Big Bear Resorts

The question of what a "resort" is in Big Bear is a little ambiguous. It seems to be as dependent on the whims of the owners and PR person as it is on the actual amenities of the lodgings. Any number of establishments call themselves a resort, lodge, hotel, motel or cabin with seemingly arbitrary guidelines. My personal favorites are the "resort cabins" and "resort lodges." (I am still looking for a "hotel motel.")

In Search of the Last Resort

That being said, several "resorts" do exist in Big Bear. Their prices depend on where they are and what they offer. The better ones offer you a private house on larger grounds. Others may feature adjoining cabins.

Lake-view resorts with full service kitchens, grills and hot tubs can get pricey, while simpler rooms can be relatively modest; though there is very little besides the Youth Hostel in Big Bear that could qualify as "cheap." The more modest resorts can still offer a wide range of quality amenities, but you might be hard pressed to distinguish it from a cabin or lodge.

Adding further confusion to the mix, the ski area of "Snow Summit" likes to call itself a "resort," but you can't rent a room there. "Bear Mountain," the other ski area, for the record, is a "park." There is also an R.V. resort in Big Bear, right on the lake, which boasts easy access to the marina and the lake. Speaking of which, everyone does seem to agree that the "lake" is a "lake."