🏔️ Plan a Trip
Big Bear with kids
Curated by Simir Shah
21 spots near Big Bear — add your zip or city to sort by what's closest to you
Big Bear Lake (Pine Knot Marina & boating)
Big Bear Lake
The 7-mile lake is the summer heart of town — rent a pontoon or kayak at Pine Knot Marina, fish for trout, or take the Miss Liberty paddlewheel cruise.
🗓️ Summer only (boating ~April–Nov)
Get directions →The Village at Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake
The walkable downtown along Pine Knot Ave — park once and wander candy shops, ice cream, an arcade and casual restaurants; festive with lights in winter.
🗓️ Year-round
Get directions →Time Bandit Pirate Ship
Big Bear Lake · Lake & water
A 1/3-scale Spanish galleon offering a 90-minute narrated lake cruise — a guaranteed hit with younger kids.
🗓️ Summer only (~April–Nov)
💵 ~$14 child
Get directions →Action Zipline Tours
Big Bear Lake · Adventure & rides
A guided forest zipline with nine progressively longer lines and a suspension bridge — check the minimum age/weight before booking younger kids.
🗓️ Year-round (weather permitting)
💵 Guided tour
Get directions →Mineshaft Coaster
Big Bear Lake · Adventure & rides
California's only mountain coaster — a ~1-mile gravity ride with corkscrews and tunnels where you control your own speed (height limits for solo riders).
🗓️ Year-round
💵 Per-ride ticket
Get directions →Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain
Big Bear Lake · Adventure & rides
Ride the chairlift up and steer a bobsled-style sled down a quarter-mile track, plus go-karts, mini-golf and a summer water slide.
🗓️ Year-round (water slide summer, tubing winter)
💵 Per-ride / ticket
Get directions →Grizzly Manor Cafe
Big Bear Lake
The town's famous tiny breakfast joint known for huge pancakes and omelets — expect a wait, and it closes at 2pm.
🗓️ Year-round (6am–2pm)
Get directions →Castle Rock Trail
Big Bear Lake
A short but steep ~2.7-mile round-trip to big granite outcrops with sweeping lake views — doable with school-age kids; watch footing near the rocks.
🗓️ Best snow-free months
Get directions →Grizzly Ridge Tube Park at Snow Summit
Big Bear Lake · Snow & winter
Snow Summit's tubing park uses a magic-carpet lift up to four 300-ft lanes — a great no-skills snow option.
🗓️ Year-round (snow tubing winter, dry tubing warmer months)
💵 Session pricing
Get directions →Big Bear Snow Play
Big Bear Lake · Snow & winter
Dedicated snow-tubing hill with a tow lift so you never trudge uphill; riders must be at least 36" tall, with little ones doubling up with an adult.
🗓️ Winter only (Nov–Easter)
💵 ~$50 per session
Get directions →Big Bear Mountain Resort — Snow Summit
Big Bear Lake · Snow & winter
The main family ski/snowboard hill in winter; in summer the Scenic Sky Chair, lift-served bike park and Basecamp (zip line, climbing) take over.
🗓️ Year-round (ski winter, Sky Chair & bike park summer)
💵 Lift tickets vary
Get directions →Woodland Interpretive Trail
Big Bear Lake
An easy ~1.5-mile interpretive loop with numbered nature markers — flat and stroller-tolerant, ideal for little legs and first hikes.
🗓️ Year-round
Get directions →Boulder Bay Park
Big Bear Lake
A lakeside picnic park among giant granite boulders with a fishing pier and gazebo — one of the easiest and most photogenic scenic stops in town.
🗓️ Year-round
Get directions →Captain John's Fawn Harbor & Marina
Big Bear Lake
A quieter north-shore, full-service marina good for renting a fishing boat or pontoon away from the busier south-shore docks.
🗓️ Summer only (~April–Nov)
Get directions →Big Bear Discovery Center
Fawnskin
A free Forest Service nature center on the north shore with kid-friendly wildlife exhibits, junior-ranger programs and trailheads — the best first stop.
🗓️ Year-round (Thu–Mon)
Get directions →Big Bear Alpine Zoo
Big Bear Lake · Animal & nature
A small rehabilitation zoo with bears, wolves, snow leopards and raptors — most animals are rescues, making it educational and very walkable for young kids.
🗓️ Year-round
💵 ~$12 adult / ~$9 kids
Get directions →Big Bear Mountain Resort — Bear Mountain
Big Bear Lake · Snow & winter
The freestyle/terrain-park mountain (jumps and jibs), on one ticket with Snow Summit — better for teens than little ones.
🗓️ Winter only
💵 Lift tickets vary
Get directions →Bluff Lake Reserve
Big Bear Lake
A quiet meadow-and-lake nature preserve with easy trails, summer wildflowers and dark night skies — a peaceful contrast to the busy lakefront.
