Fun at Four Seasons Big Bear, CaliforniaBy Valerie SummersSouthern Californians have long known the pleasures of the mountain escape just a two hour drive from most major Southland cities where the sun shines more than 300 days a year. In this lakeside community situated high in the San Bernardino Mountains, my family and I have participated in a variety of seasonal activities for many years.
One of my favorite pastimes is horseback riding and Baldwin Lake Stables offers a variety of riding options all year ‘round. I’ve enjoyed rides during all the seasons, led by experienced guides. There are horses for every experience level from beginners to experts and appropriate rides for every ability from a gentle one hour trail ride to a sunset ride to an overnight camp ride, complete with a western dinner. From riding animals to viewing them, I always find a visit to Moonridge Animal Park an educational experience since this is more a animal haven than a traditional zoo. The park is a temporary home for orphaned and injured wildlife, cared for until they can be returned to their natural habitat. A family of Grizzly bears, a mountain lion and snow leopard, as well as dozens of smaller animals are permanent residents since for a variety of reasons they cannot make it on their own. Tours provide an excellent look into mountain wildlife and the delicate balance of nature. Although I generally equate Big Bear with the activities of the season, even I can’t resist a visit to the unique Bear Mountain Trading Company on Moonridge Road, featuring old time toys, country decor, regional gourmet foods and all kinds of toy bears. There’s a old time candy counter featuring old favorites which remind me of my youth and there is a selection of thirty of the world’s best coffee, still in bean form. Everyone gets a chuckle from a sign hanging in the shop which reads “Beware of Pickpockets and Loose Women.” Back in the main commercial area, Big Bear Village features a variety of boutiques, galleries, restaurants and sporting goods stores, minutes from the lake. I always know its there, just a two hour drive from Los Angeles, an escape up into the fresh air of the mountains. When things get too hectic or too hot, I head for the hills and enjoy the great outdoors at Big Bear. More information:Baldwin Lake Stables Big Bear Lake Discovery Center Big Bear Lake Resort Association Big Bear Mountain Resort Big Bear Marina, home to the Big Bear Queen Holiday Inn Big Bear Chateau, an elegant California Mountain Chateau with a European Tradition. Each of the 80 deluxe guestrooms and suites offer gas log fireplaces, antique furnishings and marble bathrooms with heated towel racks. Many rooms feature 2-person spa tubs. This is not an ordinary mountain retreat, but an opulent hostelry complete with chandeliers and antiques. Inn at Fawnskin is set in its own forest with lake views of the north shore. The rustic log home includes a variety of accommodations from the garden suite featuring a private deck, two person jetted tub and king-sized bed to smaller but charming and cozy guest rooms. Guests enjoy lounging in the comfortable living room or game room or in the well kept garden. A full gourmet breakfast is served by the fireplace in the dining room and hors d’oeuvres and beverages are offered each afternoon. Snow Summit Mountain Resort Windy Point Inn, the only lakeside B&B, where most individually styled room feature breathtakingly beautiful expansive lake views. Some rooms are more luxurious than others with fireplaces, skylights and sunken Jacuzzi tub, a glass wall offering a panoramic lakeside view, but all are romantic and decorated with a flair. The breakfast part of the B&B is just as spectacular, served in the living room area by the blazing hearth with classical music playing in the background. Guests enjoy front row seating on the dock watching the parade of boats float by. |
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A major attraction of the area is its close access for winter sports. I’ve skied Big Bear Mountain and Snow Summit year after year, appreciating their improvements each season. At Big Bear Mountain, rental equipment is state of the art. Runs are always being improved as is the latest in snow making equipment when nature fails to provide enough. My sons enjoy the changes at Big Bear Mountain which now includes an all mountain terrain park with terrain features on more than a dozen different trails. I remain happy with groomed blue runs. At Snow Summit, there is a policy of limited ticket sales which keeps lift lines short. Their freestyle terrain parks and beginner Fun Zones provide a great day of skiing for the whole family. For board enthusiasts, Snow Summit has been ranked number one in North America for its snowboard terrain parks, a sport which I choose to leave to the younger generation. When I can make it up to Big Bear during the week days, I practically have the mountains all to myself and when it is too hectic on some popular weekends, Nordic skiing is always an option. 
When the snow melts, mountain biking enthusiasts like my kids, ride Snow Summit’s Sky Chair to the top to reach scenic bike trails where they spend hour exploring. I prefer the gentle North Shore Bike path where I can view the paddle, pontoon, sail and power boats out on the lake. When I want to get on the lake, I never tire of a ride on the Big Bear Queen, a 60 passenger paddlewheel boat which skirts the 23 mile shoreline, passing modest cabins and palatial new homes. A guide offers a 90 minute narrated excursion conveying Big Bear’s history and current scenic highlights. Fishing is always a relaxing sport, one which I enjoy on occasion, and Big Bear Lake is stocked with bass, sunfish, trout and catfish in plentiful supply.
Back on land, hiking trails are plentiful and varied in this area of hundreds of miles of scenic national forest mountain trails. Gentle walks and strenuous mountain hikes and bicycle paths are available for every age and activity level from the 1.5 mile Woodland Trail to the 14.9 mile John Bull Loop Trail. The few times I have made it to the top of a lookout, it has been worth the effort to enjoy the spectacular panorama. It is necessary to obtain an Adventure Pass and trail maps at Big Bear Lake Discovery Center where rangers and naturalists provide details about the backwoods.