FALL FOLIAGE A Riot of Color

Autumn’s vibrant bounty is on full display as the summer crowds disperse and kids go back to school. Soak up the season’s grandeur as you enjoy outdoor adventures—with a sense of having Big Bear all to yourself.

BY MICHELLE DROWN

- DAY1

LEAF PEEPING & PAMPERING

Ease into your first day with a filling skillet breakfast at Country Kitchen or a to-go brew from the log cabin-styled Moonridge Coffee Company, replete with a cozy stone fireplace.

Dedicate your afternoon to seasonal leaf peeping in the forest. Thanks to foliage-shedding deciduous trees, russet and gold carpets await hikers on numerous trails from which to choose, including Towne Trail (easy;

2.5-mile roundtrip), Pine Knot Trail (intermediate; 6-mile roundtrip), and Castle Rock Trail (intermediate/difficult; 2.4-mile roundtrip). Let an expert naturalist lead the way on an informative guided hike with Big Bear Hiking Adventures. Before you hit the trail, grab picnic fixings and trail snacks from Bear Cupboards Market. After a vigorous trek, it's time to pamper yourself with a hot-stone massage treatment at Elevations Day Spa

Finish the day with a family-style Szechuan feast at Dynasty. If you feel more like being a homebody in your cozy vacation rental, hire a personal chef to cook for you and your companions.

Walk On The Wild Side

Hit Dank Donuts for sinfully good, freshly baked donuts. Head up the road to Big Bear Alpine Zoo, where you can learn about the wildlife that call the mountain home. The menagerie of rescued animals includes bald eagles, great horned owls, flying squirrels, coyotes, bobcats, a snow leopard, and a grizzly bear. If domesticated critters are your thing, check out Grateful Heart Animal Sanctuary, home to horses, chickens, goats, and other farm animals.

Keep the animal theme going with a stop at Chirp Nature Center in The Village. When hunger strikes again, grab a table at Stella Luna and order from a creative, healthy menu that includes meat dishes as well as vegan and vegetarian choices. Spend your afternoon painting and crafting at Board & Brush Creative Studio

Take a late afternoon lake tour aboard either of the paddlewheel boats: the intimate Big Bear Queen or the grand Miss Liberty. End the day with a relaxed meal in rustic modern ambience at Stillwells Restaurant

- DAY2 - DAY3

Mild Adventures

Watch the sun rise at Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk & Wildlife Preserve. Pop into The Barnstorm Restaurant for pancakes, eggs, and all the breakfast classics. Exercise your mind with a visit to Mountain Room Escapes; follow clues and untangle puzzles as you explore the town streets and the lakeshore with Urban Adventure Quest; or pan for gold at Gold Rush Mining Co. Learn about the area’s vibrant history at Big Bear Valley Historical Society. Grab sandwiches at local favorite The Old German Deli, or nosh on charcuterie, baked brie, and other tasty bites at Barrel 33. Before you head home, get something for your pup(s) at Oliver’s Emporium and peruse souvenir options at Big on Bears

EIN

PROST!

The beer and brats flow during Big Bear’s annual Oktoberfest, a community tradition going back more than 50 years. The nineweek-long extravaganza runs early September through early November, with tons of events and German-themed entertainment packed into the weekends. Bands play on the main stage inside the Big Bear Lake Convention Center as well as outside on the High Altitude Beer Garden stage. Tip: Take the Free Big Bear Trolley to the Convention Center.

Regal Eagles

As the weather cools, Big Bear’s most majestic residents arrive: wintering bald eagles.

SAFETY FIRST! FIVE TIPS FOR VISITING BIG BEAR IN THE WINTER.

1 Stay off the lake. The ice is thin, and not suitable for walking or skating.

2 Carry chains. Have them in your car November through April.

3 Bring kitty litter. And pack a shovel to get traction on icy roads.

4 Drink water. Dehydration occurs easily in high altitudes.

5 Sled on tubing hills only. Avoid streets and private property.

#CFBB TIP:

Properly dispose of your plastic sleds and other snow play items at one of the dumpster locations.