My husband and I often took our two young sons to Big Bear Lake. This lovely resort is about a two-hour drive outside our home in West Los Angeles. During their adolescent and teenage years, we went to Big Bear about once a year, mainly for the snow. Raised in L.A., our sons would get elated just seeing the first white stuff on the side of Route 38. We’d often stop a few times as we headed up the mountain so they could throw snowballs.
Once in Big Bear, we normally settled into a cozy rental cabin. We’d light a fire and cook rudimentary meals in the kitchen or on the barbecue. At night we’d snuggle up with Game Boys, board games, and books.
Mornings were all about breakfast out at one of the local diners and then on to the ski slopes. We’d enjoy a lunch of everything fried at the lodge.
In those days Big Bear was about simple adventures and even simpler food. Gourmet meals and outings beyond the slopes eluded us. Our boys were just not into it.
Empty Nest, Full Menu
Our boys are grown now and out of the house. My husband and I are open to new adventures, in new places or at our old haunts, like Big Bear. This past Memorial Day weekend we took an impromptu trip up to the lake. Our Airbnb was a lovely home on Papoose Cove on the lake’s southwest shore.
Experiencing Big Bear Lake as child-free adults opened up new opportunities for us. We found some more upscale eateries, took in a boat ride, and hiked to a mountaintop. We had a heck of a good time.
In the past, the drought years had brought the lake to a worrisome low level. Due to the last two wet winters in California, the lake is now completely full, and it’s gorgeous.
Bear Food
On this weekend trip, we experienced Big Bear’s dining options beyond the ski lodge. We dined at three excellent restaurants and had a couple visits to a lovely wine bar.
On our first night in Big Bear, we went to dinner at Captains Anchorage. Established in 1947, this eatery offers rustic charm with delicious food and great service. Originally known as the Sportsman’s Tavern, the restaurant is conveniently located at the intersection of Moonridge Way, the road that brings you right up to Bear Mountain ski resort, and Hwy 18, the main drag through the town of Big Bear Lake.
The Andy Devine Bar
This stone and log building features several dining areas. There’s a main dining room with cozy banquette and table seating. Next to this is the Andy Devine bar, where we were seated.
Devine, a well-known western actor in the 1940s through 1970s, was an original owner of the Sportsman’s. The walls of the current restaurant are loaded with black and white photos of him and his celebrity friends.
The most memorable aspect of our meal was our waitress Lorraine. She has been working at this restaurant continuously for 45 years and she still loves her job, she told us. We did not ask her age, however she has the energy of a twentysomething, moving swiftly at her duties, all with a friendly smile.
Being the only server in the room, Lorraine also made all the drinks for patrons at the well-stocked Andy Devine bar. She made us killer drinks, a gin martini for me and a Manhattan for my husband. The food was hearty, fresh, and well-seasoned. We started with a steamed artichoke, which was the size of a softball and as good as any I’ve had. Our entrées were a perfectly cooked 8-ounce prime rib and spicy blackened sea bass. Serving sizes were generous. We each had enough in our doggy bags to enjoy with eggs at breakfast the next morning. The restaurant is said to be haunted by a ghost named George, but we had no encounters with him.
Hiking with an Altitude
The town of Big Bear Lake sits at approximately 7,000 feet. Considering that I live at sea level, the reduced oxygen levels left me breathless pretty quickly. But I was in vacation mode and determined to get in some physical activity. After the first night in our lakeside-adjacent Airbnb and a hearty breakfast of leftovers, we set out for Fawnskin. This quiet town sits on the opposite side of Big Bear Lake from the ski resorts. There we found the trailhead of Couger’s Crest.
We embarked on the 2.4-mile climb to 7,600 feet. At the top, the Cougar Crest trail links up with the famous Pacific Coast Trail. Because of my breathlessness, we took this very slowly, sitting down every quarter mile and drinking lots of water. This allowed us to take in the magnificent views of the lake and the snow-capped peaks of San Gorgonio Mountain. This mountain peak is also known as Old Greyback, due to its prominent gray shale.
Those who struggle with altitude should arrive in Big Bear a day or two ahead of any physical activity to acclimate. While I did make it to the top of Cougar Crest, it was a long trek for me. I did it safely and I’m glad I did. I was rewarded with some of the most magnificent views I’ve ever seen.
