It’s important as these pressures close in that you find time to relax and recharge your batteries. We can think of no better way to do this that a quick weekend getaway in a Five Star Vacation Rental in Big Bear. There’s really something about the crisp mountain air that revitalizes both the body and the soul. Couple this with the luxury of your vacation rental, and it’s a remedy for just about any of the pressures you’re facing.
Oktoberfest is under way, and it’s a great activity for the entire family. Mom and dad can sample some truly amazing beers from around the world while you all can enjoy the music, great food, dancing and booths. Buy one of those beer steins that’s bigger than your head as a souvenir, and you’ll smile every time you pull it out back home. Oktoberfest runs weekends through October.
October has a full slate of other fun activities as well. On Friday and Saturday nights we recommend you take in the Flashlight Safari at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo. This is a unique opportunity to observe the animals after dark. The zoo is an entirely different place once the sun goes down, and many animals are far more active. On many nights you’ll hear the wolves howling, the owls hooting, and your kids squealing with delight. It’s a great time. Visit the zoo’s website for more info: www.bigbearzoo.org
On Saturday, October 17, Big Bear will enjoy a rare treat. TV star Kiefer Sutherland brings his band to town for a performance at The Cave. Sutherland has been performing in clubs around the country for years, and this is a great opportunity to hear some great music while spending an evening with one of your favorite TV stars. You can get more information online at www.thecavebigbear.com
Check out all of our Big Bear vacation rentals at this link. And if you’re in the mood for a getaway elsewhere, follow these links to view our other properties in Park City, Southern California Beaches, Mammoth Mountain, and Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. A well planned weekend away in a Five Star Vacation Rental cabin or estate will recharge your batteries and equip the entire family for the challenges back at home. Call us today at 310-800-5454, and we’ll help you plan the vacation of a lifetime.





It’s just about that time again. We’re filling our cupboards with candy, and it will soon be replaced with Thanksgiving fixins. It’s always busier, but it’s a fun kind of busy. We get to spend time planning to see those we love, and enjoy relaxing around good food while we marvel how all our kids seem so much bigger than we remember.
If you’ve never actually done this, it’s an experience you’ll find easy to enjoy. All our cabins come fully equipped with the cookware and linens you’ll need, so mom avoids those midnight sessions in the laundry room prepping for the influx of relatives. And since you’re all staying in a luxury cabin, there’s no worry about the kids bumping into strangers in the hall. The only people down the hall during this holiday will be the ones you brought with you. It also makes for a great morning together. Instead of marshalling the troops to find a restaurant with questionable food and unquestionable wait times, you can all just filter into the kitchen of your vacation rental. Many of our properties have dining space for a dozen or more, and we also have a number of adjacent properties. With a little planning, you can assemble a getaway for 20 or more.
When your family decides to plan a vacation getaway, what are the most important elements? It varies a bit from family to family, but there are some common features that pretty much every family wants. In this week’s blog, we’re featuring our Big Bear vacation rental, “

We know it’s a bit early, but the holidays are just around the corner. This is a perfect time to start planning a getaway that will be one the family memory book. And since we typically get much busier as the holidays approach, now is a great time to pick a date, pick a destination, and begins making some plans for fun.
We’re already about half booked up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. New Year’s Eve is going fast as well. This is an opportunity for you to create a wonderful time for your extended family as well. The Big Bear ski season is usually in full swing by Christmas, and sometimes even by Thanksgiving. And if you’re already making travel plans for the holidays, the time spent in a Five Star Vacation Rental is vastly superior to anything you’ll encounter at even the finest hotel. Instead of being scattered across several rooms with strangers around every corner, you can enjoy an entire luxury cabin or estate. The kids get their own rooms, and so do the parents. If Uncle Harry snores can have his own room at the end of the hall; nobody needs to lay awake in misery. It’s a perfect solution, and you’ll all awake refreshed ready to share breakfast in your own kitchen surrounded only by the people you invited.
You don’t have to worry about keeping the kids entertained when Oktoberfest is in town. Big Bear is always a great place for families to vacation, but when the festivities of Oktoberfest fill the town, everybody gears up to create a magical experience for visitors. In addition to the events of the festival, there are always opportunities for kids to learn at places like the Discovery Center or take in the gorgeous wildlife through a nature walk. You will get a memorable vacation no matter when you choose to visit, but Oktoberfest is not to be missed!
If your house is like ours, your mornings have gone through a big change over the last couple of weeks. School’s back in session, and the lazy days of summer are quickly receding into just a fond memory. The early morning quiet you enjoyed through the summer is now punctuated with a chorus of grumpy kids getting ready for school, and an impossibly full schedule. If you allow it to happen, this can be a really depressing time of year.
Well, we’ve likely grown out of many of these bad behaviours, but we can still exercise some rebellion. And we can now direct our rebellion into pursuits that are far more enjoyable than bad clothing or a new tattoo. While all your friends and neighbors are surrendering to the rigors and pressure of the back to school schedule, you can break out and enjoy life as if you were 14 again. Plan a weekend getaway to Big Bear!
The vibrant nature of Big Bear make it a natural draw for sports of all kinds. Throughout the year, you will see snowboarders, cyclists, and runners—just to name a few—visit Big Bear to compete, train, or simply play in the beautiful environment that surrounds them. In the warmer months of summer and spring, water sports dominate the local activities, but in the cold of fall and winter, you get to see the gorgeous snow that entices snowboarders and other cold weather sportsmen!
If you are visiting and get the chance to check out the festivities, you won’t regret it, but you don’t have to watch by the sidelines and watch others have all of the fun. You can take advantage of the snow and enjoy some sports of your own! As the winter season gets underway, ski resorts will begin opening their slopes to visitors. Skiing is a great way to exercise, see the best of Big Bear nature, and have a truly unique experience during your vacation. Snowboarding, similarly, is a fun way to enjoy the upcoming winter weather and get a vigorous workout in the process!