Organized Tours in Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead

The Big Bear Queen (tel. 909/866-3218; www.bigbearmarina.com), a small version of a Mississippi-style paddle-wheeler, cruises Big Bear Lake on 90-minute tours daily from late April to the end of November. The boat departs from Big Bear Marina (at the end of Paine Ave.). Tours are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for kids under 3. Call for reservations and information on the special Sunday brunch, champagne sunset, and dinner cruises.

Fifty-minute tours of Lake Arrowhead are available year-round on the Arrowhead Queen (tel. 909/336-6992), a sister ship that departs hourly each day between 10am and 6pm from Lake Arrowhead Village. Tours are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $10 for children 3 to 12, and free for kids under 3. It's about the only way to really see this alpine jewel, unless you know a resident with a boat. Highlights include celebrity homes -- past and present -- famous film locations, and the occasional bald eagle or two.