Reservations & More Information: 310-780-3411

Planning the Perfect Oktoberfest Getaway

Oktoberfest Is Here!

Tomorrow is the opening day of Oktoberfest, and it will continue to run through October 27th.  Have you made your plans yet?  This is one of the year’s biggest events in Big Bear, and it’s something that many families make a regular yearly tradition.  If you’ve never been, it will take just one visit to see why it is so popular.

This weekend opens with a salute to America’s Heros.  Past and present military, law enforcement and fire fighters will get free admission.  There will be a special opening ceremony on Saturday night to offer thanks for the sacrifice of these brave men and women.

The fun of Oktoberfest starts each Saturday at noon with German bands, polka dances, and events for the entire family.  There can be some pretty big crowds, so here are a few suggestions to make your weekend more enjoyable.

Buy your tickets in advance

There can be a line to buy tickets during peak hours, so one quick way to get the fun started right away is buy your tickets in advance.  There are a variety of ticket prices and packages available, and you can purchase them at this link: http://www.eventbrite.com/org/1758871515?ref=eorgbtn

Come hungry!

Did we mention the beer?

One of the great delights about Oktoberfest is the wonderful food.  From amazingly tender pork roast to consistent favorites like the German Sausage Sandwich, you can count on finding so many food options that you’ll want to stay longer just to sample more of the wonderful cuisine.  Knockwurst, bratwurst, and Polish sausage abound, and virtually every dish will be topped with generous amounts of German potato salad and sauerkraut.

For the less adventurous among you, there’s also a full American menu available with hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and the like.

Come thirsty!

There are over a dozen different beers to choose from as well as a good supply of wine too.  O’Doul’s Free Shuttle will be operating each evening offering a free ride back to your cabin from the festivities.

And when you finish sampling the amazing food and drink at Oktoberfest, be sure to visit the visit the Budenstrasse (Avenue of the Booths).  These shops offer an amazing assortment of fine chocolates, beef jerky, kites, old fashion clothes, gifts and artwork.  The Avenue of the Booths is an especially big hit with the kids.  You’ll find face painting, bounce houses, pony rides, and a petting zoo.

Be prepared to laugh and enjoy yourself

The entertainment never ends during Oktoberfest.  There are fun contests for the entire family as well as bands and dancing.  It’s a great time for the family to just relax have some  real fun.  Sundays are family day with half price adult admission and free for children 12 and under. The Children’s contests including Pretzel Eating and Boot Holding. Children’s contests take place at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Sundays and are free for children.

Enjoy it all from the comfort of your Big Bear Five Star Vacation Rental Cabin

Oktoberfest is even more enjoyable when you stay in one of our luxurious Big Bear Vacation Rental Cabins.  We still have a number of cabins available, so give us a call at 310-800-5454.  We’ll be happy to help you put together your first or fifteenth visit to Oktoberfest.  Browse all of our Big Bear cabins on this page.

We also have vacation rentals available  in Park City,Palm Springs/La QuintaSouthern California BeachesMammoth Mountain, and Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.  And we specialize in helping our guests create vacations with memories that will last a lifetime.

If You Stay In a Hotel Instead of a Five Star Vacation Rental Your Car Insurance May Go Up

Summer is quickly passing by, and you have yet to plan your family vacation. That’s okay; we’re here to help. But you must listen to what we say, or you could end up with a life of regret. Seriously.

You take a real gamble with your vacation when you stay anywhere else but in one of our luxurious rental properties.  Aside from the fact that our feelings will be deeply hurt, you could well be destined for a real vacation nightmare. In an earlier blog we detailed the heartache you’ll face before you even get to sleep on your first day in a hotel vacation. We start this week’s blog on the night you arrive at your hotel after you’ve finally got the entire family in bed. It’s been a long day, and the family finally starts drifting off to sleep.

Be sure to ask for extra pillows. You're going to need them.

A few moments after you start to swim out into the warm fluffy ocean of vacation dreams, you learn that 4am is the exact right time for members of the Audubon Society to embark on their birdwatching trek for the day.  Now fully awake, again, the entire family listens intently as the birdwatchers slowly file past your room with each practicing a specific bird call they will be using to coax birds closer throughout the day.  While you’d really rather be sleeping,  you are all astonished at the amazing variety of bird calls produced by the 150 or so bird lovers passing just outside your door.  And as the hallway finally begins to quiet down, your room begins to brighten up.  The sun is rising on the first full day of your vacation.

