Big Bear Lake, California: The Mountain Getaway That's Technically a Reservoir in a Flannel Shirt

So you're thinking about a trip to Big Bear Lake, California. Good. Everyone in Southern California is thinking the same thing, which is why you'll spend part of the weekend in traffic on Highway 18, reconsidering your life choices alongside 40,000 strangers in matching puffer jackets.

We love this place, and we're going to be mean about it anyway.

The Lake That Started as a Plumbing Project

Here's the fun fact that the tourism board puts in 8-point font: Big Bear Lake isn't a natural lake. Wikipedia describes it as a reservoir with a surface elevation of 6,743 ft. The original dam went up in 1884 to supply water to the orange groves down in Redlands, and the current dam replaced it in 1911. Your serene alpine escape is a very pretty irrigation tank.

The naming story is a little darker. Benjamin Wilson dubbed the grassy expanse "Bear Valley" after the grizzlies his hunting party found there. Then unregulated hunting of grizzly bear in the San Bernardinos took a heavy toll, and the local grizzlies were gone. The town then named roughly every business, trail, and fudge flavor after bears. It's the most California thing imaginable: wipe out the species, then trademark it.

The lake itself is still impressive. It's reachable by three scenic highways (330, 38, and 18), all of which will be full of rental SUVs on a holiday weekend.

The Village: Where "Roughing It" Means Salt Water Taffy

Let's talk about The Village, the pedestrian-friendly shopping district where Angelenos come to experience "rustic mountain living" by purchasing fudge and a sweatshirt featuring a cartoon bear. You drove roughly 100 miles to escape the city and ended up in a walkable outdoor mall with parking disputes. It's wilderness-adjacent. The wilderness is real. It's mostly there as a backdrop for your Instagram.

In fairness, the outdoors here are legitimately excellent. Big Bear Lake became a mountain recreation area in Southern California, and the skiing delivers. Snow Summit and its sister resort Bear Mountain operate under the same management. So the lake built for oranges now sits beside the slopes that make your snow. It's a very hardworking puddle.

The town also hosts an Oktoberfest. Nothing says German heritage like drinking a lager at nearly 7,000 feet and wondering why one beer feels like three.

For the record, the "city" of Big Bear Lake is small. The 2020 Census counted about 5,046 residents. On a busy weekend, the visitors outnumber the residents by a margin that would make a hostage negotiator nervous.

Jackie, Shadow, and the Most Beloved Residents in San Bernardino County

The real celebrities of Big Bear Lake have feathers. Jackie and Shadow gained their online following after Friends of Big Bear Valley set up a webcam in 2012, and the nest has since become a worldwide obsession, with a livestream audience on every continent and more public goodwill than anyone who has ever held local office.

The roast joke was that the whole town waits by the webcam for eggs like it's a royal pregnancy. That's accurate, and every season is a soap opera. People weep at their laptops over a bird nest high up a Jeffrey pine, and no one feels silly about it.

Be kind to the wildlife and to the locals who love them. The nest cam goes on.

Eat Like a Lumberjack (and Wait Like a Commuter)

Now, food. Breakfast in Big Bear is a contact sport. Grizzly Manor Cafe serves big plates, which at least makes the restaurant honest. Every pancake is treated like a Michelin-starred event, and the pinnacle of alpine dining is a gigantic pile of eggs, plus a long wait alongside the rest of Riverside.

Our advice: show up early, bring snacks for the wait, and accept that you'll order the huge thing. It's a mountain town. Calories are insulation.

The Verdict

Big Bear Lake, California is a manufactured lake with a stolen bear identity, a shopping district dressed as a cabin, and a pair of eagles who out-polled every politician in the county. It's also gorgeous, charming, and one of the best mountain escapes within driving distance of Los Angeles. Go for the snow, the lake, the hiking, and the absurdly good breakfast. Just don't expect to park.

Think we were too nice? See the full roast on RoastMyTown.com.