Small town · 46 min west
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Day Trippin' › California › From Big Bear Lake
Day trips from Big Bear Lake
From Big Bear Lake, Lake Arrowhead Village is under an hour away, Calico Ghost Town under an hour and a half, and Barker Dam under two hours. The best day trips from Big Bear Lake, by drive time.
155 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Big Bear Lake
- Lake Arrowhead Village 46 min west
- Lake Gregory Regional Park 49 min west
- Yucaipa Regional Park 1 hr southwest
- Calico Ghost Town 1 hr 24 min north
- Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 1 hr 41 min southeast
- Disneyland Park 1 hr 46 min southwest
- Knott's Berry Farm 1 hr 47 min southwest
- Aquarium of the Pacific 2 hr 5 min southwest
- Getty Center 2 hr 9 min west
- Six Flags Magic Mountain 2 hr 15 min west
Within an hour from Big Bear Lake 4 spots
Swimming · 49 min west
Lake Gregory Regional Park
A small mountain lake near Crestline with a sandy swim beach, water slides and fishing.
- Half day · Easy
- Swim beach mainly summer (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Family fun · 1 hr southwest
Yucaipa Regional Park
A county park with lakes, a swim lagoon, water slides, fishing and picnic lawns.
- Half day · Easy
- Swim season mainly summer (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Garden · 59 min southwest
Kimberly Crest House and Gardens
A historic French chateau-style home with lemon grove and terraced gardens in Redlands.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Open select days (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
1 to 2 hours from Big Bear Lake 69 spots
Historic site · 1 hr 24 min north
Calico Ghost Town
A restored silver mining town with shops, mine tours and a mini train.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 1 hr 41 min southeast
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
A rotating tram car lifts you from desert floor to cool alpine forest in about ten minutes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; annual maintenance closure in fall (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 46 min southwest
Disneyland Park
The original Disney park with classic rides and character meetups.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 47 min southwest
Knott's Berry Farm
Roller coasters, a Western ghost town and famous boysenberry treats in Buena Park.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 1 hr 55 min southwest
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 56 min west
Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie-themed rides, a studio tram tour and Super Nintendo World.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 1 hr 56 min southwest
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A historic mission with gardens, the Great Stone Church ruins and swallows legend.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Observatory · 1 hr 57 min west
Griffith Observatory
Free views of the city and the Hollywood Sign, plus space exhibits and a planetarium. Sunsets here are a classic LA moment.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Big Bear Lake 80 spots
Aquarium · 2 hr 5 min southwest
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet forest in Long Beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 2 hr 9 min west
Getty Center
A hilltop art museum with big gardens and wide views over the city. Entry is free.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 2 hr 15 min west
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 2 hr 16 min south
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A big wildlife park in Escondido with African savannah areas and a tram or safari tour.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 2 hr 22 min south
LEGOLAND California
A theme park in Carlsbad built for kids ages 2 to 12, with rides, shows and a water park.
- Full day · Easy
- Check calendar; some weekdays closed
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 2 hr 38 min south
San Diego Zoo
A world-class zoo with pandas, big cats, gorillas and a hillside garden.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
National park · 2 hr 44 min south
Cabrillo National Monument
A historic lighthouse and tide pools at Point Loma with a big view over San Diego bay.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 2 hr 56 min southeast
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California's largest state park, with palm canyons, badlands and, in some years, spring wildflowers.
- Full day · Moderate
- Best Oct-Apr
- See the official site for current fees
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 92315 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.