When Timmy doesn't sleep well, he's grumpy all day

The entire family is grumpy, tired, and hungry. But since you’re not in one of our luxurious Five Star Vacation Rentals, there is no kitchen, no refrigerator, and no microwave. You’ve got to trek outside in search of food.

But first you have to find your car. A late-model white SUV sure seemed like a good idea at the dealership when you bought it, but now you’re looking at a sea of them in the hotel parking lot. No worry. You pull out your key dongle and holding it high above your head you trigger the car’s alarm. You hear a distant honking and start working toward the sound. In almost no time at all, you find your car. Unfortunately, you also find that some lovesick teenager has scratched the message, “I hate you Brad” across the hood of your car. It seems Brad also drives a late-model white SUV, and his ex-girlfriend is no better at finding his car than you were at finding yours.  Oh well.

Undaunted, you pile the family into the car and commence your search for food. You’re determined to make this a fun day. You tell them to look on the bright side. At least you’re not Brad, and your car insurance rates had to go up eventually anyway.

Is this really what you had in mind?

Most families get only one vacation a year, and many families can only get away once every few years or so. Your vacation time is too important to leave to chance. Every year families return from vacations with stories of fun things they did, but all too often these stories are tempered with tales of horrible hotel rooms, noisy neighbors and lousy parking. So let’s divide up your vacation and make sure this one is a winner. You start planning for fun things to do in one of our many destinations, and we’ll be sure to have only the most luxurious quality cabins, condos and homes ready for you when you arrive. Almost all of our units offer private parking in only the best neighborhoods. We promise that your car will not be marred with the message, “I hate you Brad,” or we’ll give you your money back. Honest.

This is not our actual staff, but we answer our phones just like these people

In the meantime, please call us at 310-780-3411 to book your vacation getaway. Browse all of our Big Bear cabins on this page.  If you’re planning a vacation somewhere other than Big Bear, please be sure to look at our luxury rentals in Park City,Palm Springs/La QuintaSouthern California BeachesMammoth Mountain, and Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.  Regardless of where you may go, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that Five Star Vacation Rentals is working to make your vacation relaxing and memorable.

It’s our goal to make sure that you enjoy your second, third, and fourth stay with us even more than your first.

Five Star Vacation Rentals Big Bear Guest Testimonials

Five  Star Vacation Rentals was started in a very different way than most vacation rental companies.  That’s one of the reasons we consistently find our guests calling us for return visits.  Before we ever got into the vacation rental business we were guests at vacation rentals. We’ve seen first hand the difference quality management can make in a guest’s overall experience. We’ve combined this with our background in hotel management and guest services to create a level of service that we’re confident cannot be duplicated elsewhere.

We’re continually pleased to see guests become regular visitors to our properties.  Some find a favorite rental they want to keep returning to, and others enjoy the fact that they can choose any of our rentals with the confidence that they will have a great experience regardless of which unit they choose.  Here are just a few of the many testimonials we’ve received:

Cabin #1: "Thrilled"

Softball Team Scores a Great Getaway With Big Bear Cabin #1
“Just a quick note, our softball team (35 and over) were thrilled with the cabin.  It is absolutely beautiful and fit the 10 of us to a tee.  We appreciate the great deal you gave us, and all the women wanted your website for their future stays in Big Bear.  Hope to do business with you again.”
Submitted by DeDe G.  after staying in our Big Bear Cabin #1 Bear Mountain 4 Bedroom.  Click here to see more info on this cabin.

 

Big Bear Cabin #3 is “Nice, Clean, and Cozy”

Cabin #3: "Great Rental"

“Hello Kevin,
We just wanted to send along a heartfelt ‘Thank You’ for a wonderful stay at your cabin #3 this last week. We enjoyed our stay very much in this wonderful home at a very nice location. Looking forward to staying with you again soon. May God Bless!”
Submitted by John & Diana C after staying in our Big Bear Cabin #3.
______________________

John D. and his family also stayed in Cabin #3, and sent us this note:

“First off I want to say thank you for the great rental in Big Bear this weekend. We had a great time and enjoyed our stay. We plan to rent from you many more times in the near future. Cabin was very nice, clean and cozy.
Thank you for the great customer service.”   View more info or book Cabin #3 online here.

