year-round weather at Big Bear / San Bernadino (to live, price)

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by Dub D

If you're trying to buy Idyllwild is much closer and just as nice. It's definitely a smaller mountain town but isn't that what you're looking for?

I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say “much” closer? Barring traffic, it’s about the same distance (drive time) there as it is to San Bernardino Mountains. The extra drive to Big Bear will add 35min to an hour plus when there’s traffic though.

Idyllwild is cool, but there’s hardly anything from a dinning and entertainment standpoint, and no ski resorts or lakes. Since supply is limited in housing, it can actually be more expensive if you’re looking to buy.

Since it’s at a lower elevation, and with the lack of ski resorts, it doesn’t get nearly as crowded with tourists. And according to my cousin who’s an avid climber (and also has a cabin there), the rock climbing there is much better.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by TacoSoup

I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say “much” closer? Barring traffic, it’s about the same distance (drive time) there as it is to San Bernardino Mountains. The extra drive to Big Bear will add 35min to an hour plus when there’s traffic though.

Idyllwild is cool, but there’s hardly anything from a dinning and entertainment standpoint, and no ski resorts or lakes. Since supply is limited in housing, it can actually be more expensive if you’re looking to buy.

Since it’s at a lower elevation, and with the lack of ski resorts, it doesn’t get nearly as crowded with tourists. And according to my cousin who’s an avid climber (and also has a cabin there), the rock climbing there is much better.

It's much closer to San Diego especially if you take the back way up. You don't have to deal with the 215 / 60 nightmare in riverside that can easily add 45-60 mins to the drive. Rock climbing in Idy is far superior. It's the birth place of rock climbing in the US even before Yosemite. I think the hiking is better too, San Jacinto is a legit mountain. The restaurants in Idy have vastly improved over the past 5 years - and they cater to a more discerning crowd than the beers n' burgers you find in Big Bear. The only reason I ever go to Big Bear is to ski.

[Dub D]

And you're only about an hour away to Palm Springs if you want to escape the snow in winter. There's a bunch of ma and pa spots. I was there last year.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by NYSD1995

It's much closer to San Diego especially if you take the back way up. You don't have to deal with the 215 / 60 nightmare in riverside that can easily add 45-60 mins to the drive. Rock climbing in Idy is far superior. It's the birth place of rock climbing in the US even before Yosemite. I think the hiking is better too, San Jacinto is a legit mountain. The restaurants in Idy have vastly improved over the past 5 years - and they cater to a more discerning crowd than the beers n' burgers you find in Big Bear. The only reason I ever go to Big Bear is to ski.

The back way up to Idyllwild, even when there’s traffic, isn’t a whole lot faster. When there’s none it’s much slower. Like I said in my previous post my cousin has a house Idyllwild, and I have one in Running Springs, and we’ve been to each other’s plenty, and talk about the drive all the time. For fun I just looked and at 6pm with Temecula traffic at its finest it’s 2:10-2:30 (2:30 being the back route) to Idyllwild. Lake Arrowhead was 2:20 and Big Bear 2:40.

Sorry, but I have to disagree about the dining in Idyllwild. It may have gotten better over the years, and Big Bear doesn’t have the best dining options, but Lake Arrowhead has legit restaurants as a lot of the wealthiest Southern Californians have second homes there. And I’m still under the impression this thread is about the San Bernardino Mountains, and not just Big Bear.

[bloom]

Which area is nicer to stay at? Moonridge or the areas near the southern lake coast. Seems Moonridge may be better with more trees as south shore too many nearby commercial businesses or not?

[1AngryTaxPayer]

If all you want is hiking and/or repelling just go to Mt Laguna. The PCT runs right through it.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

If all you want is hiking and/or repelling just go to Mt Laguna. The PCT runs right through it.

I go frequently to Laguna and Cuyamaca for day trips including PCT but going to do some Airbnb overnights in BB this time

[NORTY FLATZ]

BigBear was 46F this morning. Yup, you read that right. Forty-six Fahrenheit. Puurrrfect!

[bloom]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

BigBear was 46F this morning. Yup, you read that right. Forty-six Fahrenheit. Puurrrfect!

I saw like 79 degrees as the high today. Not bad. 46 sounds great. Stay in Moonridge or south coast of lake area?

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by bloom

Which area is nicer to stay at? Moonridge or the areas near the southern lake coast. Seems Moonridge may be better with more trees as south shore too many nearby commercial businesses or not?

No meaningful difference. the area along the lake is more developed with restaurants and hotels. The nicest homes are lakeside along the western edge of the lake. It mostly comes down to the actual property.