If you’ve ever had the pleasure of spending some time in one of our vacation rental properties, we’re pretty sure you’ll start nodding your head in agreement with us here in a moment. For those of you who have yet to experience that pleasure, we’re going to take some time over the next few weeks to feature some of the reasons our guests choose to stay with us.
A Brief History of Human Vacations
Humans have been taking vacations for about as long as we’ve been around. Somewhere long ago a cave dweller told his buddy, “Kreb, you go hunt and gather for me today. I’m going to stay home with the wife and do macrame. I’ll hunt for you next week.” And so it began: The eons-old yearning for a bit of relaxation and quality time with the family.
Over time, we became more sophisticated and learned to make our vacations a real event. We’d travel to exotic locations and stay in tall buildings full of strangers who make noise in the hallway outside our room at 3AM. We called these buildings “hotels,” and for a long time, there were few other options available for travelers.
But one day an enterprising young couple decided to turn the travel industry on its head by offering top-quality luxury cabins, estates, and condos for vacation lodging. Five Star Vacation Rentals was born, and since then hundreds of thousands of fun and luxurious nights have been spent in our properties. Families discovered the delight of eating their own fresh-cooked meals from a gourmet kitchen instead of stale chips and soda from a vending machine down the hall. One of the primary reasons to choose Five Star Vacation Rentals is that we’re not a hotel.
Hotels are fine for lots of travel, but if you want a truly memorable getaway, you’re going to need to bring home something other than a couple tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Bring home some memories of feeling pampered. Take with you stories of that night you and the kids jumped into your cabin’s hot tub and told scary stories late into the night. Snap a quick picture of the kids as they quietly sleep in front of the gently crackling fireplace of your vacation rental home. Never forget that moment you’re enjoying the sunset view off your deck and you look into your sweetheart’s eyes and tell her it’s been the best 10 or 20 or 50 years of your life 
since you two were married. And enjoy creating all these memories without the intrusion of a noisy neighbor, pounding footsteps from the room above you, and having the only people in the hallway be the ones you brought with you.
Most families get precious little vacation time, so we’re dedicated to making sure your time away is special. You’ll enjoy luxury at a level usually extended only to a very few. Check out all our Big Bear vacation rentals at this link, and if you’re in the mood for a getaway elsewhere check out our vacation rentals in Nuevo Vallarta, Mammoth Mountain, Park City, Southern California Beaches, and La Quinta. No matter what city you are visiting, staying in a Five Star Vacation Rental property allows you to experience the absolute best in luxury accommodations. We would be glad to help you plan your getaway to Big Bear or elsewhere, so if you would like more information, you can reach out to us by calling 310-780-3411.
We see it just about every year. March rolls around, and we start seeing the snowpack in Big Bear fade away. We also start getting calls from people who delayed their ski trips. Sadly, some delay too long, and another year goes by without some quality time racing down the slopes. You can be sure this doesn’t happen to you if you’ll just take a few minutes now to carve out your slice of winter in Big Bear.
Big Bear Snow Play
That muffled sound of delight you hear is the gleeful anticipation of avid skiers reading the Big Bear snow report. New snow has fallen, and there’s a great layer of fresh powder just waiting for your skis to meet it. The weather is cooperating with us well, and the conditions may be at their peak for the season. This is a great time to plan your Big Bear ski getaway.
It’s also a great opportunity to put together a quick getaway for your extended family, church group, or a group of coworkers. Many of our properties can accommodate a dozen or more guests, so with almost no advance planning, you can all head up the mountain and enjoy a memorable time on the slopes, and some great time together in front of the fireplace or relaxing in the hot tub.
Spend more time enjoying your family. This one is the easiest. Work is important; hobbies are important, but nothing is more important than family. With our simple online booking and calendars, you can decide at a moment’s notice to plan a getaway. Browse our properties, see what dates are available, get pricing, and even pay online. You can gather the family around your laptop after dinner and before Wheel of Fortune is over you can plan out your entire getaway.
Have a safe, fun place for your party.
While Big Bear’s population tends to swell during the winter, it’s also a favorite cold-weather destination for bald eagles. This creates a unique opportunity for volunteers to join with the Forest Service to conduct the annual Bald Eagle count. Volunteers are needed to help count the majestic birds who arrive in Big Bear each year. The Forest Service will provide a brief orientation and point you to a vantage point to watch for these amazing birds. Get more details at this link: 
Big Bear is a year-round destination, but winter is when the fun gets hip deep. Literally. And we’re just one short week away from the start of ski season. There’s no better way to work off your Thanksgiving dinner than spending Friday on the slopes. You’ll have to hurry, though. Last we checked, we only had a couple of vacation rental cabins in Big Bear still available for the holiday weekend. You can search for available properties at this link: 
If you haven’t yet planned your November getaway to Big Bear, now is a great time. November is beautiful in Big Bear, and it marks the start of the holiday season. Thanksgiving in Big Bear will be a wonderful experience for the entire family. If you hurry, you may still be able to book one of our luxury Big Bear Vacation Rentals and have it be the destination for the entire extended family this year. Many of our properties sleep a dozen guests, so you can get comfy beds for everybody. Search our Big Bear vacation rentals at 
Want something to do Thanksgiving morning requiring a wee bit less exertion? Gather the family and head down to Pine Knot Marina to take the leisurely 90 minute Big Bear Lake tour on Miss Liberty, the beautiful 64′ paddle wheeler. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time as you ride this fully-equipped vessel. It’s a fun and informative adventure that is narrated with interesting local history and an occasional celebrity sighting. Get more details on their website: 
Continuing weekends through November are performances of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” There’s an amazing pool of local talent that puts together this show, and it’s certain to be a fun adventure for your whole family. Get more details and purchase tickets at this link: 
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” opens on November 18th and has performances weekends through December 2. This is the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Weber musical that has become one of the most popular plays in the history of theater. It’s a fun event for the entire family during your stay with us in Big Bear. Purchase your tickets in advance or get more details at this link: 
You have a few great options for enjoying your family meal on Thanksgiving. Several local markets offer a full turkey or ham dinner with all the fixins if you just want to relax and enjoy your time away. If you’re bringing the family gourmet along for your stay, all of our cabins have full kitchens, so you can cook right at your vacation home to combine those yummy aromas with your family and friends. There are also some restaurants that stay open each year offering both traditional turkey fare and a good selection of other cuisines. Whichever one you choose, you’ll have the backdrop of your Five Star Vacation Rental to enjoy the meal with your loved ones as you relax and watch some parades and football.
If you want to work off some of those calories in advance, the 4th annual Big Bear Turkey Trot takes off at 9AM Thanksgiving morning. It’s a crazy event where you can run from 3-9 miles, dress like a turkey, and work up a real appetite for your feast a bit later on. There is a registration fee for this, and you can get more info on their website: 
And while the challenge of finding sleeping accommodations for a large group can be difficult, that’s just the beginning. When morning arrives, you can never have enough bathrooms. It’s one thing to lay out some extra mattresses for sleeping, but how do you add a couple more bathrooms to meet the needs of your guests?
