One Night of Glamping in Big Bear

Originally, my family had planned on going to Big Bear for Labor Day Weekend, which is when Akshay and I would be in Denver. Luckily, my lovely sister fought hard to push the trip to the following weekend, so we could join. I guess that proves just how entertaining we are 😉 (Akshay’s note: how entertaining and beloved I am).

When I told Akshay about the Big Bear trip, I did not hear the end of it—“Your parents rented a cabin, how is that camping?” “Big Bear is meant for camping, not glamping”—blah blah blah. But his attitude changed real fast when we arrived at our cabin, which he described as a palace made of logs.

Akshay and I got to Big Bear on Friday night, and stayed till Saturday night. Here are some of the key highlights:

Picking which bed to sleep in! My dad found an awesome cabin on VRBO (a vacation home rental site, kind of like AirBnB), which could fit 14 people, even though it had only 4 bedrooms. I found a bunk bed in which I chose the top, and let me tell you, the struggle was real climbing up. (Akshay’s note: Getting old and creaky at age 27.) Um, rude.
Enjoying a fresh breakfast of eggs, bacon, sourdough toast, and drinking hot tea on the back patio. The view was awesome, even though the lake has shrunk with the drought. There was a playground in the back yard. A playground! Only in Big Bear, huh?
Hiking the Woodland Trail, a 2 mile loop, with plenty of picture opportunities. There are many hikes to choose from with different levels of intensity. We chose an easier one since our dad shockingly agreed to join, and he hasn’t been to the gym in like 30 years! Oh, and of course – Akshay and my sister’s 18 year old friend played Pokemon on the entire trail. Whatever gets his butt up and moving, I guess.
Ate lunch at Grizzly’s Bear Belly Deli. I split a turkey avocado sandwich with my sister, and it was pretty yummy. I also had a bite of the kid’s grilled cheese and the spicy chicken sandwich, which are also great choices. Akshay of course ordered a whole sandwich to himself, but surprisingly, only shoveled half of it into his face for lunch, and saved the other half.
In the evening, we found a scenic spot near the Big Bear Lake and had a photo shoot until the millions of mosquitoes drove us out.
And finally, my Dad BBQ’d some steak and chicken while the kids hung out in the Jacuzzi and drank some wine (this includes Akshay and I, but we categorized ourselves as kids).

Words of advice:

Be aware of the windy roads up the mountain—my arms actually started cramping, so Akshay and I switched. In retrospect, bad decision since my car-obsessed boyfriend took those turns like there was no tomorrow, and I don’t think I’ve ever screamed so loud in my life! (Akshay’s note: Tika’s shrieks were way more terrifying than my driving)
It can get cold at night, even in early September, so bring jackets. Luckily, Akshay’s parents hooked us up with a bunch, since Southern Californians don’t think about this kind of thing.
The lake isn’t as glamorous as it used to be. The drought has shrunk this lake up pretty bad, so there’s only certain areas where you can boat, swim, and enjoy the water.