Living anywhere has its pros and cons. For example, living full-time here in Big Bear does have a few drawbacks – Target, Costco and Panda Express are all over an hour away,  😦 our grocery stores run out of french-fried onions and cream of mushroom soup at Thanksgiving, 😐 and there are so many things to do but I don’t have time to try them all because, well, I live here.

It never really occurred to me just how much there is to do in Big Bear until I started writing this blog. Although I have lived up here for 36 years now, and yes, I do get out and try new things every now and then, actually making a list of local activities really brought it home. Even though Big Bear is a fairly small area, it offers more activities and events than cities four times its size.

If you are looking for a thrill, you can rent a speed boat, zip down a zip-line, banzai down a mountain bike course, see the valley from a helicopter, brave the moguls on skis/snowboard down “The Wall”,  or try the newest craze ‘Fly Boarding’ over the lake with Aqua Flight.

Of course, there are tamer things to do such as kayaking, paddle boarding, or canoeing, cruise Big Bear on a segway, hike to the top of Castle Rock, rent a jet ski, take a run down the Alpine Slide, saddle up and go horseback riding, go snow tubing, see Big Bear’s back-country from a 4 x 4, go ice skating, or bike the lakeside pedal path.

How about if you just want to relax? Visit the local critters at the zoo, take a sunset cruise on Big Bear Lake, check out the local flora and fauna on a nature walk, enjoy the sand and water at swim beach, meander through The Village, get a massage, learn the local history at the museum, do some fishing, or play 9 holes of golf.

And all of these things are just the tip of the iceberg – not to mention the concert series, art shows, cowboy festival, theater productions, car shows, home tours, fireworks show, pirate and renaissance faires, wine walks, bike races, Old Miner’s Days, fishing tournaments, Oktoberfest….I could go on and on.

So I have now made my own ‘Big Bear Bucket List’. Things I really want to try but just haven’t made the time for. The list is really long, but I am determined to try to experience everything Big Bear has to offer. This is going to take awhile….So much to do, so little time.

If you have your own ‘Big Bear Bucket List’, RS Vacations can help. We now offer several packages with discounts on activities here in Big Bear and we’re adding more all the time! Visit us online to book a Big Bear Vacation Cabin and choose the package that works for you!!

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