Have I got a great getaway recommendation for you!  Want to get away.......well, how about a place where you can get to in less than two hours.......where the air is so clean and clear that you can’t even see it......where you can really relax (no not a public relations sound bite) really.  If you vote for all of the above, then  enjoy Big Bear Lake----they will even pay for your gas to get there and return home (see offer in this article).

Big Bear Lake is seven miles long and a mile wide at its widest point and, at an elevation of about 7,000 ft., you now understand why the air is very, very clean.  Less than 100 miles from West Los Angeles, it is an easy two hour drive.  Big Bear in the winter is a ski wonderland offering 55 runs, 27 lifts, 150 jumps and much more---but that’s for another story late this fall.  During the summer, however, scenic Big Bear has much to offer for those who want a spur-of-the-moment getaway.  Activities include hiking, horseback riding, golfing, fishing, mountain biking, or just plain basking in the clean mountain air.

“Not to Miss” Things to Do

•  A wild ride on unpaved terrain called “Big Bear Off Road Adventures” offers a jeep tour packed with local history and plenty of excitement.  Better than any Disney “E” ticket adventure, Jim Lyon, the tour guide, begins this trip by telling the passengers, “At least at Disney, you know you are going to get back.”  Think of this tour as a Big Bear safari.  Jim points out historic sites such as Wilber’s Grave (today, well over 100 years later, visitors still leave gifts on his burial site), reminisces  about Two Gun Bill’s Saloon, as well as the Hangman’s Tree where so many were hung that the tree actually died.  From 1860 to about 1875 the area swarmed with prospectors. It was Southern California’s largest gold rush, and it was a wild, wild place filled with “rich” history.  For information, call (909) 585-1036.

•  If “off road” adventures are not for you, and you would like the scenic view of the lake, catch the Big Bear Queen.  This tranquil tour on this boat takes about one and a half hours.  It  highlights the history of the lake from 1845 to the present and includes sights along the waters edge like the Solar Observatory, Garstin Island, and celebrity homes.  Make reservations by calling (909) 866-3218.

•  Fishing ---- Big Bear Lake is planted with about 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout every two weeks.  At about 200,000 pounds a year, you are bound to catch a few of these tasty morsels.  Big Bear Lake has both largemouth and small mouth bass, catfish, crappie, pumpkinseed and bluegill.  As they say, “Why travel five or six hours to the Sierras when you can get the same quality of trout fishing here in Big Bear Lake?”  For questions or additional information, call Curt Dills (Fishing with Fish Big Bear Charter Service) at (909) 635-7501.

•  A visit to Moonridge Animal Park makes for great family fun.  Open weekends year-round and daily throughout the summer, the 11-acre park serves as temporary quarters for orphaned and injured wildlife until they can be returned to their natural habitat.  Permanent “residents” include a family of Grizzly bears, bobcats, wolves, mountain lion and snow leopard, as well as dozens of smaller animals, such as coyotes, foxes, eagles and other birds.  A pair of bison, reflecting the ancient wildlife of the region, also lives at the park.  Both guided and self-guided tours are available and provide an excellent first-hand look into mountain wildlife and the delicate balance of nature.

 

Places to Stay

Accommodations in Big Bear Lake range from affordable to first-class and include lodges, full-service hotels, bed & breakfast inns, condominiums, cabins and private home rentals.  Lakeside RV and motor home parks and Forest Service camping areas are also found in Big Bear Valley.

We stayed at Gold Mountain Manor Bed and Breakfast where owner Cathy Weil treated her guests as family rather than just paying customers.  You fall in love with the manor, the staff and Cathy as soon as you are introduced.   Starting the day with one of her breakfasts adds to the delight of your getaway.  All of her breakfast items are made from scratch (even the yogurt which is a well-guarded secret).  The French toast croissants we had one day were stuffed with cheese and fruits---just the breakfast dishes alone entices her guests to return.

