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Major city · United States

Big Bear Lake

Give it 2 nights if you ski or hike, 1 if you just want the lake: it sits at 2,058 m, 2.5–3 h by car from Los Angeles.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep for the lake and trails; Dec–Mar for snow
avoid Jul–Aug weekends (crowds and heat at the base of the mountain); winter storm days if you lack chains
Airports
ONT · PSP · RBF
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Big Bear Lake is a small mountain town in the San Bernardino National Forest, about 2.5–3 h by car from Los Angeles and 1.5 h from San Bernardino. Two ski resorts, an 11 km lake and a walkable Village make it a weekend base. Winter means snow and chains; summer means heat at lower elevations and cool air up here. A car is close to essential.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Big Bear Lake, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealDinner main, sit-down$18–35
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast plate$12–20
  • BeerDraught beer$7–10
  • Budget bedVacation cabin (up to 6), a night, per roomUS$250
  • Mid-range bedMotel or lodge double room, a night, per roomUS$190
  • High-end bedMotel or lodge double room, a night, per roomUS$350

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Big Bear Lake (the lake itself)Bear Mountain and Snow Summit skiingBig Bear VillageSan Bernardino National Forest trails
Airports
ONT LA/Ontario International (Nearest large airport; about 1.5–2 h by car via Hwy 330 or 38.) · PSP Palm Springs International (About 2–2.5 h by car via Hwy 247 and Hwy 18.) · RBF Big Bear City Airport (General aviation only, on the east end of the lake; car rentals available.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Big Bear Lake: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

−5°C

6 rd

Feb

8°C

−5°C

6 rd

Mar

11°C

−3°C

5 rd

Apr

14°C

−1°C

3 rd

May

19°C

3°C

2 rd

Jun

24°C

6°C

1 rd

Jul

27°C

10°C

1 rd

Aug

26°C

10°C

1 rd

Sep

23°C

7°C

1 rd

Oct

17°C

1°C

2 rd

Nov

12°C

−3°C

3 rd

Dec

8°C

−5°C

5 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: the Village, both ski resorts and the trailheads are 5–20 min apart. Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority (MARTA) runs local buses plus off-the-mountain services; check current routes and times. Parking inside city limits needs no permit; parking in surrounding national forest land needs an Adventure Pass, sold at the Big Bear Discovery Center and sporting-goods stores in town.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Lake Arrowhead

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Hwy 18 down the mountain, about 45 min

Smaller lake village; pair it with a stop in Running Springs.

San Bernardinocaution

Door to door: About 1.25 h

Hwy 330 or Hwy 18 down, about 1 h

Mostly a supply and rail stop; the drive down is the point.

Barstowcaution

Door to door: About 1.75 h

Hwy 18 north via Lucerne Valley, then I-15, about 1.5 h

Route 66 stopover; limited services on Hwy 247.

Upland

skip

Door to door: About 1.75 h

Hwy 330 to Hwy 210 west, about 1.5 h

Suburban Inland Empire; no reason to day-trip from the mountain.

Baker, California

skip

Door to door: About 2.75 h

Hwy 18 to I-15 north, about 2.5 h

Too far for a day; only useful on a desert route.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Big Bear Village

Walkable restaurants and shops; Holiday Inn Resort and lodges at the edge of the Village. Best without a car in the evening.

Moonridge

Closest to Bear Mountain; Best Western Chateau and cabins. Quiet, needs a car.

Big Bear Blvd (Hwy 18) corridor

Motels, board shops and rentals along the main road; cheapest beds, drive to everything.

Fawnskin / North Shore

Cabins and the Discovery Center side; quieter, 15–20 min drive from the Village.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–150 excl. bed
Mid
$150–260 excl. bed
High
$260+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or lodge double room1 × 2 nights × US$190US$380
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$160US$640
Rental car, one day1 × US$60US$60
Adventure Pass, one vehicle, one day1 × US$5US$5
Lift ticket, one day2 × US$130 · Book online ahead.US$260
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$138
Trip total≈ US$378 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,513

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices before sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Breakfast plate$12–20
Pizza, one large$20–30
Dinner main, sit-down$18–35
Draught beer$7–10
Gas, per gallon (mountain stations run high)$4.50–6.00
Adventure Pass, one vehicle, one day$5

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A low-crime resort town; the real risks are mountain driving in snow, altitude, and wildfire season. Carry chains in winter and check road and fire conditions before you climb.
  • Winter storms: carry chains and check road conditions before climbing from the valley; do not attempt the drive in heavy snow without them.
  • Altitude: the town sits near 2,058 m. Drink water, take the first day easy, and watch for headaches.
  • Wildfire risk is real in dry summer and autumn months; check fire restrictions and evacuation notices.
  • Forest parking without an Adventure Pass can be ticketed.
  • Weekend holiday traffic on Hwy 330 and Hwy 18 backs up; leave early or late.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Big Bear LakeBig Bear Lake

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in town; nearest consulates-general are in Los Angeles. US visitors: your embassy is in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • ONT airport → Big Bear Lake by car: about 1.5–2 h, 110 km
  • MARTA local bus, single ride: check current fare and routes
  • Adventure Pass, one vehicle, one day: $5

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Do I need chains today? — Do I need chains today?
  • Is the road open? — Is the road open?

Ski and snow-play rentals are cheaper in town than at the resorts.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Big Bear Lake. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for the lake and trails; Dec–Mar for snow · avoid Jul–Aug weekends (crowds and heat at the base of the mountain); winter storm days if you lack chains · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ONT and PSP: rental-car pickup hours, last realistic mountain arrival, chain-rental fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with anchors: the Village, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain, North Shore and the Discovery Center.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Discovery Center, Alpine Slide, both resorts) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and wildfire fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources