After a long weekend in Big Bear Lake I’m sharing what we loved about our trip, and a complete guide for your perfect Big Bear Getaway. This article includes how to get to Big Bear, weather conditions, what to do, where to stay, and where to dine. Plus 10 insider tips!
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Before visiting Big Bear Lake I was a bit skeptical. A winter wonderland 1 hour and 45 minutes from Los Angeles? Big Bear Lake is a mountain town located in the San Bernardino mountains with two award-winning ski resorts and all the winter adventure you can dream of! It’s a very popular destination for LA residents to ski and snowboard in the winter months, and enjoy a mountain escape in the summer time.
Since moving to Southern California I had yet to visit their award-winning ski town. The first snowfall of the year was right around the corner and we couldn’t wait to have a cozy cabin getaway. We packed the car and headed south on our 4 hour drive from Santa Barbara!
Since traveling with a toddler takes some extra time, we got a late start and the sun was going down by the time we arrived in Big Bear. It wasn’t until morning that we got to see the incredible landscape! It was so exciting watching Olive see snow for the first time!
We Stayed in the Dreamiest A-frame Cabin!
When looking for accommodation we quickly landed on the Golden State Cabin, a dreamy a-frame cabin just a short walk to the lake. Nestled on a quiet street you will find this inviting, freshly renovated, fully-furnished cabin with Pinterest worthy design and decor. I wanted everything in this place! It was just gorgeous.
There was so much attention to detail around every corner. My favorite room was the master loft. It was a dream waking up in this gorgeous bedroom that overlooked the home. The definition of a cozy mountain retreat.
It was a dream waking up in the gorgeous master bedroom loft that overlooked the home. The definition of a cozy mountain retreat.
Every morning I would pull myself out of the comfiest bed and head downstairs to make coffee. The absolutely lovely kitchen was equipped with everything we could have wanted. It was so beautiful and bright. I loved brewing coffee while a picture perfect snow scene stared back at me through the kitchen window.
I loved brewing coffee each morning while a picture perfect snow scene stared back at me through the kitchen window.
After breakfast we went for a drive to find the ice-rimmed alpine lake surrounded by snow-capped trees. A winter wonderland, indeed!
A winter wonderland, indeed!
We took a walk around the lake then stopped at the village for lunch. The Village is Big Bear Lake’s “downtown” for all shopping, dining, and night life.
The twinkling lights in the winter make The Village look like your own life size gingerbread house! They have plenty of yummy coffeehouses and restaurants to choose from.
After spending the day exploring we headed back to the cabin and relaxed in the jacuzzi with snowflakes falling from the sky. Then cozied up in front of the midcentury fireplace and listened to records. The cabin was truly the perfect place to relax and unwind.
The cabin was truly the perfect place to relax and unwind.
It Was the Best Location…
The cabins central location was just minutes from the lake, slopes and the Village with tons of dining and shopping options! Additionally, there was a market, restaurant, bike rental shop, and more within walking distance of the Cabin.
I loved taking a neighborhood walk to the lake with a warm cup of coffee in hand.
The Golden State Cabin Had Everything and More…
- 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 1 bath, up to 5 guests
- Full kitchen – fridge/freezer, dishwasher, stove/oven, microwave, coffee maker (with coffee!) and grill.
- Washer/Dryer
- Bed linens, bath towels, and beach towels provided.
- Private back deck with a dining table, chairs and a propane grill
- Front balcony with seating
- Hot tub under fairy lights
- Fast WiFi
- 4K Smart TV
- Easy check-in
- Smartlock with code to enter and exit cabin securely without ever having to worry about keys!
The next two days we had so much fun sledding and snowboarding!
Olive loved being a snow bunny for a couple days. We spent plenty of time sledding, building snowmen, and making snow angels.
Fun Winter Activities in Big Bear
Skiing and Snowboarding
Since 1925 Big Bear has been known as a ski town. Whether you’re an avid snowboarder or hangin on the bunny slopes, big bear is suitable for all levels. There’s 200 acres and more than 100 snow features making it perfect for a novelist or beginner! There are two mountains – Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. Luckily there’s a shuttle between the two if you want to visit both! (we did!)
There’s 200 acres and more than 100 snow features making it perfect for a novelist or beginner!
Big Bear Mountain Resort offers ski and snowboard lessons and gear rentals at their Adventure Academy. Lift tickets can be purchased online before your trip or at their ticket window when you arrive! Both ski resorts have restaurants, coffee shops, and places to hangout and unwind.
Sledding
If you’re visiting Big Bear with little ones sledding is a great option. Olive had so much fun sledding with us! We stopped by a local snow shop and bought a sled for $25 which provided hours of fun.