Pacific Crest Trail. ©Terry Nozick
Lakefront Elegance
After our first full and physically active day we set off to The Pines Lakefront for our second dinner out. The restaurant is located right on the lake, as you might expect, offering sunset dining in a delightful setting.
Owned by a dapper Dr. Jerry Lemke, this upscale but unpretentious eatery offered a romantic dining experience. Our table was by the windows. As the sun set, the staff pulled up the sun-blocking blinds so the entire restaurant could take in the gorgeous lake views.
I had heard that Dr. Lemke has a wine cellar in his establishment. I asked our waiter if there were special wines off-menu. Sure enough we were eventually opening a 2016 Antinori Gavi from northern Italy. It was a crisp, refreshing, and food-friendly dry white, even with eight years of age. It paired beautifully with my light and lively duck salad with pear dressing as well as with my husband’s ample serving of grilled rack of lamb. The food and the attentive owner and wait staff made us feel like we were dining at an elegant establishment. Once again, we had excellent leftovers for the next day’s breakfast. Note that the Pines’ website has been offline for some time, and you need to call to reserve a table (Phone: 909-866-5400). Dr. Jerry returned my call himself, promptly.
Big Bear Boating
On our final day, after another breakfast of dinner leftovers, we booked a boat tour. The Big Bear Queen is a lovely vessel, built for Big Bear in 1973. It replaced the Old Sierra, the original 1930s tour boat. Helmed by Big Bear native Chris Bellows, this was a truly informative 90-minute tour.
©Terry Nozick
We snagged seats in the front of the boat. We shared this small space with a family of three adults, one child, and two Yorkies. Our little group had a great time. Captain Bellows provided details on all of the coves, houses, and history of this gorgeous man-made lake, now full to the brim. I learned the lake was named by Benjamin Davis Wilson (he of Mount Wilson fame). He first arrived in what was then the valley under the lake and found it full of grizzly bears. (It used to be called Baldwin Lake.) Also of interest, the dam, originally built in 1884, was once considered the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Seeing the Big Bear Solar Observatory from the lake was fascinating. We were shown where the American Eagle nesting area was, although we did not spot any. Celebrity homes, historical homes, an old speakeasy, and gold rush cabins were all included in this tour.
Family Friendly with a View
Our final meal before heading home was on the large outdoor patio at Santana & Mavericks Bar & Grill. This is a family style restaurant serving a variety of cuisines, including Italian, Asian, French, Mexican and American, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes. It also boasts a full bar.
While I would not call this eatery upscale, the setting is one of the best in Big Bear. The establishment recently moved from Big Bear Village to a long-vacant lakefront property. Our seats on the patio offered an unobstructed view of the lake a mere 50 feet away. We watched fish jumping out of the water, kayakers, and families fishing. Our well-made turkey pesto sandwich with fries and a Cobb salad were both recommended by our friendly waitress. This was the perfect place to end our weekend before driving down the mountain and back home to LA.
Happening Wine Bar
A couple of times while strolling through the village we stopped in at Barrel 33, a wine bar on Village Drive. We stumbled upon this lively place our first day after spending some stressful hours searching for a fast-charging station for our electric vehicle. The steep mountain drive had zapped our car’s power more than we expected. We eventually found a charger behind a Homestreet Bank (at the intersection of Big Bear Boulevard and Fox Farm Road). It should be noted that Big Bear Lake is not LA, and charging stations are not as available as one would hope. Tesla chargers are prominent at the entrance to the Village, but non-Tesla chargers are less so.
Barrel 33 features wine, beer, and cider tastings as well as a robust menu of grazing food. This place was hopping. It had a live DJ, women selling raffle tickets for a hand-made quilt, and hand-crafted jewelry for sale. Some very friendly patrons who shared front patio seats with us offered us tips for dining, hiking and shopping. I had an excellent and refreshing Napa Sauvignon Blanc and my husband enjoyed a local brew.
We came home knowing much more about the beloved area of Big Bear. It’s always been a happy place for our family. Now we hope to share this “adult” version of Big Bear with our sons and their spouses.
Terry Nozick blogs at https://truthnwine.net.
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