Cabin #5 "Like Home"

Our Big Bear Cabin #5 Rental Is a Lakefront Dream
“Dear Mr. & Mrs. Cobb,
Had to take the time and thank you.  The cabin was well beyond our expectations.  It was in a perfect location andit was roomy, comfortable and felt like home.  All of us loved it.
We have also now recommended this cabin to two of our friends and more to come.  We think you will get a call in the near future from a friend of my husband asking for this or one of your other cabins.  A relative from San Diego is also planning on using this wonderful find in the near future.  We have a great number of friends who probably will be in contact.  We can’t recommend it enough.  Again, thank you.
The low hassle and professional handling of this matter was more than appreciated.”  Submitted by Patty C.  View more pictures and details about Cabin #5 here.

We encourage you to look over all our Big Bear vacation rental cabins and see the many recommendations provided by previous guests.   It’s important to us that your experience in any of our cabins builds a great memory that will have you returning year after year.

Call us at 310-780-3411 to book your vacation getaway now. Browse all of our Big Bear cabins on this page.  If you’re planning a vacation somewhere other than Big Bear, please be sure to look at our luxury rentals in Park City,Palm Springs/La QuintaSouthern California BeachesMammoth Mountain, and Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.  Regardless of where you may go, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that Five Star Vacation Rentals is working to make your vacation relaxing and memorable.

Be Mine at Big Bear: Why Big Bear is the Perfect Destination for Romance

Rent a cabin for Valentine's Day

 

What could be more romantic?

Surprise your sweetheart with a romantic escape to Big Bear luxury rentals, the perfect couples-only winter getaway.

Snow falling gently outside, you and your sweetheart snuggling by the fire, champagne on ice… it just doesn’t get more romantic than this! Even if you waited until the last minute to make your Valentine’s Day plans, it’s never too late to surprise your sweetheart with a romantic escape to Big Bear. Let us play cupid and help you plan the perfect romantic getaway!
Luxury Big Bear Vacation Homes Create Romance
Discerning travelers know that the right accommodation sets the mood for romance and adults-only fun. So why stay in a cramped hotel room when you could enjoy a spacious home? Get the romance started at one of the exclusive Big Bear luxury vacation homes. These rentals feature custom amenities, private hot tubs and luxurious master suites. Nothing says romance like sipping champagne in your own private hot tub or snuggling up together by the fire!
After a day on the slopes, enjoy a romantic meal together at one of Big Bear’s fine dining restaurants. Many restaurants offer special romance packages and tasting menus, such as Sweet Basil Bistro’s five-course Valentine’s Day dinner served in this intimate, charming bistro.
And whether you hit the slopes or cuddle up indoors, there’s plenty of action to set your heart a-flutter.
Top 5 Big Bear Winter Romance Activities
1. Bear Mountain Snow Summit: Old Man Winter is back, and now is the perfect time to take advantage of a packed powder-to-powder natural snow surface under beautiful sunny skies! Spend the day skiing down the slopes on Snow Summit’s beginner, intermediate, advanced or expert snow runs.
2. Alpine Slides at Magic Mountain: Take a break from the slopes and zip down the alpine slide in your own private toboggan for two. Your hearts will be racing after a ride down this authentic bobsled experience.
3. Big Bear Snow Play: Reconnect with your inner-child on the largest snow play hill in the San Bernardino Mountains! The lift-assisted inner tubing takes you straight to the top for a fun, laughter-filled glide down the mountain.
4. Action Zip Line: Get some action this Valentine’s Day with a Big Bear Action Zipline tour! Suspended high above the forest floor, you’ll zip through stunning snowy scenery, across rocky canyons, and end with an adrenaline high!
5. Helicopter Big Bear: Lovebirds can take in the stunning winter scenery with a 20-minute private sightseeing tour. Special romance packages include champagne or Perrier sparkling water, fine chocolates, a stuffed teddy bear and a long stem red rose.