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    Big Bear Lake

    4.3 (60 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Big Bear Lake Photos

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    Calli Y.

    Pretty views which varies depending on when you go. But you won't be disappointed at all! Not sure what else to say. Water activities or just walk!

    Faith S.

    We spent a full fall day exploring Big Bear, and it was such a beautiful experience. We started our morning at Starbucks to grab some hot drinks before the cold mountain breeze hit, and then headed straight to Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk. The colors were stunning -- golden trees, calm water, and such a peaceful spot to take photos. Next, we walked part of the Alpine Pedal Path, which gave us even better views of the lake and the changing leaves. It's an easy, relaxing trail and perfect for families or anyone who just wants fresh air without a long hike. We spent some time at The Village, and it truly feels like the heart of Big Bear. Cozy shops, cute cafés, and such a warm, friendly atmosphere. It's the best place to stroll around, window-shop, or pick up souvenirs. Our last stop was Boulder Bay Park -- calm, scenic, and such a great spot for photos. The rocks, the reflections on the water, and the fall colors made it feel like a postcard. To end our day, we had dinner at Saucy Mama's. Their best-selling pizza definitely lived up to the hype, and we added chicken wings and their popular spaghetti -- everything was delicious and comforting after a long day outdoors. Service was friendly and fast. Overall, Big Bear during fall is magical. Beautiful scenery, chill vibes, and great food. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a cozy and colorful escape.

    North Shore Point
    Christopher ..

    Big Bear Lake is the location for a peaceful escape for nature lovers, bikers and fishing enthusiasts. The clean calming waters and scenic pine tree covered mountain creates a beautiful backdrop for any outdoor activities, it's a postcard brought to life. It's the kind of place that makes you forget about your phone.

    Quintin E.

    Both the lake and the city of Big Bear Lake are a eye catching, scent filled and weather basking experience. There are beautiful homes along the lake itself as well as some local and familiar businesses. The winter is probably my favorite time up here with the snow, but now I'm thinking summer might be just as up there with perfect weather and more wildlife in view. Nothing like a high mountain breeze over 5000s ft above sea level. You'll see squirrel, insects and moths about on the grassy parts and paths as well as ducks along BB. Took a stop near a park area with some amazing landscaping, near restrooms and this super tourist wooden bear statue for photo ops. Boat on the lake or just take it in and explore all there is in this lake city from beginning of your trip until the end all year long.

    Marissa N.

    Big Bear Lake is beautiful! If ya never been here before, what are you waiting for?!?! This place is scenic with great views, whether you're walking around the lake or hiking on top of a mountain, you'll be in awe how beautiful this area is. Truely, One day isn't enough to spend time here.. BUT look no further! There's plenty of Airbnbs, rental cabins, and cute motels that you can stay at and enjoy what Big Bear has to offer! This city has a few great coffee shops, brunch spots, restaurants, boating, hiking spots, kayaking, camping, and so much MORE that I can't type out for this review - or we'll be here forever LOL. What makes Big Bear unique is its lake! It's the perfect spot to take some photoshoots, and gaze at the stars at night. Just be aware that animals do come out at night. Other than that I hope you get chance to explore this beautiful area!

    Matt M.

    I love Big Bear Lake. Especially in the winter after a good snow. It's so serene and beautiful, with the mountains and village in the background. Ducks and other birds flying and swimming around - it's awesome. The times I've gone, I haven't had a problem with parking. We usually park right across the street from the local school and walk down to the lake. There are paths that go around, but we like walking in the sand and being close to the water. Very picturesque. On the drive, be sure to carry snow chains if required and check road conditions and closures ahead of time. Portions of the drive are a little curvy, but there are plenty of turnouts and passing lanes to use. Lots of cabins, hotels/motels, and Airbnbs around, which is great. But if you live in LA/Orange/Riverside counties or near them, you can also do a day trip! And the lake itself is only a couple blocks away from the village, which is also very quaint. So far, we've only gone during winter seasons...but this year we're going to head up during Spring as well to do some hiking - can't wait!

    Beautiful Lake
    Ane V.

    It is nice to come here when it is not low tide. You will appreciate more the beauty of it. The first time I came here, drought season. The water is low and you see plenty of dry land. I saw some people fishing and no bite.

    Sunset over the lake!
    Sarni N.

    How could you not love Big Bear all seasons are beautiful! It is always so wonderful to get up in the mountains and breath the fresh air.... This town is fantastic for families and friends of all ages, year around! Our lake may be lower than normal but there are way more things to do than just going on the lake. Hiking, biking, tubing, skiing, paddle boarding, a zoo, offroading, water slides, fishing, ziplining.... so much to do and see. The restaurants are great and the shopping is fun, nightlife and entertainment is good. There is always something to do. If your looking to get away from the city and need a place to relax, I highly recommend Big Bear anytime of the year.

    Where you DO NOT want to stay
    Zaida V.