Snow Tubing
Snow tubing is a fun for the whole family! We were so excited to go to Snow Summit’s Grizzly Ridge Tubing Park…but Olive was under the minimum height requirement! (Children need to be forty-two inches in height or taller to ride) So unfortunately we will have to wait until next time we visit!
Glow Tubing
They also have glow tubing which is snow tubing at night! After sunset colored lights cover the slopes! We knew Olive would have loved this so will definitely check it out next time. Both Alpine Slide and Big Bear Snowplay are open for night tubing Fridays and Saturdays, beginning Nov. 29 from 5 – 9 PM.
Where to Sled and Tube in Big Bear
There are several places to enjoy sledding and snow tubing in Big Bear – Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, Big Bear Snow Play, and Grizzly Ridge at Snow Summit. There is an uphill lift known as “the Magic Carpet” that takes you to the top making it easier to sled down big hills without having to climb uphill after each ride!
A local recommended Big Bear Snow Play which has one of the longest runs in Southern California.
Insider tip! For a free option visit the local San Bernardino National State Park! There you can enjoy a snowy picnic, build a snowman, and go sledding on smaller hills. We went here every day of our trip to sled for free! The Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain also has space for traditional Big Bear sledding and snow tubing as well. The free option made more sense for us since Olive is still so little and can’t take advantage of all the large mountain runs at the paid parks!
Wintertime Tours in Big Bear Lake
Wintertime tours are an easy and fun way to experience Big Bear’s gorgeous scenery. The guides are informative and explore all the incredible views Big Bear has to offer.
Try a helicopter tour for insane views of the scenery across Big Bear Valley!
They also have zipline tours that scour above the snowy forest!
You can also hop into a jeep for their guided Jeep tour that explores the Big Bear Valley’s trails. Additionally they have fun Segway tours that take you through the Village, lake, and forest!
Everything you need to know about your visit to Big Bear Lake.
Getting to Big Bear
1 Hour 45 Minutes from Greater Los Angeles. It was a 4 hour drive for us since we live in Santa Barbara! Take the 210 East to the 18 North to get to Big Bear Lake.
Weather in Big Bear
From mid-December through early March, daytime highs are in the upper 40’s & 50’s F and at night it drops into the 20’s or lower, so you’ll want to bundle up! With over 300 days of sunshine annually, you will enjoy blue skies even when it’s snowy!
Where to stay
Book a cabin through a private renter or property management company. We booked the Golden State Cabin through Airbnb. Most privately owned cabins offer great rates during the week or anytime during the low season!
Where to dine
Our cabin had a full kitchen (a gorgeous one I might add!) which made cooking meals very convenient, but the food in Big Bear is surprisngly phenomenal so I highly recommend trying some restaurants. One of my favorites was called Tropicali. It’s ranked the 15th best restaurant in America by Yelp! They have poke bowls and hot rice bowls with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. It was delicious, we were blown away! During the high season the service can be slow around Big Bear, so plan accordingly! There are also plenty of grocery stores if you want to stock up the fridge when you arrive.
What to do
Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tubing and more. If you still have any energy left after a day filled with snow activities you can head to the Bowling Barn, Mountain Room Escapes, to see live music, or the movies!
Big Bear Lake Tips:
- Check road conditions for Hwy. 18, Hwy 330 and Hwy 38 before heading out!
- Make sure you have tire chains in the car from November – March. You must use them during heavy snows and with icy roads.
- Keep water, snacks, and cozy blankets in the car in case you get stuck in traffic coming into Big Bear as it can get quite busy!
- You get dehydrated faster at the higher altitude so be sure to drink extra water.
- Bring and use plenty of sunscreen! Being 6700 ft. closer to the sun and with snow reflecting, you’ll need to reapply your sunscreen throughout the day.
- Keep a change of clothes in the car for the little ones to warm up after snow play! We put a snow suit and waterproof jacket over Olive’s clothes which kept her clothes dry and made it easy to take off and get her strait in the car!
- Winter is Big Bear’s busiest season so make sure to make reservations at restaurants and plan accordingly.
- We went the first week of December which was the first snow of the year – luckily it wasn’t as busy as it get’s throughout the rest of Winter! Highly recommend going earlier in the winter season!
- For special discounts, buy your lift tickets online a minimum of 72-hours in advance!
If you’re looking for a cozy getaway this winter, Big Bear Lake is one of the best options in Southern California! Spend the day riding the slopes and building snowmen, then head back to the cabin to end the day snuggled beside the fire with a warm drink and board games. We loved our wintertime retreat and can’t wait to return!
