Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake
4.5
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The area
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Best nearby
Restaurants
91 within 3 miles
Attractions
40 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
686 reviews
Excellent
425
Very good
170
Average
63
Poor
19
Terrible
9
DARLYNNE N
13 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This is our first time coming to Big Bear Lake in the summer with the kids. We picked a cabin so we can walk to the village and onto the lake's edge. Unfortunately, where we stayed just happened to be the area where the lake is receding. The boats and dock are sitting in mud. News outlets weren't exaggerating. The drought has really affected the lake. There is not much to do here. The village is really small and many are not masking or socially distancing. If you're wearing a mask be ready to be stared at and hear some snickering or mumbling under their breaths. Crave Maine Lobster is AHMAZING, but be ready to pay $26 & change for a lobster roll. Could not find a decent coffee shop that is open before 8am. Settled for Dank Donuts, but tossed it and the inedible donuts. We wanted dinner @Bone Side Down BBQ, but it closes at 5pm! There is a lot of hiking to do and the trails are not crowded. The playground at Ski Beach Park is SO small & boulder park is small. We skipped the slide rides as there were so many people in line packed like sardines. Overall, the kids were not thrilled. Winter in Big Bear is the way to go.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie P
3 contributions
May 2021
What could be more beneficial in these times than to visit Big Bear Lake and City. The old and the new combined to cover all your fantasies. Modern Big Bear Village with stuff for the entire family. Restaurants equal to anything down the hill and funky old places to get a home made ice cream cone that will melt in your hands ( enuf to lick off, one of the best things to do). There is a multitude of things going on at all times, you will not be disappointed, Disneyland and Knots Berry farm all in one place, Then the lake in summer, winter sports to delight all ages. Shopping, visitors center, museum with old buildings you can walk through and a working blacksmith shop. Fishing, lake and boating activities, celebrations galore, horseback riding, the NEW ZOO, churches for all and then there are the friendliest folks who live and work there. Strike up a conversation, you are at home.
Written May 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TitanHermes
Long Beach, CA120 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
I really enjoyed my time here. It’s so close to LA but feels like it’s a world away. It’s sort of southern Californians grm. A small town up high in the mountains. Like getting a piece of Colorado or the Rockies in our own back yard
Hiking views lake water sports slides zip lining axe throwing food skiing sledding. So much to do. There’s also a lot of local smaller towns you can checkout or stay in too
Hiking views lake water sports slides zip lining axe throwing food skiing sledding. So much to do. There’s also a lot of local smaller towns you can checkout or stay in too
Written October 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
S K
Los Angeles, CA7 contributions
Sep 2022
My family and I started attending the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest several years ago. This event is a Fall tradition with a building built to look like a tent with authentic German bands, food, deserts and of course many incredible imported beer selections like Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier and Hofbräu München. FIRST I have to compliment Kasandra, manager of the Oktoberfest. We had several interactions with her during the 2022 Oktoberfest after attending multiple times throughout September-October. She is kind, gracious and an incredible host!
My mother was an ethnic German and incredible chef. You can taste and see the attention to detail in the Bavarian recipes and their quality dishes at Oktoberfest. This isn't "German fair food" like I have had at other venues, but top quality, authentic Bavarian food. Outside there are other venders for a variety of other fast and ethnic foods. The bar tenders are also awesome and the venue allows bringing your own Steins to fill (and refill). Oktoberfest also has quality gifts such as Steins and German themed gifts in their gift shop.
Short of visiting Munich or an entire city Oktoberfest like Leavenworth, Washington, Cincinnati, Ohio or Helen, Georgia, Big Bear Lake offers a wonderful experience with great hospitality in an incredibly scenic city.
My mother was an ethnic German and incredible chef. You can taste and see the attention to detail in the Bavarian recipes and their quality dishes at Oktoberfest. This isn't "German fair food" like I have had at other venues, but top quality, authentic Bavarian food. Outside there are other venders for a variety of other fast and ethnic foods. The bar tenders are also awesome and the venue allows bringing your own Steins to fill (and refill). Oktoberfest also has quality gifts such as Steins and German themed gifts in their gift shop.
Short of visiting Munich or an entire city Oktoberfest like Leavenworth, Washington, Cincinnati, Ohio or Helen, Georgia, Big Bear Lake offers a wonderful experience with great hospitality in an incredibly scenic city.