    I am leaving a review here because my husband forgot to leave his review before the expiration date for airbnb.  Where not to stay when visiting Big Bear: My review is based on my stay at an airbnb.... The location 664 villa grove ave big bear ca , which is named "Moonridge Villa" was absolutely dreadful!  We came for our honeymoon straight after our wedding. On our drive over the "superhost," Karen told us that for a whole day, the water would be turned off. My poor husband and I had to use separate restrooms so as to not look at each others' deposit... I'm sure for your honeymoon, you wouldn't want to go through this.  We had plans to sleep there only 2 nights. We arrived on the first night around midnight, so we can barely call that a day. However, the late departure was on us. I arrived sick and learned of the news that we were going to be denied water, yet we had to do all the dishes and laundry so as not to get charged.  Fun surprise? We asked for an extension of our stay until the end of the night for our last night since we hadn't showered or even slept due to trying to sweep up the place before getting extensive charges!  1st night: we used the place to sleep in only.  2nd night: We were sick to our stomachs so we didn't go out except to view the town for an hour. We woke up around 10pm to eat dinner, and because day 3, we were not going to have any access to water....but don't worry... we were offered a bucket... At midnight, we were going to bed, but I couldn't! Because the "superhost" had been unresponsive thr whole day. We just wanted time with water and plumbing so we could at least go to bed and not worry about doing the dishes (or we would get charged). My new husband wanted to lighten the mood, so he started a fire. We went outside to make sure that the smoke was coming out of the chimney. 30mins later, the fireplace was sounding, and my husband, who uses an inhaler, couldn't breathe well. He tried to climb the table to take down the alarm sound, but the table almost collapsed because it was also a pool table. I hurried him off before this crazy place gave us more nightmares. It was a freezing night, but we had to open all the doors and windows! What a hazard! Our eyes were burning up with the smoke, so I pulled up all the blinds with the string with one of them causing the blinds to fall off to the side (very important to note since we were charged for their outdated broken blinds that would not pull up". We couldn't see well. I told my husband to lie down away from the smoke as I flapped the towels out the window to allow the smoke to quickly leave the house.  We went to bed around 4am That's when I finally closed the door and went to bed.  Day 3: We were up all day without a word from our "superhost" for a long time. We almost went 3 days without a word.  Finally, we got a response saying we could take our time leaving because we don't have water. We were told we would only be charged for a 1 day stay. Right before we left, it was dark outside, and we heard a burst in the host, which startled us as we were about to leave....ALL our restroom residue was coming out!!! Lovely... My poor husband was using towels and anything to stop the flood of the whole bottom floor of the house. If our "superhost" wouldn't have allowed us to stay until we were ready on our last awful day, then we wouldn't have been there to stop her flooding. What were we rewarded for???? We were charged for their cheap blinds.  Visually through thr pictures on Airbnb and other sites it looks gorgeous, but if you are there you can feel the flimsy couch that you can barely sit back on because it allows for a little bit of sitting space to back up, the windows and blinds are outdated and has clearly been there since before 2021 (which was when the place was sold via google). The heater only reaches the front door 2nd floor area. Downstairs are the bedrooms which are frightfully freezing and we went in September. The chimney is not to be turned on! If you turn it on and lay down, you may never wake up again. The place was also not clean. In the main bedroom, there was a dirty old thong in the dresser. The floors feel fragile, and you can hear the footsteps. On the contract it said if we were to leave trash or dishes behind, we would be charged. It took forever for the "superhost" Karen to respond to me that someone else had left trash bags in the dumpster and that we would not be taking that out so as to not be charged. The response tool all day.  We were NOT going to do a review...HOWEVER, our refund for our inconvenience, but that that was canceled bc there boken blinds were now our fault. We should have called the fire department and sued for almost taking us out! Instead, we were charged for trying to breathe and open the blinds.  I'm glad that on day2, we bought a local inhaler since it is harder to breathe up in the mountains (for all you who have asthma).

    The lake
    Sandra S.

    Just beautiful, peaceful, and pet friendly. One one side they have perfect spots to BBQ, so that is next on our list!

    Steve S.

    My family and I visit Big Bear Lake usually once or twice each summer. This is a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city and freeways. It's an entirely different world and only an hour away from the Inland Empire. The lake is better during the week with less boat traffic. But you can never go wrong at Big Bear Lake. We have not been here in the winter since I don't like the snow after growing up in Chicago but I hear from friends that the snow is also a blast.

    Steven B.

    Big Bear and Big Bear Lake are definitely one for the bucket list, especially for those living in and around the LA area. It is about a 2 hour trip from LA and about 1.5 hours from Chino Hills. The lure of Big Bear can be broken down into its fantastic ski resort Snow Summit and its lake. This review will cover the lake and some spots of interest to check out. I will be attaching a lot of photos since they will speak to you more than my text. :) The best time to experience the lake is in fall, however all times are good. The lake is public meaning that you can access it from most places, unless they are marked as private; some neighborhoods which skirt around the lake are private, as well as a few private docks. Most of the 7 mile long lake is accessible. Fishing and boating are the priorities however sightseeing is simply amazing and worth a weekend in fall to see the amazing fall colors. Some of the best places to stop and check out along scenic route 38 are: Boulder Bay Park Meadow Park Fawnskin location along the North shore Jupiter Point East Boat Ramp (Carol Morrison) Fox Farm road through the estates Alpine Pedal path Big Bear Village (walk through town then down to the lake) There are numerous hiking trails and lots of other places to check out, but those were my highlights. There are lots of hotels and cabins to stay at, and the city of Big Bear is pretty large and has a lot of nice restaurants as well. Enjoy the photos...

