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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.