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Big Bear Lake is Southern California's year round, premier vacation destination. And for good reason. With over 300 days of glorious sunshine a year, a pristine lake and fresh alpine air, it's a wonderful environment to play in. Practically every sport or recreation you could imagine is available here.

Enjoy world-class ski resorts, all kinds of boating and lake activities, and abundant hiking and biking trails. What's more, BBL is famous for special seasonal events like the festive Octoberfest that draw people to Big Bear year after year.

Be sure to leave time for some great browsing, buying, antique hunting and window shopping. The village is a wonderful place to visit, shop, dine, or just walk and enjoy the sights.

A LITTLE BIG BEAR HISTORY:

Big B was first occupied by the Serrano Indians approximately 3,000 years ago. In 1845, while in pursuit of Indians, Benjamin D. Wilson discovered and named Bear Valley because "the place was alive with bears!" In 1860 William Holcomb was hunting bear and discovered gold instead! What followed was a California gold rush.                                              

Big Bear's first dam, completed in 1884, was soon followed by the Valley's first hotel in 1888. In 1949 the first ski resort opened and Big Bear Lake soon became Southern California's favorite mountain getaway.  lywood also has a history in Big Bear. Since the filming of "The Call of the North" in 1914, so many motion pictures
have been shot in Big Bear Valley that it has been called "Hollywood's back lot."

"Paint Your Wagon," "The Parent Trap," "Bonanza," "Kissin' Cousins," "Yukon Gold," "Dr. Dolittle" and "Lassie" are just a few of the memorable films that have been shot on location in Big Bear Valley.