Big Bear California is a mountainside / lakeside community located in south-central California, northeast of San Bernardino. Big Bear Lake is surrounded by the mountains and trees of the San Bernardino National Forest, and is approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

At the foot of Big Bear Mountain is Big Bear Lake, which serves as a popular summer vacation and recreation destination for anyone who enjoys water sports and leisure activities. Power boating, jet-skiing, water-skiing, wakeboarding, sightseeing, parasailing, sailing, canoeing and trout fishing are all commonly done atop Big Bear's Lake broad, blue surface. Those outdoor enthusiasts more interested in exploring the land than the water off-road, hike, bike, golf and bird. Visitors of all types shop and sightsee and the sights beyond the lake include a history museum, animal park, petting zoo, and a wonderful selection of restaurants, cafes, clubs, and bars.

In the winter, Big Bear Mountain is the only place to go skiing or snowboarding in southern California. The two ski resorts on the mountain, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain Resort, provide skiers and snowboarders with a wide variety of terrain. "The Park" at Bear Mountain Resort is a freestyle terrain park and caters to all abilities. Big Bear Mountain is well known as a resort that is dedicated almost entirely to freestyle skiers and snowboarders. Big Bear Mountain and Snow Summit boast some of the best snow-making and grooming capabilities in southern California.

Big Bear Lake hosts a wide variety of events year-round. Some of the events include jazz festivals, Oktoberfest, freestyle skiing and snowboarding events and competitions, mountain bike and cross country races, trout classics, one-day car shows, regattas, Old Miner's Day festival and rodeos.

Simply select any topic in the column to the left for detailed information on the area, and to begin exploring all that Big Bear Lake, Snow Summit, and Big Bear Mountain have to offer.