In the good old days, taking pictures was a lot of work. You’d have to load the camera with film, swirl the dial on the lens to make sure everything was focused, take a bunch of shots, unload the camera, drive to the developer, drop off the film, and wait ten whole days to discover you had forgotten to take the lens cover off the camera and ALL THE PICTURES WERE RUINED!
Today, we point, click, delete (if they are bad) or upload straight to our Instagram accounts so the entire world can see what we eat, how our kids grew month by month, or how our Big Bear vacation went! And because we love the beauty of our little piece of the world, we’ve created this list of the best Instagram places to see in Big Bear—feel free to upload the pictures taken to your other favorite social media sites as well!
The powerful cameras on our cell phones make us all look professional photographers, and when you visit this picturesque preserve, your Instagram followers will be envious of your skills. Whether you’re trying to catch a peak of birds flapping their wings over the marsh or the sight of a mama deer and her fawn delicately snacking in grassy fields, your pics taken from here will wow everyone on your friends list!
This two-mile-long trail is relatively short but also steep, so it’s a hike best made by people in good physical shape. Now that the warnings are out of the way, we can tell you that the Instagram photo opportunities along this trail are endless. As you hike the trail, the pictures you take from any spot are guaranteed to be stellar, but when you reach the top, the views simply beg to be photographically documented; it is one of the most beautiful places to see in Big Bear. If you listen closely enough, you may even hear the collective gasps of disbelief as your photos are uploaded; the scenery is breathtaking!
It’s our opinion that the best pictures are those taken from high above, and you can’t get much higher than the peak of this fantastic ski resort! Providing predictably dazzling photographs of the landscape no matter what time of year you visit, your Instagram wall will be enhanced by the beauty of the photos taken here and your followers will remain in awe of your photographic skills.
From charming and rustic to luxurious and grand, our cabins are located in the most photographic spots in town! Point and click to your heart’s content as you enjoy a glass of your favorite adult beverage on the back deck or pose the family in front of the stone fireplace for an Instagram pic that is guaranteed to win the hearts of all your followers. Reserve your stay today!
If you are planning a trip to big bear, it is likely in order to take advantage of the incredible beauty that the area provides. Once you arrive though, you will find endless other things to fall in love with. Many of these things are facilitated by the natural landscape, but many others are provided by a vibrant community. Incredible farmers’ markets throughout the week are a great example of this. The following are a couple of the best farmers’ markets in town.
For 25 years, this farmers’ market had provided a wonderful reason for the community to get together and enjoy some of the amazing natural goods that make Big Bear so unique. It all revolves around produce that is fresher and more natural than that which you can find at your typical grocery store. Add incredible local arts from endless vendors and amazing food to enjoy while you are here and you have an experience that is unique to Big Bear. This awesome celebration is taking place every Tuesday between From April through September. You can find the best market in town at the Convention Center at the corner of Division and Big Bear Blvd.
A trip to Big Bear provides endless opportunities for amazing memories. The community also provides endless beautiful places to call home during your time here. And it has never been easier to find the perfect place for you among countless beautiful homes and cabins than it is with Big Bear Vacations, the best vacation rental company in town. You focus on your vacation and leave the logistics to the professionals here!
When we are very small we are cared for and protected. As we grow the food is on the table and the home decorated special for Birthdays and Holidays. Photos are taken at school functions and hung on the refrigerator. Tears as first after first is recorded and shared – first steps, first Christmas, first dance, first car, first day of college. Remember your Mother this weekend and take her for a wonderful mountain adventure.
Allow mom to rest, relax, explore, shop, and enjoy the fresh mountain air and beautiful lake.
~ Add Flowers $45.00
~ Add Flowers and Chocolate $60.00
All items will be delivered to your cabin.
To book this special call: 855-638-3971
Bring Mom for fun at the farm. Take her on a hay ride through the forest and set her on a horse! Pet the baby goats and enjoy a moment back in time when things were simpler and family spent more quality time together.
Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Big Bear Vacations.
Many people feel a certain disdain for exercise, but those feelings are bound to disappear when you travel to Big Bear, as it is one of the most fun places to exercise in the world. Here, you do not have to do intense weight training programs or intimidating classes; you can get a great work out and have some fun while doing it! This is because there are some great recreational opportunities and beautiful settings for everyone to enjoy.
It is impossible to miss the area’s best resource for fun and exercise: Big Bear Lake. Dominating the landscape, you can go practically anywhere in Big Bear and still have the opportunity to take a refreshing dip in these cool blue waters. Switch off between relaxing on the shores and frolicking around in the water and you will naturally find a great workout.
When you travel to Big Bear, you simply need to go on some of the many hikes in the area. You can find trails of all difficulties which all promise amazing views. The Alpine Pedal Path is an easy 2.5-mile hike on the north side of the lake. The Castle Rock Trail is on the south side of the lake, providing some of the best views of the lake throughout a moderate 2.4-mile hike.
When it comes to winter in Big Bear, you can enjoy some of the best opportunities for skiing and snowboarding that you will find throughout the entire country. In a trip to either Bear Mountain or Snow Summit, you will find opportunities for very challenging runs, wide open slopes perfect for cruising, casual bunny hills, and great terrain parks. You will never have had so much fun exercising.
As the area is famous for skiing and snowboarding, it is equally famous for some of the best mountain biking trails in the summertime. You can find amazing trails around the lake, but the most unique opportunity comes from taking the ski gondola to top of the mountain and taking advantage of some of the best downhill mountain biking in the country.
Yoga is one of the best things you can do on vacation. This is due to the exercise and stretching that it provides of course, but also for how it can calm the mind and promote wellbeing. The moments after a yoga class are sure to be some of the most peaceful that you experience during your entire trip. You can do this on your own or go to one of many studios, like Big Bear Yoga.
In Big Bear, fun and exercise are not mutually exclusive, as many of the opportunities you have for fun in town involve some physical exertion. It is one of the best places in the world for a vacation that is fun, beautiful, and treats your body well. Reserve your stay in one of our beautiful vacation rentals and start planning your trip today!
Many of us do yoga for a sense of retreat from the craziness of our daily schedules. Some go as far as trying to attain zen, while others are content with securing a free, uninterrupted hour for themselves. And while doing yoga in the confines of a studio is often enough to help you meet your objectives, nothing beats the feeling of doing yoga in nature – particularly a hiking trail and there are many beautiful trails in Big Bear to take you outside and into nature.
A Big Bear local and certified yoga instructor, Stefanie Ruland shares her experience with outdoor Yoga in Big Bear Lake. She hikes her way to the top of castle rock trail early in the morning with her yoga mat, and favorite hiking companion her furry friend Lulu. Castle rock trail is a fairly short 2.4 miles round trip journey with stunning views. The first mile or so is a little steep but levels off when you reach granite rock at the peak. She is doing yoga where the ground isn’t completely flat, and holding poses where one can enjoy the silence and then, later, try to fight distraction from barking dogs and screaming children. More interestingly, though, Stefanie provides a glimpse into what it’s like to do yoga in a place where you are disconnected enough from an increasingly connected virtual society, while still being close enough to learn to overcome the challenges of deliberately plugging out.
Here are some reasons for you to try outdoor Yoga:
Explore New Places
As creatures of habit and comfort, we gravitate toward our favorite spots in the park and miss out on other great areas the park has to offer. Outdoor Yoga encourages you to seek out less populated, if not oft-deserted, areas to execute your poses. Be careful not to get lost, though. And if possible, go on outdoor Yoga trips with a group of people. This is safer and guaranteed more fun. Which leads us to our next point…
Meet New People
Outdoor Yoga really is a great way to meet and mingle with new people. There isn’t a better way to connect with other people than through a shared love for yoga, and in a rather unconventional setting, at that. If you don’t have that option though, why not take the lead and gather around a group of your yogi friends for a new experience up in the mountains?
Learn to Focus
When hiking in the mountains, there will be quiet areas and noisy ones–those with barking dogs, chattering moms, and squealing, screaming, and wailing kids. Yet therein lies the beauty of such a challenge: in an environment that isn’t conducive to focus, you are forced to learn other ways to do so.
Break Free
Outdoor Yoga teaches you what it truly means to break free and disconnect from the familiarity of a routine. More importantly, it teaches you what it truly means to be balanced in a world with distractions that never permanently go away.
Nestled high in the San Bernardino Mountains, Big Bear is well known as a haven for skiers and snowboarders. But as the weather warms, these high hills and mountain peaks welcome another group of outdoor enthusiasts: cyclists. While the adrenaline-pumping trail rides, switchback loops, and steep mountain descents of the backcountry immediately spring to mind (and rightfully so), there is a growing road biking community in Big Bear thanks to many incredible road routes, summit climbs, and scenic loops.
If you are new to Big Bear or to cycling, or if you simply want to take the entire family for a scenic bike tour, the Alpine Pedal Path is the perfect beginner’s route. Beginning at Stanfield Cutoff on the east side of Big Bear Lake, this 3.5-mile paved trail follows the lake’s shoreline and offers easy pedaling with no cars and spectacular views of the lake and the overlying mountains. For those with more endurance, the road route around the entire lake clocks in at about an hour (15 miles on regular roads) at a casual pace.
Of course, that doesn’t take into account the urge to stop at the numerous scenic lookouts and panoramic vistas to drink in the scenery and indulge yourself with a photo or selfie. The truly grandiose cyclists can make it a 2-for-1 by tacking on the trek to nearby Baldwin Lake, a 40-mile loop that brings you back to Big Bear City when all is said and done. Along the way you will wind through the beautiful forests and enjoy the lakeside scenery of not one but two idyllic mountain lakes.
Big Bear made a name for itself in the biking world thanks to its intense downhill alpine trails and breathtaking scenery, regarded as some of the best terrain in the world. With more than 100 miles of well-maintained single track trails and Forest Service roads, the backcountry here is perfect for exploring on solo adventures or with like-minded adventure junkies. The trails offer a beautiful mix of cross country stretches through stunning mountain forests as well as challenging uphill climbs and pulse-pounding switchback descents.
Some of the most popular trails are the Skyline Ridge with its incredible views of San Gorgonio Mountain and Big Bear Lake, the Pine Knot Trail with its breathtaking cannonball runs through the forests, and the Skyline Trail, a newly constructed route along the spine of the mountains featuring single track thrills as it serpentines toward the valley below.
If you want the rush of downhill skiing on your bike, head to the Snow Summit Bike Park. Riders enjoy an awe-inspiring ride on the Snow Summit Scenic Sky Chair before tackling the downhill network of banks, bridges, and barriers on some of the most thrilling runs in the country. With trails for beginners and intermediate riders, the Park has something for everyone, regardless of skill level.
With so many incredible trails and road routes, it is impossible to list them all here. So whether you prefer the challenge of some of the most difficult street climbs in the world (check out “Breathless Agony,” a 9-mile ascent to the 8,443′ summit of Onyx Peak), the thrill of downhill mountain biking, or a relaxing loop around the lake, rest assured there is a ride here for you. Big Bear has some of the best cycling in the country, and it’s all waiting for you just outside the door of your Big Bear cabin rental.
When it comes to talent, we at Big Bear Vacations like to think we have it all. From our hard working property managers, housekeepers, front desk, and executive staff to our lake clean up and trail we adopted; our staff celebrate a positive culture in the work place and give back to our community.
Recently, one of our Staff became a published author. Destiny Fay Carlton, our Front Desk Manager, has released in paperback and Kindle her first published work: The Sojourners Folklore: Short Stories, Prose, and Lore of an American Female Survivor.
In conclusion, The book is a celebration of healing as it brings the reader through the delicate pathways of life. It is a celebration of women and being a survivor. That said, we invite you to see for yourself. The book will mean different things to each reader, touching the heart and leaving the reader with hope.
As you watch the sunrise over the glittering waters of Big Bear Lake, the towering mountains wrapped around it like a protective blanket, it can be hard to believe that you are only 2 hours from one of the largest cities in the world. We think that is why so many people love it up here: You can quickly escape the everyday trials of city life and get lost in the natural beauty of these mountains and forests with ease. Of course, if you ask a local where the best place to witness all that scenic beauty is, you’re bound to get several different opinions. These are just a few of our favorites.
