Planning a trip to Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead
Visitor Information
National ski tours, mountain-bike races, and one of Southern California's largest Oktoberfest gatherings are just some of the events held year-round. Contact the Big Bear Lake Resort Association, 630 Bartlett Rd., Big Bear Lake Village (tel. 800/4-BIG-BEAR [424-2327] or 909/866-7000; www.bigbearinfo.com), for schedules and information. They also provide information on sightseeing and lodging and will send you a free visitors guide.
In Lake Arrowhead, contact the Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce (tel. 909/337-3715; www.lakearrowhead.net). The visitor center is in the Lake Arrowhead Village lower shopping center.
Orientation
The south shore of Big Bear Lake was the first resort area to be developed here and remains the most densely populated. Hwy. 18 passes first through the city of Big Bear Lake and its downtown village; then, as Big Bear Boulevard, it continues east to Big Bear City, which is more residential and suburban. Hwy. 38 traverses the north shore, home to pristine national forest and great hiking trails, as well as a couple of small marinas and a lakefront bed-and-breakfast inn.
Arrowhead's main town is Lake Arrowhead Village, on the south shore at the end of Hwy. 173. The village's commercial center is home to factory-outlet stores, about 40 chain and specialty shops, and the Lake Arrowhead Resort. Minutes away is the town of Blue Jay (along Hwy. 189), where the Blue Jay Ice Castle skating rink is located.
Getting There
Lake Arrowhead is reached by taking Hwy. 18 from San Bernardino. The last segment of this route takes you along the aptly named Rim of the World Highway, with its breathtaking view over the valley on clear days. Hwy. 18 then continues east to Big Bear Lake, but to get to Big Bear Lake, it's quicker to bypass Arrowhead by taking Hwy. 330 from Redlands, which meets Hwy. 18 in Running Springs. During heavy-traffic periods, it can be worthwhile to take scenic Hwy. 38, which winds up from Redlands through mountain passes and valleys to approach Big Bear from the other side.
Note: Nostalgia lovers can revisit legendary Route 66 on the way from Los Angeles to the mountain resorts, substituting scenic motor courts and other relics of the "Mother Road" in place of impersonal I-10.