Written December 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oly Ojeda
Redlands, CA21 contributions
Apr 2020 • Family
Big Bear is a great destination for those who want to experience the snow. Going to give you a couple of helpful tips to be prepared & help out the locals a bit. First, be prepared! Most underestimate the snow & go in tennis or bearpaw boots & none water proof gloves, pants & jackets. I know it can be expensive, so buy everything at a second hand store or eBay, but trust me! You want to be prepared or you will get ALL WET! Take everything you need with you, some convenience store are ridiculously overpriced! We do have StaterBros, Vons & Dollar Tree but always super busy & out of certain necessities. Traffic jams & parking, pretty please be considerate of the locals & don’t block or park in their driveways. Please look for other ways to get to your destination to help minimize traffic jams, back streets etc. Last but not least, try to park far & walk a bit, use this time to chat with your family, exercise a bit lol this helps out a lot with traffic jams & congestion. Hope this helps a bit & enjoy!
Written November 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John M
3 contributions
Apr 2022
Extremely disappointed with this lake community. Not a good vibe going on here like other mountain towns. Plain, boring, and not very scenic. Lack of snow and drought is taking a toll. Resorts can barely stay open and only with snow-making most of the year. A lot of the trees are dead. Big Bear Lake is a dying lake, and drying up fast (the adjoining 'lake', Baldwin, has already dried up!!). No comparison to Mammoth nor Sierras. Basically a place for the riffraff of San Bernardino to come escape the heat.
Written April 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christi K
La Habra, CA24 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
Hello fellow travelers, the firework show in Big Bear lakes was spectacular...
In my opinion it was like two fireworks shows, One in the air and the other one reflecting off the lake...
It was a rare treat seeing fireworks in the national forest...
In my opinion it was like two fireworks shows, One in the air and the other one reflecting off the lake...
It was a rare treat seeing fireworks in the national forest...
Written July 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1Writer
Ukiah10 contributions
May 2022
Big Bear itself is great fun. But Beware! The local drivers go up and down Hwy. 330 likes bats out of Hades, tailgating at way above speed limit and hugging your bumper. One of our party was nearly run off the (cliff) side of the road by an F-150 doing an illegal pass in my friend's lane going the wrong way! We had to pull over multiple times in each direction due to aggressive tailgaters even though we were going the speed limit on narrow, steep and windy road.
Also, many of the stores will not do any return, for any reason, which they will say is due to "COVID," but will offer you an exchange. That makes absolutely no sense - for an exchange your item is going back on the rack, right? Same as if you did a return. As soon as you swipe your credit card, it's yours, whether you discover a flaw or it doesn't fit, etc. Try on first and examine items closely.
Also, many of the stores will not do any return, for any reason, which they will say is due to "COVID," but will offer you an exchange. That makes absolutely no sense - for an exchange your item is going back on the rack, right? Same as if you did a return. As soon as you swipe your credit card, it's yours, whether you discover a flaw or it doesn't fit, etc. Try on first and examine items closely.
Written May 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SunshineLara
Hesperia, CA18 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
It is a pretty lake for photos. An the Village is just a walk across the street. We ate at Village Pizza which is really good. It was nice weather for it being summer (june) i would love to come up to big bear in the winter when its snowing.
Written June 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean M
2 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
Just a quick piece of advice if you ski at Snow Summit. Always, always, always take the singles line, even if in a large group. On lifts 1, 2 and 3, they will allow you to go as a group once you are at the front of the singles line. It will save you between 20-25 minutes in those lines.
Written February 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola voy a visitar Big Bear en Thanks Giving, hay nieve? que actividades se pueden hacer en familia?
Written June 8, 2023
will be visiting in a week in December. not quite sure what to expect in December. Will we still be able to do hiking trails or is everything covered in snow? Is there a place where we can snowshoe? Thanks
Written November 27, 2022
Cuanto cuesta por lo general una clase para esquiar
Written December 24, 2021
La temporada de invierno es de diciembre a febrero.
Written February 4, 2021
Si va haber nieve! Pero ver nevar, es una condición climática, a como pueden ver caer nieve, tal vez solo la conozcan estática.(después de haber caído)
Written February 4, 2021
Me pueden decir si para mediados de diciembre hay nieve
Written November 14, 2019
hola, voy a ir del 23 al 26 de diciembre de este año, qué eventos navideños hay en esas fechas? algún show que haya sobre la festividad.
Saludos
Written October 10, 2019
I am not sure but you can contact the Big Bear Information Center
Big Bear Lake Visitors Center
Local Number: 909-866-7000
Toll Free: 800-424-4232
630 Bartlett Rd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Written November 16, 2018
There’s no cost associated with going to the lake. Certain activities would have costs depending on what you wanted to do.
Written September 3, 2018
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