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 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. 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 stables for riding, Farmer's Market in the summer, Miner's Days, Oktoberfest and many celebrations throughout the year. 

 

Lodging includes cabins, hotel rooms, bed and breakfast hotels and resorts with prices generally ranging from around $75 to $350 per night, depending on your budget. For more to see and do, visit the many pages about Big Bear Lake and Big Bear Valley on the left column.

 

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