My family loves Big Bear Lake. My in laws have a vacation home in Big Bear Lake and we visit a few times of year during the winter months. We love visiting and playing in the snow for hours. It is the perfect day trip and there are so many fun places to visit, play, and make special memories with the family.

One of the best things to do when heading to Big Bear, is to pull over and find a good spot to partake in good old fashioned snow play. There are my great spots to pull over on the way to Big Bear.  We usually head to Big Bear along Hwy 38 or the “back way” as many locals call it. It is a pretty smooth ride and not windy. We usually  exit Orange ave off the  10 fwy in Redlands .  When heading east, we make a left turn on Orange, go for a few blocks to Mentone Blvd, and make a right.  Mentone Blvd turns into Hwy 38 and you will take that road, all the way up to Big Bear.

One of the first great places to stop off along the way is  Whispering Pines  Nature Trial just past Angeles Oaks.  There is some parking and plenty of room for romping in the snow.  You can also park alongside the road. The second spot is between mile 26 and mile 27. It doesn’t really have a name but it is right past Whispering Pines and you can’t miss it. There is plenty of open space and not many trees. A perfect place to sled and for a good snowball fight.  The area surrounding the Greystone Amphitheater is also a great place for snow play. Just pull off the side of the road and be prepared for some fun.

There is also the sled hill known as Big Bear Snow Play, which is open daily from 10-4 pm and costs $30 per person. It’s located right before the big ski resorts right off Hwy 18.  My kiddos have been in prior years when it was the only snow around and had a great time.

Make sure to check for weather and road conditions.  Chains are usually required if it is snowing or if it has snowed in the past day or two. We always bring ours just in case. You can skip the chains if you have a four wheel drive vehicle with a snow setting. If there is weather or ice be prepared for a bit of a long ride up. It all depends on the weather. For up to the minute weather reports and road conditions head here. Have fun!