At least once a year we like to plan a trip with a group of our close friends. Even short weekend getaways do wonders for our peace of mind. This year we thought we would do something special for my birthday and since we have never visited Big Bear Lake in the summer, we set out to rent a house in this small mountain town.
For those of you who don’t know, Big Bear Lake in California is primarily a winter destination for skiers and snowboarders, but we had heard great things about summer in Big Bear so we decided to give it a shot.
We used the booking site Roomorama to find a three-bedroom cabin that would accommodate all seven of us. Roomorama specializes in helping people travel like a local by finding the perfect home or apartment to rent near their desired destination. Many times these rentals are available at a fraction of the price of a hotel.
The cost of the cabin worked out to be about $60 per couple. After comparing hotels, we realized we would not have even been able to get a room at the local Motel 6 for this price.
Within 24 hours of booking the cabin, we received an email from the host confirming our stay and instructions to get into the lock box once we arrive. Our host was available via email and phone during our stay, which was very helpful considering we had a few questions once we got there.
In addition to saving money, we were able to take advantage of all of the comforts of home, including a private common area where we could cook and spend time with our friends.
This particular cabin is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood with houses full of character, not like those cookie-cutter homes we are used to in many parts of San Diego. In all honesty though, I fell in love with this cabin as soon as I read that it had a steam room in the master bath. It’s not too often that we get to experience a private steam room.
Big Bear showed us its true colors with an array of hikes, water sports and unique dining in the downtown area, known as The Village.
Since we were saving money by cooking some meals in the cabin, we splurged on an Indian/Nepalese restaurant for dinner on Saturday night. The Himalayan Restaurantbrought back memories of some of my favorite meals in Nepal. I highly recommend the Curry, Vindaloo and Tikka Masala sauces. There was not a single piece of food left on any of our plates.
We tasted a couple of the best sandwiches for lunch at Amangela’s Sandwich and Bagel House, but after eating we realized the Trolls of Big Bear Restaurant may have been where all the locals go to eat. Their prices were slightly cheaper and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially in the outdoor seating area in front of the restaurant.
Our favorite part about Big Bear has to be exploring the outdoors. I couldn’t get over the fact that there were still plenty of wildflowers in the month of August. The weather was perfect for hiking or hanging out by the lake. If you plan a trip here, you may want to book a boat rental ahead of time. This is definitely on the list for our next trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment