Holiday homes and baches in Big Bear Lake

With snow-capped mountains in the winter, beautiful clear skies in the summer, and a gorgeous lake, Big Bear is one of Southern California’s most popular destinations for outdoor activities. Find a holiday home in Whispering Forest on the east side of the town, replete with tree lined streets, a few peek-a-boo mountain vistas and a homely, neighbourhood feel.

Big Bear Lake is chock full of story-book rustic houses that feature full wood logs as part of the architecture, a cosy private spa and fireplace to complete the Big Bear experience. They are surrounded by forest and offer their guests seclusion and complete warmth, comfort and tranquillity. The perfect way to enjoy hiking, biking and all the other outdoor popular pursuits in Big Bear!

Big Bear Lake has been a popular weekend escape for LA residents for decades. In the early 1900s, the drive from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake was an adventure in itself, a harrowing ride on an open-sided stagecoach, bouncing down winding mountain roads and keeping watch for grizzly bears, but happily, here and now in the 2000s you can drive to Big Bear from downtown LA in just two short hours.

If you are coming to Big Bear from further afield, your best option is to fly to Los Angeles (2-hour drive), Palm Springs (2-hour drive) or Ontario (1-hour drive). But if you can do it, make Big Bear part of a road trip across Southern California, home to many of the USA’s most extraordinary natural wonders, such as Sequoia National Forest, Death Valley National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park.

Fishing is an activity the whole family can enjoy on the clear Big Bear Lake. The best times to fish in Big Bear are when the sun rises until noon, and from late afternoon until the sun sets. The best areas to fish in Big Bear are on the north shore, from the dam to the ship ramp in the west. Leaving Highway 38 you will find several areas where you can park. In addition, the Boulder Bay park has a fishing pier, and is an ideal place to spend a fun day of fishing with your family.

At Big Bear you'll find some of the best skiing in Southern California, with pulchritudinous snow-capped mountains and ski slopes for all abilities. The two most popular skiing and snowboarding spots in Big Bear are Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. These vast mountains come completed with rails, jumps, obstacles, and, of course, sensational views. If you don't have the equipment to carry out these activities, don't worry, as each location has all the equipment you will need for rent.

Bluff Lake is a hidden Big Bear secret. Whilst it is one of the most gorgeous areas in Big Bear Lake, most visitors do not know that it is even there, as it is hidden away five kilometres up a remote dirt road! Make this an obligatory part of your itinerary!

Alpine Zoo functions as a rehabilitation centre that provides shelter to wild animals and orphans that are stranded in the region. Bring your family and marvel at the grizzlies, bobcats and birds of prey, the snow leopards, coyotes, and deer. The entire ecosystem of Big Bear for you to see in one afternoon!

A helicopter trip is already a unique experience in itself, but now imagine also enjoying the majestic scenery that the mountains, lakes and forests of Big Bear offer, but from high up in the air. If you have never taken a helicopter tour, this is your moment!

Exploring the Big Bear Mountains on snowshoes allows you to access trails that snowboarders and skiers cannot, enabling you to find your perfect corner of this wintery land. The Pacific Crest Trail and Rim Nordic are the highest rated trails in the area.

The Big Bear Jeep Experience company offers tours where you can drive a Jeep through the alpine environs of Big Bear. The tours cover hundreds of miles of trails and are both an exhilarating and educational experience.