The Castle Rock Trail gets our vote for the most breathtaking views of Big Bear Like, though certainly not the easiest. This 1.3-mile trail quickly leaves the road behind and climbs through the San Bernardino Forest of oaks and pines over natural granite “stairs.” After the initial ascent, the trail levels out some as it winds through boulders and pine trees and hikers are rewarded with a glimpse of the iconic rock through the trees. Once you reach the craggy lookout high above the lake you can soak in the view, indulge yourself and your friends with selfies, and climb the boulders to the top of the rock itself. All in all, an excellent short hike – though the steepness of the initial section means it isn’t for everyone.
Several top scenic spots are accessible with the $5 Adventure Pass, available from the U.S. Forest Service. These include the 3.5-mile paved Alpine Pedal Path and the Pine Knot Trail. The former is an easy stroll around the lake and is lined with trees and wildflowers, perfect for old and young alike. The latter is a longer hike that offers more natural and wild views of the surrounding mountains and forests. In between is Boulder Bay Park which most locals will tell you is the best view of the town and the lake. Here you can get lost in the quiet splendor of nature, drinking in the scenic views of the lake, the rock formations, and the spectacular sunrises and sunsets. This park is free and features picnic areas and bathroom facilities. It is quite popular as a snowy playground for kids in the wintertime.
When you stay with us at Big Bear Vacations, you will find the enticing natural beauty of the area is never far away. So whether you stroll the boardwalk of Stanfield Marsh and Wildlife Preserve in springtime to drink in the wildflowers and watch the birds, or you prefer to revel in the winter wonderland of these high mountains from the scenic ridges along Cougar Crest Trail, we have the perfect accommodations waiting for you. Best part: the views are free!
After the winter crowds and the excitement of ski season, Big Bear Lake has plenty to offer. In fact, spring is perhaps our favorite times of year. Catch the last bit of skiing and relax in style as the weather warms and the crowds thin. Witness nature’s bounty burst forth as flowers bloom and the hiking trails lose their winter coats. Spring is the perfect time to see all the lake has to offer!
Big Bear Lake is the largest recreational lake in southern California, and it has much more to do than skiing and snowboarding (though, admittedly, we love the winter sports here). As the calendar flips to March, the lake thaws and all six of the lake’s marinas open for business. Each marina has everything you need for a day of fun on the water, from supplies to permits to rentals. Whether you go cruising in a pontoon or powerboat, or use good old fashioned muscle power to explore in a kayak, the lake offers adventure and excitement for all. If fishing is your pastime of choice, don’t miss the Big Bear Spring Fishing Festival, April 6-8. Go for the record as you battle trout, bass, catfish, and carp. Discount tickets are available for those who booked accommodations in Big Bear.
Boasting an amazing sound system, The Cave is Big Bear’s state-of-the-art concert and comedy venue, and it is the go-to place for live music. A star-studded lineup of tribute bands kicks off the season: Led Zeppelin‘s biggest fans (April 3), rock to the heavy metal symphonies of Masters of Puppets‘ covers of Metallica (May 25), or strut your stuff to the funky beats of Uptown Funk and their pitch perfect tribute to Bruno Mars (June 9). Check out the full calendar here, and get your fill of music from Johnny Cash to Fleetwood Mac!
It is easy to lose yourself in nature here in Big Bear. Explore our hundreds of miles of bike trails and hiking paths or wander through the colorful stands of the Tuesday Farmer’s Markets (open every Tuesday, beginning April 3). In spring, Big Bear’s natural wilderness is as accessible as ever, and fewer people means less congestion on the trails. Grab your binoculars and help the USFS count the bald eagles that nest here in the winter, or just enjoy the peaceful solitude of this gorgeous mountain lake.
Big Bear is the perfect getaway year-round, with plenty to offer even after the winter (or late spring) snows melt. Beautiful spring days and cool evenings are the perfect setting for a romantic getaway or a family retreat, and there are plenty of activities for all ages and interests. While the day away on beautiful Big Bear Lake, take a nature walk, or curl up in your luxury cabin with your favorite book. Either way, you will love it here just as much as we do. Visit us and reserve your lakeside cabin today!
Introducing Big Bear Vacations adventurous and fun mascot and friend: Berry. Berry loves Big Bear and is seen about town eating and playing. He has been known to pop in during Birthday Celebrations and at the Tubing Hills. He is unstoppable and well loved by Staff and Guests alike. Join in the fun in Big Bear TODAY!
