and Angeles National Forest access nearby
Route 66 heritage stops along Foothill Boulevard
Cinema and dining at the Ontario Mills area nearby
Former Auto Club Speedway site (closed, viewing only)
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.6/10Good
Connector Score9.1
31 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.0
About 370 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370. Data-based
Affordability4.0
Cost of living index about 125, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation8.5
Reachable by: road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness5.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability4.4
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.6
Known for 7 kinds of attraction, with 6 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining6.0
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay6.3
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors7.5
Known for mountains & hiking, national & state parks, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value7.8
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.9
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.4
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife5.0
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.5
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
31 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.0
Intercity train service, with 18 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience6.5
Intercity buses, with 12 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Steel town turned logistics hub; Home of Auto Club Speedway (closed 2023); Gateway to the Inland Empire; Kaiser Steel legacy city
Founded
1913 founded (Fontana Development Company, name from Italian for fountain); 1952 incorporated
Languages
English; Spanish; Tagalog; Vietnamese; Chinese; Korean
Airports
Ontario International (ONT), about 8 miles west; San Bernardino International (SBD), about 12 miles east; Los Angeles International (LAX), about 55 miles west; Hollywood Burbank (BUR), about 55 miles northwest
Tipping
Restaurants 18-20%; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-5 per bag; counter service optional; delivery 15-20%
About this data
Population 221,223 (July 1, 2025) and land area 43.07 sq mi (about 111.5 km2) from Census QuickFacts; home value and rent from Census ACS 2020-2024. Fontana has no separate tourism bureau found, so the city website is used as visitor_website and the city Calendar page as the events calendar. Metro figure 4,769,007 is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA figure supplied for this batch, shared with Riverside and San Bernardino (not anchored by this city). Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, tipping, cost-of-living index, airport distances, 1BR rent, crime rates and market prices are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass (search snippets gave no figures for these). Only URLs seen in search results are used; not load-tested.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$120/day
Lodging about $100 a night
Mid-range
$178/day
Lodging about $155 a night
Luxury
$307/day
Lodging about $275 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
125 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
$1,950a month
Research notes
About 120-130 versus US=100 by common indices (approximate; housing about 1.5x national); typical 1BR rent about $1,800-2,100 per month (Census median gross rent for all units $1,839)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night: budget $80-120; mid-range $120-190; luxury $200-350 (mostly in Ontario or Rancho Cucamonga). Peak demand follows business travel and warehouse and event weekends in the Inland Empire; summer is hot but not a big rate driver. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $70-130
Top sights
Fontana Park and Lake Jodie
Center Stage Theater
Fontana Days events
Jack Tetreault and Southridge community parks
Cycle and trail use on the Pacific Electric Trail
Lytle Creek and Angeles National Forest access nearby
Route 66 heritage stops along Foothill Boulevard
Cinema and dining at the Ontario Mills area nearby
Former Auto Club Speedway site (closed, viewing only)
Known for:Mountains & hikingNational & state parksLakes & riversHistoric sitesFood sceneLive musicPro sports
Things to do
3 listings in Fontana, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.0
Very good · Data-based
About 370 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370.
Safety overview
Violent crime near or somewhat above California suburb norms, and property crime including vehicle theft and car break-ins is the main visitor risk (approximate; exact 2024 rates not retrieved). Hospitals: Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center (trauma), Southridge Kaiser and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in nearby Colton. Hazards: hot summers (often 100F+), Santa Ana wind fire risk in the north foothills, Lytle Creek wildfire and flood risk, frequent poor air quality (ozone and particulate from freight corridors), San Jacinto and San Andreas fault earthquake risk
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Some blocks along Foothill Boulevard and older commercial corridors in south and central Fontana, and areas near industrial truck routes, have more property crime and vehicle theft; use ordinary caution at night. Downtown and the master planned northern neighborhoods are generally comfortable for visitors
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Fontana (1 night)
3-day trip
Fontana (1 night) → Los Angeles (1 night)
About 50 mi, 59 min of travel
5-day trip
Fontana (2 nights) → Los Angeles (1 night) → San Diego (1 night)
About 171 mi, 3 h 22 min of travel
7-day trip
Fontana (2 nights) → Los Angeles (1 night) → San Diego (1 night) → Anaheim (1 night)
About 266 mi, 5 h 16 min of travel
10-day trip
Fontana (2 nights) → Los Angeles (2 nights) → San Diego (1 night) → Anaheim (1 night) → Chula Vista (1 night)
