Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino mountains east of Los Angeles provides great winter escapes and summer lakes. It is Southern California's favorite mountain playground, and a tradition for those seeking White Christmas away from the sandy glare of a warm beach on Dec. 25.
From the flatlands that stretch throughout Southern California, tourists and locals gain a special sense of the mountain majesty as they stand on the Newport Beach or Huntington Beach Pier and look out to the white-capped peaks. What an amazing experience!
Mountain hikes, mountain bikes, snow skiing and boarding, boating, water skiing, swimming, and fishing are a few of the popular outdoor activities that attract millions to the mountains annually. One of the newer activities to the mountain resort is ziplining, offered throughout the year.
When there isn't any snow, you can still ride the chairlift in the summer to gain a sense of size and relationship as you gaze out to the lake that glistens in a rich, deep blue.
Events are plentiful throughout the seasons, but one of our favorites is the annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest. It is the most interesting of all California German celebrations in California. The contests really make the event unique. Women saw logs, carry beer steins, and men saw logs, and participate in a variety of interesting games during the Oktoberfest event.
Big Bear Lake is a high-altitude wonderland of towering pines, the freshest air and bluest skies enjoyed by all who venture to Southern California's premier mountain resort destination with its splendor and varied weather. Just two hours from the beach, you can be in the mountains skiing.
Big Bear Lake is located in the San Bernardino National Forest 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Bear Valley, named by early settlers who discovered a region thickly populated with bears.
It takes approximately 45 minutes to drive up "the hill" from Riverside and San Bernardino on a well paved two lane highway which traverses the mountain and includes a dozen or so passing lanes and pull outs. One such vista offers a view looking down to Big Bear Lake from a higher elevation.
Southern Californians flock to Big Bear Lake to enjoy the "Four Seasons" playground featuring distinct spring, summer, fall and winter weather and foliage. In fact, many children growing up in Los Angeles see their first snow as an adult when they venture into the local mountain resorts.
Moderately challenging with numerous opportunities for beginning skiers, Bear Mountain Resorts skiing features chair lift rides which are becoming increasingly popular in the Summer months for mountain biking, as well.
Big Bear Lake things to see & do:
9-hole course (summer months)
miniature golf (summer)
Big Bear Historical Museum (open during the summer)
Moonridge Animal Park Zoo
Big Bear Discovery Center
Movie theaters
Community theater plays and concert performances
Horse stables for horseback riding
Farmer's Market in the summer
Miner's Days
Big Bear City Air Fair Show, California
Lodging includes cabins, hotel rooms, bed and breakfast
hotels and resorts with prices generally ranging from around $65 to $350
per night, depending on your budget.
Big Bear Lake, the Four Seasons California Mountain Resorts Elev.6,754'
Big Bear Lake is a high-altitude
wonderland of towering pines, the freshest air and bluest skies enjoyed by
all who venture to Southern California's premier mountain resort destination
with its splendor and varied weather. Just two hours from the beach, you can
be in the mountains skiing in the winter, and during the summer, there's
lake sports, hiking trails, museums, art galleries, events, dining and good
old-fashioned mountain fun shared in the atmosphere of a community. While
Big Bear Lake offers spectacular mid-winter localized skiing for Southern
Californians, one of our favorite types of vacations at Big Bear Lake and
nearby Lake Arrowhead is the
California lake vacation.
Big Bear Lake is in the San Bernardino National
Forest 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Bear Valley, named by early
settlers who discovered a region thickly populated with bears. It
takes approximately 45 minutes to drive up "the hill" from Riverside and
San Bernardino on a well paved two lane highway which traverses the mountain
and includes a dozen or so passing lanes and pull outs. One such vista
offers a view looking down to Big Bear Lake from a higher elevation.
Southern Californians flock to Big Bear Lake to enjoy
the "Four Seasons" playground featuring distinct spring, summer, fall and winter
weather and foliage.
In fact, many children growing up in Los Angeles see their first snow as
an adult when they venture into the local mountain resorts. Activities
such as skiing, snow boarding, sledding, ice skating and ice hockey also
attract international travelers who find out about the location on web
sites such as this one and through word of mouth.
Moderately challenging with numerous
opportunities for beginning skiers, Bear Mountain Resorts skiing features chair
lift rides which are becoming increasingly popular in the Summer months
for mountain biking, as well. Other activities include hiking, fishing,
parasailing on the lake, swimming, boating, water sledding and the number
one attraction, shopping.
What else can you do in the city of Big Bear Lake? You can golf on a 9-hole course, a miniature golf, visit the Big Bear Historical Museum, Moonridge Animal Park Zoo, Big Bear Discovery Center, a water slide, two movie theaters and a community theater which features live performances and many celebrity guests. There are horse ss for riding, Farmer's Market in the summer, Miner's Days, Oktoberfest and many celebrations throughout the year.
11-11-11 Ski for $11 at Big Bear Lake with Hotel Booking
Zipping Through the Snow in Big Bear Lake, CA
Snow Summit Snow Machines On, Torchlight Parade Dec. 31