Big Bear Lake, California
Big Bear Lake is a city of 5,041 people in San Bernardino County, California.
Why visit Big Bear Lake
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 73 places to eat, 29 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Big Bear Alpine Zoo, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain Golf Course and Big Bear Snow Play.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; December lows average 24°F, and about 59 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Big Bear Lake
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States, located in the San Bernardino Mountains along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. The city is about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of the city of San Bernardino, and immediately west of the unincorporated town of Big Bear City. The population was approximately 5,046 at the 2020 census. However, as a popular year-round resort destination, the actual number of people staying in or visiting the greater Big Bear Valley area regularly surges to over 100,000 during many weekends of the year.
From the Wikipedia article Big Bear Lake, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Big Bear Alpine Zoo
Zoo and aquarium · 1.5 mi
Zoo in Big Bear Lake, California, United States
747 Club View Drive, Big Bear Lake
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Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
Halloway's Marina and RV Park
Marina and boat launch · 2.5 mi
398 Edgemoor Road, Big Bear Lake
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes73
Captains Anchorage
Restaurant · Seafood, Steak House · 0.7 mi
42148 Moonridge Way, Big Bear Lake
Su-Th 16:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 16:30-22:00
Himalayan Restaurant
Restaurant · Nepalese, Indian · 1.0 mi
672 Pine Knot Avenue, Big Bear Lake
Su-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa 11:00-22:00
Maggio's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.8 mi
42160 Big Bear Boulevard
Mo-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-20:00
Moonridge Coffee Company
Cafe · American, Breakfast, Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
42646 Moonridge Road, Big Bear Lake
Su-Th 07:00-15:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-18:00
Mountain Munchies
Restaurant · Sandwich · 0.9 mi
42171 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake
Mo-Sa 08:00-19:00; Su 08:00-17:00
572 Social Kitchen & Lounge
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
572 Pine Knot Avenue, Big Bear Lake
Su 12:00-21:30; Mo-Th 11:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
Azteca Grill Mexican Restaurant & Cantina
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.8 mi
Mo-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00
Big Bear Coffee Roasting Company
Cafe · 0.7 mi
41080 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake
Mo-Fr 09:00-16:00; We off; Th off; Sa,Su 08:00-16:00
Big Bear Lake Brewing Company
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
40827 Stone Road, Big Bear Lake
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-24:00; Sa 00:00-02:00,11:00-24:00; Su...
Big Bear Mountain Brewery
Bar and pub · 1.7 mi
40260 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake
Mo-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 06:00-19:00
61 more on the map.
History
Big Bear Lake was inhabited by the indigenous Serrano people for over 2,000 years before it was explored by Benjamin Wilson and his party. Once populated by only the natives and the grizzly bears, from which the area received its name, the population of the Big Bear Valley grew rapidly during the Southern California gold rush from 1861 to 1912. Grizzly bears were not found in the region after 1908. Black bears have been in the region since their introduction in 1933, and they are sometimes sighted in residential areas.
A trip to Big Bear Lake from San Bernardino took two days on horse-drawn coaches. Kirk Phillips was a local who took a trip to New York City and saw the world's first bus line. This inspired him to create the world's second bus line from San Bernardino to Big Bear Valley using white trucks with several rows of seats. This made it possible for the villages to grow and for Big Bear Lake to become the first mountain recreation area in Southern California.
From the History section of Big Bear Lake, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay29
Churches and places of worship3
Spirit Of Peace Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.7 mi
42324 North Shore Drive, Big Bear Lake
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.7 mi
42242 North Shore Drive, Big Bear Lake
Shopping33
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Big Bear Lake Middle School
School · 0.4 mi
41275 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake
Healthcare3
Map of Big Bear Lake
181 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 24°F | 4.5 in | 13.4 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 4.4 in | 14.3 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 27°F | 2.4 in | 11.7 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 31°F | 0.8 in | 3.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 37°F | 0.4 in | 0.6 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 44°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 50°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 44°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 35°F | 0.8 in | 1.2 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 24°F | 3.3 in | 11.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Big Bear Lake (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
San Bernardino County has had 40 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-09-11: Bridge Fire (Fire)
- 2024-09-07: Line Fire (Fire)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-26: Blue Ridge Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Big Bear City Airport (RBF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Big Bear City 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Lake Arrowhead 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Yucaipa 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Highland 18 mi southwest, about 29 min by car
- Calimesa 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Redlands 21 mi southwest, about 33 min by car
- Banning 21 mi south, about 33 min by car
- San Bernardino 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Beaumont 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Hesperia 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Big Bear Valley, California, jcookfisher, CC BY 2.0
- Big Bear Lake, CA, USA - panoramio (3), Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear Lake, CA, USA - panoramio (4), Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear Lake, CA, USA - panoramio (2), Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear Lake, CA, USA - panoramio, Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear Lake, CA, USA - panoramio (1), Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear Lake from United 41 (7177773028), InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Snow Summit Ski Resort, Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bear Mountain, Big Bear Lake, http://www.bearmountain.com/snowboard/mountain-info/mountain-facts/, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Big Bear California 07, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Bear California 01, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Bear, CA (15455175483), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- Big Bear, CA (16072905311), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- (1 in a 6-picture set) (5808792041), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sadie, Adam, and Dana Fischer playing Magic, Adam Fischer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First time snow tubing (15888722459), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- A walk in the Woods (19869971545), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- First time in the snow (15889070477), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- A walk in the street (19766643380), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- The Agony of Parental Guidance. (22346040841), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- Family Snow Day (16072904421), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- Look, no hands! (15455171833), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- Family Snow Day (15452502604), Ian D. Keating, CC BY 2.0
- Big Bear California 08, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View from B's Backyard BBQ - panoramio, Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Mr B's Ballroom and Barbecue - panoramio, Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0
- Big Bear California 02, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Bear California 03, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Casey climbing (Unsplash), Tommy Lisbin tlisbin, CC0
- Chalets on a wooded slope (Unsplash), Adam Gil adamcgil, CC0
- Heading Home From Big Bear, Jay West, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Winter cabin in California (Unsplash LPS zk5MsqA), YUNXI SHI yunxishi, CC0
- Frost on branches (Unsplash), Clarisse Meyer clarissemeyer, CC0
- Big Bear California 05, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Bear California 04, WendyAvilesR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Bear, CA (5279608362) (2), John Murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Symphyotrichum frondosum 4692030, Jesse Rorabaugh, CC0
- Symphyotrichum frondosum 4692028, Jesse Rorabaugh, CC0
- Symphyotrichum frondosum 4692025, Jesse Rorabaugh, CC0
- Symphyotrichum frondosum 4692034, Jesse Rorabaugh, CC0
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