The history of Gold Mountain Manor is also interesting.  In the early part of the last century, entrepreneur Harry Kiener hired Guy Sherman Maltby, contractor and owner of the Bear Valley Milling and Lumber Company to build the Peter Pan Woodland Club, a log and stone lodge equipped with the finest amenities the roaring twenties could offer:  a full movie theater, ballroom, banquet room, five gigantic fireplaces; and beautiful guest rooms.  At the end of the 20’s, Malby built his largest home, Gold Mountain Manor, a private mansion for Alexander Buchanan Barret, a wealthy Los Angeles movie investor, and his bride, Bessie.  When it was finished, the mansion was even more beautiful than the Lodge.  Set in a forest of pine trees, the house was three stories high, home to nine bedrooms, eight fireplaces, a wine cellar, a billiard room, chauffeur’s quarters, and three deluxe stables.  Gold Mountain Manor remains the same today, except the chauffeur’s quarters and the stables were remodeled for additional bedroom space. 

Today there are seven guest rooms individually decorated with antiques and vintage touches.  All have private bath, queen size bed with down comforters and fireplaces.  A stay at Gold Mountain Manor includes a gourmet breakfast, afternoon hors d’oeuvres and wine on weekends, and fresh baked treats. 

Celebrities from the past and through the present have stayed at Gold Mountain Manor.  Clark Gable and Carole Lombard enjoyed their honeymoon in one of the rooms. Legend holds that the couple stocked their room full of firewood and never left their room.  Present day celebrity, Molly Sims (“Las Vegas”), was asked in People magazine (June 2, 2008), “What’s Your Favorite Getaway?”  Her answer:  “I love going to Big Bear in California and staying in this little cottage called Gold Mountain Manor.  You can stay in a bed called the Thunder Bed, made of this tree that came down in a bad storm.”

You don’t have to be a celebrity, however, to have the same great experience.  Rates are affordable and reasonable, ranging from $129 to $299 depending on the room and day of the week.  Gold Mountain Manor is a full meeting planning facility and has accommodations for up to 19 (single occupancy) in the manor and guest homes.  For information, call (800) 509-2604 or visit their Web site at

www.goldmountainmanor.com

 

Now About That Gas Offer!

Now that gas prices continue to sky rocket, vacation planners will seek gas-saving alternatives.  This year for the first time Big Bear Lake Resort Association (BBLRA) offers a free $100 gas card for guests booking five or more nights at a participating lodge, or a free $50 gas card for guests booking a three or four nights stay at a participating lodge.

BBLRA will also offer its standard complimentary $25 gas card for guests staying one or two nights at a participating lodge.  The free gas offer for $25, $50 and $100 gas cards began April 20 and ends Nov. 23, 2008 (non-holiday).  Minimum night stays vary per lodge and other restrictions apply.  The free gas card promotion must be mentioned at the time of booking.  A $25, $50 and $100 Arco Gas Card, redeemable at participating Arco gas stations, will be given to the guest at check-in.  Limit one gas card per reservation.  The offer may not be used in combination with any other offer.  To get details on the “Tank Away” gas card special, log onto www.bigbear.com or call 1-800-424-4232.

 

Calendar Event Schedule

The following are some upcoming events happening in Big Bear:

•  August 23-24  Antique Wood Boat Show at B’s Backyard Barbeque

•  August 23-24  Native American Arts Festival at the Moonridge Animal Park

•  Sept. 11-14  The Big Bear Lake International Film Festival

•  Sept. 13-14, 20-21, 27-28  Oktoberfest at the Convention Center

•  Sept. 18-21  Big Bear Cowboy Gathering at the PAC

 •  Oct. 4-5, 11-12-18-19-25-26  Oktoberfest at the Convention Center

 

For additional events at Big Bear Lake, visit the Event Resource Office at www.eventsinbigbear.com or call (909) 866-2638.  For general information, contact the Big Bear Lake Resort Association at www.bigbear.com

For a final note, Big Bear Lake is renowned for being a destination for its gourmet food and home-style cooking.  See this month’s restaurant review for just a taste of what Big Bear has to offer in dining.

Enjoy Big Bear Lake---whether it be in winter or summer, you will not be disappointed---it’s worth the drive in itself.