Snow on the agenda
A resort day + an early hot-tub soakBook the correct mountain base, plan the winter drive, and save time to warm up at Sierra Chalet.
Big Bear Lake Travel Guide: Things to Do, Dining & Local Areas
Celebrity Vacation Homes · 03 / Mountains
Big Bear Lake Travel GuideFresh air.
Full cabin mode.
Go out for the lake, the trails, or the next run down the mountain. Come home for deck time, a hot-tub soak, and one more game of ping-pong.
A few ways to spend the day
Choose the season. Keep the cabin.
Lake-day energy
Water time + a deck dinnerChoose a marina outing when conditions allow, then bring the evening back to the forest decks.
A little of everything
Trail time + The Village + a rematchChoose an open trail, stop for a meal, and settle the ping-pong score back at the chalet.
01 / Get out + explore
Big outside.
Good reasons to go.
Pick the outing for your season and the conditions. The lake, resort bases, and north shore each offer a different day.
Winter · Skiing + snowboarding
Bear Mountain
Build a snow day around the terrain and activities operating for your dates. Sierra Chalet is in the nearby Moonridge area.
This is a separate base from Snow Summit. Confirm lessons and pickup locations.
Plan your visit ↗Winter sports · Seasonal summer recreation
Snow Summit
A separate resort destination for winter runs and, seasonally, mountain biking and scenic lift rides.
Check the current mountain report and activity calendar.
Plan your visit ↗Moonridge · Wildlife rehabilitation
Big Bear Alpine Zoo
Make time for the animals and the zoo’s rehabilitation story during a Moonridge outing.
Check opening hours and admission for your dates.
Plan your visit ↗North shore · Walking + cycling
Alpine Pedal Path
Choose this paved lakeside route when you want a change of scenery away from the resort bases.
Check surface conditions; pavement can still be snowy or icy.
Plan your visit ↗Restaurants · Shops · A slower afternoon
The Village
Wander the commercial area around Pine Knot Avenue and Village Drive, with time for a meal and a few shop stops.
Check posted parking signs and individual business hours.
Plan your visit ↗North shore · Forest information
Big Bear Discovery Center
Start with local recreation information, then plan a forest outing that fits your time and the conditions.
Check opening days and scheduled interpretive programs.
Plan your visit ↗Seasonal · Boating + paddling
Big Bear Lake + marinas
Build a lake day around a boat rental or paddling session, with the operator helping you plan the details.
Availability depends on season, weather, equipment, and launch requirements.
Plan your visit ↗02 / At the table
Mountain appetite?
We’ve got ideas.
A curated shortlist for breakfast, a picnic stop, or a proper sit-down dinner. Use the restaurant links for current menus and reservations.
The Village · Dinner
Peppercorn Grille
Make a night of it
A sit-down dinner stop on Pine Knot Avenue. Its reservation page currently accepts parties of four or fewer.
Good to know: reserve ahead for your date.Restaurant details ↗Big Bear Boulevard · Breakfast
Grizzly Manor Cafe
Bring an appetite
A breakfast stop known for generous portions. Give the morning a little flexibility if there’s a wait.
Pair with: a day of mountain exploring.Restaurant details ↗The Village · Comfort food
Teddy Bear Restaurant
Save a little room for pie
Home-style meals and homemade pies, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and takeout listed by the restaurant.
Pair with: a Village wander.Restaurant details ↗The Village · Sandwiches + bagels
Amangela’s
The picnic-plan helper
Pick up a bagel or sandwich before an outing. The menu includes meat and vegetarian choices.
Pair with: an easy takeout lunch.Restaurant details ↗03 / Know the setting
Know your side
of the mountain.
The resort bases and lake shores are separate places. Compare the actual address and route, especially when snow or seasonal traffic changes the drive.
Sierra Chalet is in Moonridge near Bear Mountain. It is not ski-in/ski-out, and proximity to Bear Mountain does not put you at Snow Summit’s base.
Moonridge / Bear Mountain
The area around Bear Mountain and the Alpine Zoo, including hillside streets.
Plan around this: Check driveway slope, stairs, winter access, and the route to the correct resort base.
Snow Summit area
The area around a separate resort base on the south side of the valley.
Plan around this: Confirm your ticket, lesson, or rental location; proximity to one resort does not imply proximity to the other.
The Village / south shore
The Village concentrates restaurants and shops; other south-shore locations extend along the lake.
Plan around this: A south-shore address is not necessarily lakefront or walkable to The Village.
North shore / Fawnskin
The opposite side of the lake, with access to north-shore recreation.
Plan around this: Plan the road route around the lake to south-shore activities and verify current conditions.
04 / Come home to this
Keep an evening
for the chalet.
This part of the itinerary deserves more than whatever time is left over.
Moonridge · Near Bear Mountain
Sierra Chalet
Two forest decks. Lake and ski-area views from the upper deck. A private hot tub and ping-pong on the screened lower recreation deck. The mountain outing is only part of the story.
2 bedrooms · 2 bathsMaximum 4 guests at all timesPrivate hot tub
The evening plan: a soak before 10 p.m., then fireplace time indoors. Check-in is 3 p.m.; checkout is 10 a.m.
The useful little details
Know before you go.
Winter drive
AWD and 4WD vehicles still need to carry traction devices in chain-control areas. Follow posted requirements.
Get the details ↗Sierra parking
Up to three vehicles, no street parking, and a steep driveway. Use our arrival instructions for snow and ice conditions.
Get the details ↗Hot tub timing
Plan spa time for 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. City quiet hours prohibit spa and pool use from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Get the details ↗Your next stay
Find your season.
Make it Sierra.
A lake-and-mountain trip with a cabin worth coming home to. Ask us about Sierra Chalet for your dates.