Don’t not go because because everybody goes: make a quintessential Los Angeles escape your own. A high-country chateau, golden hour hiking and a make-it-yourself souvenir that will be casting warm shadows of your trip for months to come.
Your stay, dinner, curated local experience — and even a very mild shopping spree. Bookable in one click.
Half Light, Big Bear
Big Bear Lake, CA
Sat. Nov 15 - Sun. Nov 16, 2025
This overnight is no longer available. Join the weeky waitlist to see new destinations as soon as they drop.
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—> 90 minutes from Los Angeles
Why here?
Big Bear is possibly the world’s most obvious escape. When there’s a wild-feeling outpost of alpine beauty lying less than two hours away from downtown Los Angeles, it’s no surprise that the place is descended upon every weekend.
At The Overnightist, we tend to gravitate to spots that are a little lesser-traveled. But we also believe that destinations don’t always need to be a Magellan-tier discovery. Driving into Big Bear from LA, with a horizon full of peaks and that little elevation-pop in your ears as you climb into them; with that mirror of a lake curled around a quaint mountain village? That feeling can’t really be overdone.
Named for its population of grizzlies more than a century ago (none have been spotted since 1908), Big Bear is Southern California’s original mountain retreat. Early visitors were flocking here by horse-drawn coach, and Hollywood stars cemented its getaway luster : Cecil B. DeMille, Shirley Temple and Ginger Rogers were all frequent guests, and the area was home to more than 40 resorts by 1924.
Two ski resorts are a main draw, but you don’t have to ski (and oh we do not ski) to feel like you’re getting the full experience. It’s crisp-aired, truly beautiful, and thankfully there’s a milder exodus out of LA in November. With luck, you’ll see it all mainly unmobbed.
So don’t concern yourself with what’s off or on the beaten path. If you’re in reasonable driving distance and haven’t been, you should point yourself to the pines and gain a little altitude this weekend.
This weekend in Big Bear, discover…
The stay.
Chateau Big Bear
King Bed, Balcony + Private Fireplace
We have a weakness for in-room fireplaces, and you’ll have one for sure at Chateau Big Bear. It’s a newly-redesigned boutique hotel tucked neatly into the mountains and close to everything.
The hotel’s arresting Tiffany dome, an original feature, now overlooks the on-site bistro, and regal-looking sculpture and portraiture of local animals punctuate the rooms and common areas.
Alpine Pedal Path, Golden Hour
.
A recommendation: after checking into your hotel at 4pm, drive the quick ten minutes to the Alpine Pedal Path, an easily walkable trail that winds along the north shore of Big Bear Lake. The surrounding mountains are seriously stunning, and the sweep of the lake is equally dramatic.
If you time it right, you can find yourself with a wide-open view of the water and sky at golden hour. Sun sets at 4:43pm this Saturday evening in Big Bear.
The day.
The find.
A Tiny Shopping Spree in the Village
Wander the quaintness of The Village, Big Bear’s charming downtown of sorts, for boutique window shopping and actual shopping.
We’re including a $100 credit to find something unique at one of our favorite spots here: O Koo Ran, which curates an eclectic but elevated array of clothing, jewelry and accessories
The food.
De La Nonna
Already renknowned for its high-art focaccia pizza restaurant Los Angeles, De La Nonna did some expanding over the summer and opened up a mountain edition of itself in Big Bear.
The food replicates its LA signatures: distinctive pizza, small plates, natural wines and craft cocktails. Ambiance is is also key here: there’s beautiful lake-front seating, perched right on the marina. Dinner is at 7pm on Saturday, already reserved.
Guided Candle Pouring at
Moto Mystic Candle Bar
”Candle making is more than just an activity—it’s an experience that soothes the soul,” says the team at Moto Mystic, a nowhere-else kind of place that pairs motorcycle-inspired adventure gifts with its own in-house candle bar.
Together with an expert candler, you’ll craft a one-of-a-kind custom piece; with everything from vessel to fragrance fully up to your incendiary preferences.
It’s candles for two, Sunday morning. Bring the scents and sense of Big Bear home with you.
The tucked away.
Fireside, Chateau Big Bear
You can’t have an in-room fireplace and not spend quite a bit of time in-room. So head back early Saturday night; warm up, order up some wine, step out to the balcony (your room has one), resupply yourself with a little mountain air. Repeat this circuit a few times and feel better about nearly everything.
The evening mood.
One-night stay for two, Chateau Big Bear, Big Bear Lake, CA. Sat. Nov 15, 2025.
Prepaid dinner at De La Nonna. Right on the lake, 7pm on Saturday evening.
$100 shopping credit at O Koo Ran in The Village
Guided candle-making for two at Mystic Moto Candle Bar. Sunday morning.
You’ll receive a detailed itinerary after booking confirmation.
Book it all in a click.
This overnight is no longer available. Join the weekly waitlist to see new destinations as soon as they drop.