Family-friendly Activities in Big Bear: 11 Fun Things to Do with Kids!
Big Bear Lake is a magnificent vacation haven.
Big Bear, located in the Southern California Valley, is proud of its fantastic year-round activities.
You’ll never run out of things to do in this picturesque town, from snowboarding and skiing at the icy snow summit to golfing on the enormous land expanse.
And if you’re searching for your family’s upcoming vacation spot, check out our selection of entertaining activities for kids in Big Bear.
- Bear Mountain
Looking for family-friendly activities in Big Bear?
Try out the superpipe on Bear Mountain for a fun, family-friendly snowboarding experience.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
Bear Mountain, known as the best location in Southern California for winter outdoor sports, will amaze your family with its vast snow fields for snowboarding and skiing!
Activities for Kids
You can sign your kids up for beginner snowboarding and skiing lessons alongside other kids, or you can just let them enjoy the winter beauty.
Suitable Ages
Ages 3 and older are the ideal fit for Bear Mountain’s outdoor activities.
- Paddlewheel Miss Liberty
The Miss Liberty Paddlewheel Tour is a great way to learn about Big Bear Lake’s past.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
This weekend, take a detour to Miss Liberty if you’re traveling with a young child for a relaxing break.
Enjoy a breathtaking view of the town’s charming hilltops and other natural scenery while listening to an hour and a half of the narrated history of Big Bear Lake’s first century.
Activities for Kids
Children can enjoy the boat’s interactive tours, beautiful views, and cool breeze from the lake.
Suitable Ages
The best ages for people to participate in the paddlewheel tour are toddlers, older kids, teenagers, and even adults.
- The stables at Baldwin Lake
Finding it difficult to choose family activities in the area?
The best things to do with your family in Big Bear are at Baldwin Lake Stables, where you can see the peaceful countryside and horse ranches.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
The Baldwin Lake Stables are like nothing else. There are a lot of fun things for kids to do away from the busy city, and the beautiful natural greenery makes it feel like you’re in the middle of nature.
Activities for Kids
Ride the magnificent mares and stallions of the stables and experience the town’s landscape like a cowboy.
Suitable Ages
Teenagers, children, and even parents will all enjoy riding horses.
- Big Bear Discovery Center
Since it opened in 1998, the Big Bear Discovery Center has helped save the San Bernardino National Forest by giving people fun and educational things to do.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
This facility, which is the biggest visitor center in Big Bear Valley, features more than just the typical educational exhibits.
Even young children can go on camping vacations, bike rides, and other outdoor adventures here.
Activities for Kids
For specific children’s events like junior ranger classes, nature walks, and gold panning, check out the center’s annual schedule.
Suitable Ages
Programs at the facility are appropriate for people of all ages.
One of the best locations to take kids in Big Bear is the storytimes, which are designed for children aged 6 and under. Other activities are better suited for toddlers and adolescents.
- Big Bear Alpine Zoo
Since 1959, this zoo, formerly known as the Moonridge Animal Park, has been saving and rehabbing wild animals.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
When it comes to the top family-friendly activities in Big Bear, nothing beats seeing a variety of animals.
Also, kids are sure to squeal with delight when they take a selfie with their favorite bison, grizzly bears, and reptiles at Alpine Zoo, which has more than 140 different kinds of animals and tours that are fun for kids.
Activities for Kids
Here, children will learn how to preserve and comprehend the forest’s wildlife.
They can also introduce themselves and pet the zoo’s resident-friendly animals.
Suitable Ages
Children of all ages can take part in the zoo’s many activities.
- The Bowling Barn
Today, you can take your family bowling at the Bowling Barn for a low price and enjoy a popular sport from the 1960s.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
You may be asking why we would even recommend a sixteen-lane bowling alley with arcade games.
But don’t worry!
Your children will undoubtedly adore the laser maze and glow-in-the-dark lanes at this bowling alley.
Activities for Kids
Kids will have a blast at this enjoyable throwback center with its abundant bowling, arcade, and fried snack options.
Suitable Ages
Despite the fact that people of all ages can enjoy bowling, the games are considerably more suited for kids aged 5 and up.
- The Big Bear Solar Observatory
At the Big Bear Solar Observatory, quench your child’s desire for fascinating scientific information.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
In Big Bear, this observatory on North Shore Lane offers the best free family activities.
Through the building’s unique telescopes and other gadgets, kids may observe the sun’s activity.
Activities for Kids
Here, kids can learn intriguing things about the sun and how it affects the planet.
Suitable Ages
Adults, teens, and older children (age 7 and up) are the best candidates for tours.
- Gold Rush Mining Journey
California, a hotbed of gold mining in the 1800s, served as the inspiration for Gold Rush Mining Adventure.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
Experience the historical Gold Rush with Big Bear’s Gold Rush Mining Adventures by engaging in geode-breaking or gold panning activities, as well as a variety of kid-friendly exhibitions.
Activities for Kids
Have your kid prospect for different minerals and elements, gather priceless pearls, or dig for fossils at the site’s designated mining areas.
Suitable Ages
The optimal age range for children to enjoy mining activities is 3 years old.
- Snow Summit
Your family should travel to the Snow Summit if you’re looking for a cool respite from the summer heat.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
The Snow Summit, which rises beyond 8,200 feet, offers the most picturesque views of the Big Bear Valley’s surrounding mountains.
And with so many options for entertainment, you’d undoubtedly fall in love with the location.
Activities for Kids
The summit’s 14 lifts and 31 pathways are accessible to children for some sightseeing.
In addition, skiing and snowboarding are permitted here.
Suitable Ages
Children ages 3 and up are the ideal candidates for the activities.
- Grizzly Ridge Tube Park
A trip to the Grizzly Ridge Tube Park is one of the best things to do in Big Bear for toddlers for additional activities.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
Everyone enjoys going on outdoor tubing excursions, whether it’s summer or winter.
Speed down the artificial tubing lanes in the summer or the natural snow tube slopes in the winter, feeling as though you’re on a rollercoaster.
Activities for Kids
Roll quickly from the top of the tubes down to the bottom!
Suitable Ages
All ages can enjoy outdoor tubing excursions, but children ages 3 and above are the best candidates.
- Bear Mountain Golf Course
The beautiful scenery in Big Bear makes it understandable why golf courses, which are among the best Big Bear family activities, are so popular.
Why We Advocate This Exercise
Practice your golfing abilities with the Bear Mountain Golf Course’s special features, including a nine-hole course at 7,000 feet with a tranquil view of the San Bernardino Mountains.
Activities for Kids
With the facility’s designated family-friendly golfing locations for practice, kids may happily play golf and improve their skills.
Suitable Ages
Ages 5 and up, tweens, teens, and adults make the ideal candidates for golfing in this region.