Things to Do in Big Bear (besides skiing & snowboarding)

Last holiday season, we decided to have a winter getaway in Big Bear. Because we brought our dog Bucky (and we also do not know how to ski or snowboard - we made an itinerary that is dog-friendly and focuses more on other unique spots in Big Bear apart from BBMR). We were also glad that we decided to do it that way because the resorts were so packed (yes, even during the pandemic).

We drove up on a Friday morning and got there around 2pm. We checked-in at our Airbnb, and let me tell you, this is probably one of the best cabins that we've stayed at! This is why it was worth staying in - check out these photos I've taken of the cabin.

After we got settled in, we started exploring The Village district of Big Bear. It's basically a cute little town center where there are a lot of shops and restaurants. We took photos at the gigantic Christmas tree and strolled around.

One of my colleagues suggested that we try out Gaby's Latin Flavors. Unfortunately, they were closed, so we picked up some groceries from Vons instead and had our own wine and steak night in the cabin. After dinner, we started the fireplace and watched Disney movies.

The next morning, we made chocolate chip pancakes and started our day. In Big Bear, it's a law to show an Identification Card to a resident, so we got lucky that our host owns a donut shop called Dank Donuts so we headed down there and got our free donut after showing my ID card :)

We then headed to the South Shore and went hiking on Pine Knot Trail. It was very slippery because of the heavy snow the week before. After hiking, we drove around Big Bear Lake and checked out Fawnskin and Minnelusa. This was actually a very scenic drive with a beautiful view of the lake and the mountains in the background.

We got hungry and had lunch at Tropicali. They had a huge outdoor seating area so we decided to eat there. When you visit, their Smokinbowls are a must try! We tried the Rasta and Baja bowls, they were amazing!

After our late lunch, we checked out Boulder Bay Park. We got tired from our hike earlier in the morning so we headed back to our Airbnb and had a mini siesta. It was a much needed rest. We make it to a point to not exhaust ourselves when we travel because we just want to feel relaxed. We believe that trips are meant to be enjoyable and relaxing, not stressful.

An hour before sunset, we drove to the Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk & Wildlife Preserve to watch the sunset.

For dinner, we stayed in and grilled some Filipino style BBQ skewers. We continued watching Disney movies after dinner while enjoying hot chocolate.

The next morning, we got ready to leave and checked out. We had breakfast at the Old German Deli (again, recommended by the same colleague who used to live in Big Bear). This time, it was open! We even showed a photo of my colleague to the owners and they actually remembered him! The food was AMAZING!!! It was probably the best sandwich I've ever had.

Before heading back to San Diego, we stopped by Dam Keepers House and I'm so glad that we did because it gave us an amazing view of Big Bear Lake. Make sure you don't go inside the structure because it's a historical site! We stayed around the outside of the structure to take photos and enjoy the view.

Our trip to Big Bear was not meant to be adventurous and full of activities. All we wanted to do was have a change of scenery from the busy city life and take a break from work. We're happy to see we did just that. When we got home, we didn't even feel tired, we actually felt rejuvenated and ready to tackle the upcoming week!

Here is our itinerary for this trip:

December 2, 2020

12:30 - 3:30 PM - Drive to Big Bear

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM - Check out Big Bear Village

4:00 PM - Check-in AirBnb

7:00 PM - Dinner in the cabin (to go food from Gaby's Latin Flavors)

8:00 PM - Chill and Movie Night

December 3, 2020

10:00 AM - Breakfast

11:00 AM - Check-in at Dank Donuts

12:00 PM - Hiking at Pine Knot Trail, Boulder Bay Park

1:00 PM - Lunch at Tropicali

5:00 PM Check-out Sunset Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk & Wildlife Preserve

6:00 PM Head Back to AirBnb and BBQ

8:00 PM Movie Night

December 4, 2020

8:30 AM Breakfast

10:00 AM Get Ready to check-out

12:00 NN Old German Deli

1:00 PM Dam Keepers House

1:00 PM Leave Big Bear

4:00 PM Arrive in San Diego