My friends and I are serving in the US Navy stationed in San Diego, California and we travel to Big Bear each weekend in the winter when our schedule allows.
Instead of making the three hour drive back to San Diego we decided to rent a cabin. Golden Bear just happened to be the first place we stopped, and we have been in love with it since. Once, we were snowed in on the mountain and couldn't leave and they gave us a very generous discount on our cottage to ease our burden.
Another time we had planned to rent cottages for a group of thirty and planning it a month prior wasn't any problem. Soon after, our military schedule changed and we were unable to meet our reservation date. This wasn't any problem for the Golden Bear group. They understood our predicament, helped us pick a later date, and credited our account for any unused portoin.
We had made attempts to stay at Golden Bear plenty of other times throughout the season but soon learned that reservations book up fast! I definitely know why, some of the other places on the mountain were far less accomodating and more expensive too! You may not want to plan your trip around desireable weather, by the time you try to book, any one of their 28 cabins could be filled.
Golden Bear is within a few minutes drive to supplies, the main village, the lake, and ski areas. It is an affordable and friendly atmosphere which I look forward to visiting this next ski season!









