Glen Helen Amphitheater

Glen Helen Amphitheater is out past the north edge of San Bernardino, off the 15 near the Cajon Pass, inside the county's Glen Helen Regional Park. The venue calls itself the biggest amphitheater in North America. There's a covered stage with reserved seats in front of it, and behind those a huge lawn climbs toward the mountains. The calendar runs to arena-sized rock and metal package tours, hip-hop bills and festival weekends that fill the grass.

Plenty of fans still call it San Manuel, the name it carried for most of a decade, and anyone who saw shows here in the 90s may know it as Blockbuster Pavilion.

Plan for the heat and for the distance. Parking usually opens two hours before the gates, and the gates open about 90 minutes before the first act. General parking comes with most tickets, with paid premium lots if you want a faster exit. The venue pushes rideshare, but pickup spots change from show to show, so check your event page before you leave.

The rules at the gate are strict. Bags must be clear and no bigger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a clutch up to 6 x 9. Leave every kind of chair at home, lawn chairs included, though most shows rent them inside. A small towel or throw blanket up to 30 x 50 inches is fine for the grass. You can carry in food in a clear one-gallon zip bag and two sealed plastic water bottles, which you'll want in August. The whole place is cashless with no ATM, there's no re-entry, and smoking is limited to the plaza areas.