Big Bear Travel Guide

Big Bear

Each year we make a point to take a trip up the mountain to visit the lovely town of Big Bear. It is a city that sits right beside a beautiful lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. The city is home to a small town area, a skiing resort, and a lake full of fun activities during the winter and summer. We had so much fun this year and we wanted to write about some of our favorite places. We have put together a quick travel guide with some of the places in town that we frequent when we make the trip up.

FOOD

The Teddy Bear Restaurant

Looking for a great spot to eat at while you are in town? Well, look no further than the Teddy Bear Restaurant. Located right in the middle of town, this little mom and pop type place will take care of whatever you are looking for. We definitely frequent this place while in town for breakfast or lunch. Stefanie loves the Spanish Omelet for breakfast (they even do gluten free!), and for me it is the Patty Melt (with Sourdough bread) for lunch. Their customer service is absolutely amazing, and their whole vibe is great.

QUICK TIP: If you decide to go to the Teddy Bear Restaurant make sure to bring cash as they only accept cash for payment. But if you forget, no worries, they have an ATM on site.

LODGING

Marina Resort Hotel

We have stayed in big bear a hand full of times and this is definitely our favorite spot to stay. Nestled up right next to the lake, and with their own private section of beach and park, this place is the GO TO place for us to stay from now on at the lake. It’s cabin-like rooms, great prices, and convenient location (a block from the shops) make it the go-to place in Big Bear. If you happened to catch our Instagram story of the sunset from the last time we were there you could see the amazing view from our porch over the lake and the surrounding mountains. We definitely recommend staying here when you come to visit.

QUICK TIP: You can grab a bite to eat in town and bring it down to the patio at the hotel and have a lovely view of the lake during sunset. A great date idea to escape town if need be.

ACTIVITIES

Castle Rock Trail

Our favorite thing to do while in Big Bear for activities is the Castle Rock Trail. Right off of the highway is the trailhead. And with only a 1 mile trek up the mountain you can have breathtaking views of Big Bear and the surrounding mountain ranges. This hike is a bit steep at first, but don’t let that deter you from making the trip up, I promise, it will be worth it. The rock formations and variety of trails at the top leading you up to Castle Rock itself are worth the exploration.

QUICK TIP: Doing this hike at sunrise or sunset is absolutely amazing. Be prepared to park on the side of the road (if available) around the trail head and make the trip. It is also a fantastic place for pictures.

SHOPS

Home Warehouse Design Center

There is plenty of opportunity for shopping in Big Bear, especially in town. Our top recommendation for a fun store to stop in is definitely Home Warehouse Design Center. It is located on Village Drive right in town. We love their Christmas decorations and their great staff. They are the kindest and most welcoming group in town and we always feel so appreciated when we stop in. We always come away with some great decorations to add to our place.

QUICK TIP: You can pull the decorations you want right off of the tree and the frosted branches are reasonably priced! We grabbed a couple (wish we had gotten more) for our tree this year.

SNACKS

North Pole Fudge Co.

This is probably the most important part and our favorite place to stop in at Big Bear. The North Pole Fudge CO is an absolute MUST when in Big Bear. If you like all things chocolate or if you like anything sweet, you have to go in there. It is definitely a cute place and their selection is second to none. We ALWAYS get the triple chocolate candy apple (or two) and they slice it for you to enjoy. We love this place and often want to make the drive up just to grab a few treats from here. We loved the vibe from this place, it makes you feel like a child again when you go inside and see all that is going on. They have a toy train (which hangs from the ceiling) that goes around the store, one of our favorite things. We both go in and watch it go round and round.

QUICK TIP: For the holidays, they do a triple chocolate popcorn treat that is to die for. If you go, you need to get one!