    The lake at sunset!
    Grace L.

    This place is gorgeous, oh my gosh! I went here with my family for a day-trip, and we were all looking forward to the lake. I also heard you can star gaze here, so I was extra excited about that. The lake was so pretty, especially at sunset. As for the star gazing, Big Bear Lake did not disappoint. There were so many stars in the sky, and we even saw the Milky Way! I even took some several astrophotography shots there, and they came out great! Such a spectacular place.

    Sunset

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    Review Highlights - Big Bear Lake

    Hiking, biking, tubing, skiing, paddle boarding, a zoo, offroading, water slides, fishing, ziplining....

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Rocky shoreline.

    Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area

    3.5(290 reviews)
    39.8 km

    Clean & beautiful. a nice environment in the winter! Loved to hike on little paths with our son &…read moredog

    I have to update my review because I've been here so many times, and it's improved vastly since my…read morefirst impression. As I reread my previous review I realized that I had only seen a portion of the lake. In reality, the lake is huge. It extends towards 173 and allows for fishing and boating. A great way to spend time outdoors. I believe they sell California fishing licenses, fishing and boating supplies, and even boat rentals! There are separate parking lots for docking/boating and regular day parking. There are bathroom building facilities available. There are numerous trails, including part of Section C of the PCT runs through the Silverwood Lake SRA. There are many camping spaces and group camping available as well. In the times when I've camped here the ranger station has always been kind and knowledgeable, answering my many questions. I've only been to the marina store once or twice, but the staff was friendly and accommodating. I went to the Silverwood Lake SRA office for the first time recently and parked there while hiking part of the PCT. The lady there was very nice and helped me find my way. The peace officers are very nice and knowledgeable. I recently did some exploring and got lost. LOL. Shout Out to Officer Bakke for going above and beyond and helping me find the PCT on my birthday. That was the best birthday present. Thank you to the helpful men and women at California State Parks for keeping us safe. I would definitely recommend this park for hiking, camping, or boating. It's not safe to drink the water due to algae bloom. I wouldn't fish here either, but some people do it. No swimming during algae bloom as it can cause illness. Hiking: Depending on the trail you may or may not have shade, stay hydrated. Camping: Some campers like to play their music loud. So unfortunately, there's that. So glad this park is here in the area.

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    Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - First time on the PCT...I cried...so happy. Thank you God

    First time on the PCT...I cried...so happy. Thank you God

    Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
    Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area

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    San Bernardino National Forest - The Line Fire (almost 28,000 acres burned so far 9/10/24)!

    San Bernardino National Forest

    4.4(14 reviews)
    36.3 km

    The San Bernardino National Forest is huge!!!…read more This National Forest stretches from San Bernardino Couty to Los Angeles County. I've had the privilege to experience the San Bernadino County side of the San Bernardino National Forest when I lived in Big Bear. It was beautiful and fun for hiking adventures. This time, I was on the Los Angeles County side of The San Bernardino National Forest. I was on the side that feels really desert-like. It's dirt and very dry weather, and then suddenly when you hit the National Forest, it is green and gorgeous. Boy, it is really something when you go from the desert to green trees and pretty views!!! The temperature cooled down too. I love the forestry landscape and lush trees everywhere. I'm thankful that we have National Forests like this that are protected! We must protect them at all costs!

    3/5 loved the location left out a few stars I'll explain the pros and cons:…read more Pros: Beautiful National forest. Camping reservation is available and brown bins to hide food from animals and bears available. One bathroom available and it's cleaned by rangers. Trash is also picked up if you need help cleaning. Beauty of a sky at night. They gave a fire pit area and three large benches to eat and sit. Cons: The drive as soon as you get to the off road areas you lose reception. We got lost so I recommend having a back up plan with maps that help off roading areas. Also we took our Tundra for the first time off road and regretted it immediately. BEWARE: The bushes and trees are not cut down to clear the roads and our truck was completely scratched from both sides. Only bring cars you don't care about and plan to use them through bushes and trees that scratch the paint. We learned the hard way. Also the drive up and down the mountain is very dangerous. If you come early the fog makes it hard to see. We got rain in the afternoon and it's very slippery cars also drive crazy and pressure you to go over the required speed. We had to wait 45 min coming down the mountain Sunday when we left due to a car accident. Again locals drive crazy and ride your car or pass you up. Be really cautious! All in all great camping trip but the truck issue was horrible. We now have to pay to try and wax the truck or have to fully re-paint.

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    San Bernardino National Forest - We made it up!

    We made it up!

    San Bernardino National Forest - The Line Fire (almost 28,000 acres burned so far 9/10/24)!

    The Line Fire (almost 28,000 acres burned so far 9/10/24)!

    San Bernardino National Forest

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    Big Bear Lake - lakes - Updated May 2026

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