Big Bear Lake Activities
Lake activities are one of the most anticipated and popular things to do in Big Bear. Temperatures are warm and it’s a perfect place to spend the day either on shore or in the water. Whether you’d like to keep costs down or spend money, there are a variety of options when it comes to spending time at Big Bear Lake.
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Boat rentals are one of the easiest ways to get out on the lake. There are 6 different marinas in Big Bear that offer a variety of services from renting a boat to guided tours of the lake. Some of them offer additional unique experiences as well, such as the Pirate Ship at Halloway’s Marina & RV Park and the Jungle Boat at Captain John’s Fawn Harbor & Marina.
Kayaking, canoeing, and paddle-boarding are all great ways to get out on the water and get some exercise at the same time. Guests staying with Village Reservations during the summer months can give it a try with free and discounted rentals from Getboards Ride Shop or a number of similar locations that offer rentals, lake tours, classes and lessons as well. With about 22 miles of shoreline, you can make it an all day experience or just paddle around for as little as an hour.
Swimming in the lake is allowed within 50′ of the shoreline and the best place to go is the north side of the lake for public access. There are two public launch ramps that have nice beach areas situated on either side of the facilities as well as access from the national forest picnic areas that line the north shore of the lake. Make sure you have your adventure pass for parking and make a day of it!
If you have your own boat, kayak or another water vessel, the Municipal Water District has two public launch ramps available that can help you with permitting and getting yourself into the water. The launch ramps typically open in early April and stay open all summer until the lake closes in late November, weather permitting. You can purchase all necessary permits at each location as well as take care of a variety of other needs as you prepare to get on the water.
If you don’t want to get wet, you can go shore fishing while you’re visiting Big Bear. Big Bear Lake is home to Rainbow Trout, Bass, Catfish, Bluegill, and Carp. Fishing licenses are required for those over 16 years old and most of the lake is available for fishing unless otherwise posted. Bring your pole and your favorite bait and relax as you wait for that first bite.
No matter what your reason for visiting Big Bear, you definitely don’t want to miss out on all the lake activities Big Bear Lake has to offer!
Want to find out which marina we go to or where our favorite swimming hole is? Give us a call and we can tell you all about it while we help you book a cabin for your “home away from home” Big Bear experience.
The 27th Annual Classic Car Show & Fun Run in Big Bear was as big a success as ever! More than 500 beautifully restored classic cars were on display in the Village this past weekend. Thousands of fans and car enthusiasts took to the Village to see the variety of cars all built prior to 1975.
The Fun Run Cruise on Saturday went West from the Village entrance on Highway 18, across the Dam and continued on Highway 38 through Fawnskin. People were lined up along Northshore as the cars made their way to Stanfield Cutoff and back to Big Bear Blvd. returning to the Village.
Sunday was all about the show. The village was blocked off to allow locals and our wonderful visitors the chance to get up close and personal with the cars and their owners. You had the opportunity to either watch from a distance or have a chat with the owner about the time, love and dollars that went in to making their classic beauty what it is today. Many of the car owners have some tie to the Big Bear valley, but others come from across the country to be a part of this wonderful event!
Village Reservations hosts quite a few of the car owners every year since almost the beginning of the show and are happy to do so. If you have a car that you’d like to put in the Annual Classic Car Show & Fun Run, give us a call and we can get you all the information about booking your home and getting the application for next year’s event!
We look forward to seeing you and your car in 2017!
If you want to join the 2017 party, you can send a self-addressed and stamped #10 envelope in January 2017 requesting an application (Big Bear Lake Antique Car Club P.O. Box 6311 Big Bear Lake, CA 92315). They mail all applications in at the same time in mid February so that all have a chance to get a reserved parking space.
Image Courtesy of the Big Bear Grizzly
Arctic Circle – Highway 18 Road Closure. Caltrans works hard: fresh pavement and annual clearing/ maintenance to get ready for the heavy winter.
With the expected heavy winter coming, Caltrans is going to be working hard during the next couple weeks to make sure that the roads coming up the mountain are ready for not only the rough weather ahead, but also the heavy flow of traffic that is expected to hit the highway this winter. Starting this week and going through October 29th, Caltrans is working from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to complete their annual routine maintenance on the Arctic Circle, on Highway 18. The road will be completely closed during those times.
Some of the items that are being worked on are: Turnout clearance; guardrail maintenance, rock scaling, drain cleaning and painting recessed fog lines on the areas of the road that have been recently paved. Caltrans will be working hard to make the roads and surrounding areas as safe as possible for the winter season.
Plan ahead if you will be visiting Big Bear during the time that the Arctic Circle on Highway 18. There will be increased traffic on all of our highways, so please drive safe and be courteous to other drivers. If you will be driving up the mountain during the day Monday through Friday until October 29th, we recommend taking an alternate route:
If you are coming from Los Angeles: Take the 10 Freeway East to the University Exit. Make a left on University at the stop sign. Follow University to Lugonia and make a right. Follow Lugonia East and it will become Highway 38. At the top of the Mountain, take Big Bear Blvd. West (turn left).
If you are coming from the San Diego Area: Take the Interstate 15 North to the 10 Freeway East. From the 10 Freeway East to the University Exit. Make a left on University at the stop sign. Follow University to Lugonia and make a right. Follow Lugonia East and it will become Highway 38. At the top of the Mountain, take Big Bear Blvd. West (turn left).
If you are coming from the Victorville/Hesperia/Lucerne Valley Area: Follow Highway 18 into the Big Bear Valley. Make a left at Stanfield Cutoff and then make a right onto Big Bear Blvd. Stay on Big Bear Blvd. until you reach Pine Knot Avenue (traffic light) and make a left. Go to the top, through the stop sign.
Southern California’s #1 Oktoberfest turns 45 and the celebration promises to be one of our best yet!
The 45th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest is back! Running Saturdays and Sundays from September 12 through October 31 at the Big Bear Lake Convention Center the even is unlike any other in Southern California.
From noon to midnight on Saturday and noon to 5:30 pm on Sundays enjoy German celebration at it’s finest. Listen and dance to live music from the Express Band and The Franken Power Express. Dine on a variety of German foods: Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, Potato Dumplings, Bier Knockers and so much more. Compete in the Log Sawing or Stein Holding contests. There is a children’s fun-zone outside to keep your little ones included in the festivities also. Enjoy the dancing shows by the Cripple Creek Cloggers, GTEV D’Oberlander Dancers and Big Bear’s very own Polka Tots. There are plenty of booths and shops to browse outside for a wonderful assortment or handmade arts, crafts and collectibles. And you can’t forget about the beer featuring a large selection of beers from Germany as well as the regular brands that everyone knows and loves.
The Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest is truly a one-of-a-kind event in the gorgeous Big Bear valley. Located at The Convention Center at the corner of Big Bear Blvd and Division, the Oktoberfest is definitely a celebration you don’t want to miss! Rain or shine, you’re always welcomed to drink, eat and be merry at what has been described as the best party in town!
So if you are looking for a weekend getaway this fall give us a call at 909-866-8583 or visit our website VillageReservations.net to book your vacation home. Or if you’ve already booked your trip with Village Reservations, this is the best event of the fall to add to your itinerary. Stop by the Big Bear Convention Center and enjoy all our Oktoberfest has to offer!