🗓️ Summer only (access road snowed in winter)
Get directions →Onyx Summit Overlook (Stargazing)
Big Bear Lake
At ~8,400 ft, one of the highest points reachable by car in SoCal — a dark, still spot for stargazing (bring layers; it's cold after sunset).
🗓️ Year-round (Hwy 38 caution in snow)
Get directions →Lake Arrowhead Queen Paddlewheel Boat
Lake Arrowhead · Lake & water
A 50-minute narrated paddlewheel cruise pointing out celebrity lake homes and history — gentle enough for all ages.
🗓️ Year-round (reduced deep winter)
💵 Paid tour
Get directions →Lake Arrowhead Village
Lake Arrowhead
A lakeside outdoor shopping/dining village ~40 min from Big Bear — a good lower-key day trip with a beach-style waterfront and the Arrowhead Queen dock.
🗓️ Year-round
Get directions →A true four-season town
Big Bear is the inverse of the SoCal desert: when the deserts bake, Big Bear is cool and green, and when the coast is mild, Big Bear is buried in snow. That split defines every family trip. From roughly November through Easter it's a winter town — skiing and snowboarding at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, snow tubing at Big Bear Snow Play and Grizzly Ridge, and bobsledding down the Alpine Slide. From spring through October it flips to a lake town — pontoon boats and trout fishing, the Time Bandit pirate ship, lift-served mountain biking, and easy hikes. A handful of attractions (the Alpine Zoo, the Discovery Center, the Mineshaft Coaster, the Village) run year-round.
🚗 Getting there & the altitude
Big Bear sits about 2 hours from most of LA and Orange County, but the last stretch is a slow, winding mountain climb up Highway 18 or 330 — budget extra time, especially on summer weekends and any snow day. In winter, chain controls are common and sometimes mandatory; carry chains, check Caltrans conditions before you leave, and never assume the roads are clear just because it's sunny at home. The town sits at ~6,750 ft (Onyx Summit climbs past 8,000), so pack layers — mornings and nights are cold even in summer — plus sunscreen and water, since the thin air means stronger sun and faster dehydration.
Is Big Bear good for kids?
Yes — it's one of the most family-friendly weekend destinations in SoCal, and arguably the best for kids who want real snow without flying anywhere. The range of low-skill, high-fun activities (tubing, the pirate ship, the rescue zoo, the bobsled slide, a free nature center, a walkable village with candy shops) means even toddlers and grandparents have plenty to do, while teens get ziplines, terrain parks and the mountain coaster. The honest caveats: the winding (sometimes chain-controlled) drive, the altitude adjustment, weekend crowds and parking, and the seasonality — pick your activities to match the season, since the lake essentially closes in winter and snow play closes in summer.
Book Big Bear tours & tickets
Bookable via Viator · we may earn a commission (no extra cost to you)Lake tours, zip lines, and mountain adventures around Big Bear — booked through Viator.
Free cancellationZipline Tour - 9 high-speed ziplines & fun suspension bridge
Free cancellationBig Bear Jeep off-road tour with Hike to Bluff Lake Reserve
Free cancellationBig Bear Lake Jeep Tour with Light Lunch
Free cancellationFamily-Friendly Nature Hike around the Big Bear Valley
Free cancellationA Local's Favorite Hike in Big Bear with Lake Swimming Experience
Free cancellationBig Bear Lake Snow Play Adventure
Where to stay in Big Bear
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Big Bear on one map — then book on your favorite site.
More experiences via GetYourGuide · we may earn a commission (no extra cost to you)
Frequently asked questions
Is Big Bear better with kids in summer or winter?
Both seasons work, they're just different trips. Winter is for snow play, tubing, and skiing or snowboarding, but it comes with cold, crowds, and mountain-driving considerations. Summer and fall bring the lake, hiking, mini-golf, and the Alpine Slide with far mellower logistics and no chains. For younger kids, many families find the warm-weather visit the easier introduction.
Do you need chains to drive to Big Bear in winter?
Frequently, yes. When snow or ice hits the mountain highways, Caltrans posts chain requirements, and drivers are expected to carry chains through the winter season even on clear days. Under stricter restrictions even all-wheel-drive vehicles may need chains fitted. Check Caltrans road conditions before heading up, pack chains, and allow extra time when snow is in the forecast.
What can families do at Big Bear Lake?
In the warmer months the lake is the centerpiece: families rent pontoon boats or kayaks, try fishing, or take a narrated lake tour, and the shoreline has swim and picnic spots. Off the water there's hiking, mini-golf, and the Alpine Slide. Big Bear sits around 6,700 feet, so ease into activity, keep kids hydrated, and take it slow the first few hours if anyone feels the altitude.
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More mountain & seasonal ideas: snow day trips, day trips by drive time and the best time to visit SoCal. Attraction list verified 2026 — match activities to the season and confirm hours (and winter road conditions) before you go.