Friends Getaway / Girls Trip
Best For: Friends Getaway, Girls Trip, Weekend Escape
Time Frame: 2 Days & 2 Nights
Season(s): Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
TRIP AT A GLANCE
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Recommended Stay: 2 nights. Arrive Friday, leave Sunday. A long weekend works beautifully.
Vibe: Active days, easy evenings. Lake mornings, mountain afternoons, good food and wine by night.
Getting There: About 2 hours from LA. Take Hwy 18 through Lucerne Valley or Hwy 330 through Running Springs. Note: Hwy 38 remains closed due to a mudslide, so plan your route ahead.
Pro Tip: Book a lakefront cabin with a hot tub and reserve spa time before you leave home. Both fill up fast on weekends.
Big Bear Lake sits at 6,752 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, about two hours from Los Angeles. It has a walkable village, a seven-mile lake, good restaurants, and enough to do that a weekend goes fast. The picks marked [EDITOR'S PICK] are places we personally visited on our own girls trip and can vouch for firsthand.
DAY 1 / Arrive, Settle In & Hit The Village
MORNING / ARRIVAL
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Leave early and beat the weekend traffic up the mountain. Check-in isn't usually until 4pm, so use the time to walk the lakeshore, find a cove, and actually decompress before the activities start. Big Bear Vacations has a strong selection of lakefront cabin rentals and is worth booking early if lake access is a priority.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Big Bear Vacations (Lodging)
Over 300 cabins including lakefront properties with private access. Full-service management, well-maintained, and easy to book. We stayed here and had zero complaints.
BigBear.com Booking (Lodging)
The official booking engine. Filter by group size, hot tub, pet-friendly, or proximity to the lake or slopes.
Hotel Marina Riviera (Lodging)
Lakeside boutique hotel with pool, cold plunge, sauna, and De La Nonna on-site. Good pick if the group prefers a hotel over a cabin.
AFTERNOON / THE VILLAGE & E-BIKES
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The Village on Pine Knot Avenue is Big Bear's main commercial strip. It's walkable, has a solid mix of shops and bars, and is a good way to get oriented. Rent e-bikes from Goldsmith's Sports and take the lake path at your own pace.
The path is flat, the views are good, and it's one of those activities that feels casual until you realize it's been two hours. Stop at Barrel 33 when you're ready to sit down. It's a wine and craft beer tasting room right in The Village and a natural group hangout.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Goldsmith's Sports (Rentals)
Pedego e-bike rentals for summer lake path rides. Voted Big Bear's best sporting goods store for 10+ years. Also the go-to for ski and snowboard rentals in winter.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Barrel 33 (Wine & Beer)
Wine and craft beer tasting room in The Village. Low-key, group-friendly, and easy to lose a couple hours in. Action Tour guests receive 20% off tastings.
The Village (Shopping & Exploring)
Pine Knot Ave's walkable strip of boutiques, galleries, and local shops. The starting point for most of what you'll do in Big Bear.
EVENING / DINNER & THE HOT TUB
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For the first night, Tropicali is worth skipping the wait for. It's a Hawaiian-inspired poke and bowl spot that's been ranked the top restaurant in California on Yelp, and people who dismiss it because it sounds casual tend to regret it.
Go hungry. After dinner, head back to the cabin. If you booked a place with a hot tub, this is when it pays off.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Tropicali (Dining)
Hawaiian and island-inspired bowls, poke, and smoothies. Casual spot with a big outdoor patio and lake views. Yelp's #1 poke restaurant in America. Do not sleep on this one.
Big Bear Dining Guide (Dining)
Full directory of restaurants, bars, and cafes from Visit Big Bear. Filter by location, cuisine, and atmosphere.
Stargazing (Evening)
Big Bear's elevation and low light pollution make for genuinely good skies. Holcomb Valley Road and Cougar Crest Trailhead are the best spots.
ALTERNATE OPTIONS / DAY 1
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Rainy Weather
Skip the outdoor stroll and head to an escape room, or pick up groceries and cook in the cabin. Most rentals have full kitchens.
Budget-Friendly
Self-cater the first evening and save your dining budget for Day 2. Tropicali is very reasonably priced if you do go out.
Bringing Pets
Big Bear is dog-friendly. Filter for pet-friendly cabins on BigBear.com, and check the dog-friendly trails guide before heading out.
Traveling with Kids
Swap the tasting room for the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain or the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, both near The Village and great for mixed-age groups.
DAY 2 / On the Water, Up the Mountain
MORNING / COFFEE & OUT ON THE LAKE
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Start at Moonridge Coffee Co. before anything else. It's a locals-loved cafe near Bear Mountain with indoor and patio seating, good espresso, and food worth eating before a full day out. Then head to the lake.
Renting a boat from Holloway's Marina is one of the better ways to spend a morning in Big Bear regardless of season.
The staff is easy to work with, the process is straightforward, and being on the water is a different experience from looking at it from shore.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Moonridge Coffee Co. (Coffee & Breakfast)
Specialty espresso, breakfast burritos, bagel sandwiches, and pastries. Pet-friendly patio, cozy interior, and a genuinely good start to any day. Near Bear Mountain on Moonridge Rd.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Holloway's Marina (Boat Rental)
Two lakefront locations. Pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and fishing gear. Easy to book, good staff, and the lake looks completely different from the water. Reserve ahead on weekends.
Lake Activity Guide
Full guide to water activities including guided tours, the Miss Liberty Paddlewheel, jet skiing, and paddleboard rentals from Visit Big Bear.
AFTERNOON / MOUNTAIN VIEWS OR SPA
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In summer, take the Sky Chair at Big Bear Mountain Resort up for a panoramic look at the valley. It's a genuinely different perspective and worth the detour. In winter, this becomes ski and snowboard time on Snow Summit or Bear Mountain. If the group would rather decompress than go back outdoors, Indigo Mountain Wellness Center is Big Bear's full-service spa. Hot stone massages, facials, and holistic treatments. Book ahead.
Summer tip: Check the Big Bear Mountain Resort website for Sky Chair operating days before you go. It runs on a seasonal schedule and is worth confirming in advance.
EDITOR'S PICK] Big Bear Mountain Resort (Mountain Resort)
Summer: Sky Chair for panoramic views of the lake and valley. Winter: Snow Summit and Bear Mountain with 62 runs across 748 acres. Both seasons are worth the trip up.
[EDITOR'S PICK] Indigo Mountain Wellness Center (Wellness & Spa)
Full-service day spa with massages, facials, and holistic treatments. A proper spa experience in the mountains. Book appointments before you arrive, especially on weekends.
Wellness Guide
Full directory of spas, yoga, and wellness services in Big Bear from Visit Big Bear. Includes Spa-Tique by Margo and other Village-area options.
EVENING / PIZZA, FIRE PITS & LIVE MUSIC
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De La Nonna is at Hotel Marina Riviera on the lake. Focaccia-style pizza, good cocktails, natural wine, and an open-air deck with fire pits and actual water views. It's a solid two-hour dinner that doesn't feel rushed.
After, head into The Village for 572 Social Kitchen and Lounge. Live music most nights, 24 draft beers, strong cocktails, and an outdoor fire pit. It tends to get lively later in the evening, which is exactly the point.
EDITOR'S PICK] De La Nonna (Dining)
Sicilian-style focaccia pizza, small plates, craft cocktails, and natural wine. Lakefront patio with fire pits and heaters. One of the best new restaurants in Big Bear.
[EDITOR'S PICK] 572 Social Kitchen & Lounge (Bar & Live Music)
Village bar with live music most weekends, 24 taps, creative cocktails, and a good outdoor fire pit setup. Ranked #4 overall in Big Bear on Tripadvisor. Dog-friendly patio.
Big Bear Events Calendar
Check what's happening during your visit. Oktoberfest, live music events, art shows, and seasonal festivals run year-round.
ALTERNATE OPTIONS / DAY 2
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Winter Visit
Swap the boat for the slopes. De La Nonna and 572 Social are both year-round, so the evening stays the same. Goldsmith's Sports handles ski and snowboard rentals.
Rainy Afternoon
Skip the Sky Chair and go straight to the spa or into The Village. Browse, grab a drink at Barrel 33, and save the mountain for a clearer day.
Budget-Friendly
Hike Woodland Trail or Cougar Crest instead of renting the boat. Both are free, scenic, and worth the effort. Picnic lakeside after.
Dog-Friendly
572 Social has a dog-friendly patio. Check the dog-friendly guide for trail rules and other pet-welcome spots:
DAY 3 / Slow Morning & Drive Home
MORNING / BEFORE YOU GO
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Check-out is usually 11am, which leaves just enough time for a proper slow morning. Take one last walk to the water, pack up without rushing, and stop somewhere for coffee and food before the drive down. The Big Bear Lake Visitor Center on Big Bear Blvd is worth a quick stop if anyone wants to pick up Care for Big Bear gear or grab a copy of the official Big Bear magazine before heading home.
Before you go: Subscribe to Visit Big Bear's weekly newsletter for seasonal lodging deals, event announcements, and road condition updates before your next trip up.
Sunday Brunch & Cafes
Browse the full Visit Big Bear dining directory for morning options.
Visit Big Bear Visitor Center
40824 Big Bear Blvd. Official magazine, trail maps, Care for Big Bear merch, and local staff with firsthand recommendations.
Care for Big Bear
Big Bear's responsible tourism campaign. Worth knowing about before you visit and supporting when you leave.
READY TO BOOK?
Browse lodging, check availability, and build your itinerary on the official Big Bear travel guide.