The hustle and bustle of suburban life can really be draining. On a daily basis I find myself sitting in traffic, staring at the bumper in front of me wishing for a change of scenery. As more brake lights radiate my face, I feel my heart palpitate and I close my eyes to go to a happy place. The vision of leaves rustling in the air and the thought of crystal clear non-polluted waters brings an overwhelming sense of serenity. REALITY CHECK! A blaring horn from a less than patient LA driver quickly brings me back to reality as my neck muscle tighten up and my brows furrow it suddenly dawns on me.....I need a vacation! As I pull up to the garage I see our inflatable kayaks on the racks adjacent to several dusty ski helmets. Big Bear! I tell myself, that's where I need to go.
As I fire up my laptop and google search "Big Bear Club Vacation" it appears. The Club at Big Bear Village is the first hit and in the side bar is a picture of something straight out of a luxury magazine. I following the link and my jaw drops at the site of what I'm seeing. I explore the gallery and am absolutely blown away and at that moment I knew I had to find my way out of the burbs and into the resort.
My bags are packed, and with a grin from ear to ear, my son and I are off to what hopes to be one of the most dreamy weekends. Unfortunately my other son has too many activities scheduled for the weekend so it would have to be some mother son bonding time with my eldest.
After a scenic 90 minute drive I pull up into a complex that is mind blowing. I think to myself that I must be at the wrong place since this looks like a fancy residential community well above my pay grade. I park and my son and I jump out of the car and hurry into the lobby hoping that google maps brought me to the right place. As we walk into the lobby we immediately giggle like little kids and my son blurts out "OH MY GAWD, THIS IS SO AWESOME." The lavish decor gives a very rustic yet outdoorsy feel. As my son is running around the lobby telling me "this is so awesome" I get checked in and hurry off to my room. I'm looking for a parking garage but as I pull up to my room I see a full on condo with it's very own 2 car garage. Am I lost again I thought. I hit the garage door clicker and holy moly the garage opens!!! This is really it! With bags still in the car my son and I run in hand and hand into our villa once again giggling like little kids. It is at this moment we realize what an amazing weekend we are about to have. We enter the kitchen and great room which is not your ordinary hotel. This is a true vacation home with ALL the amenities. The warm wood floors, gourmet chef's kitchen and absolutely immaculate living quarters is exactly what this stressed out mother needs. We flop onto the very expensive sofas and just soak up the luxurious cabin feel that will be ours for the weekend. Each and every room feels so warm and is so "model home" like I had to pinch myself.
Interior views of a 3 bedroom villa at The Club at Big Bear Village
We managed to pry ourselves out of our villa and explore the grounds. The amenities are amazing! From a season long swimming pool, billiards, lounging areas, bbqs and perfectly placed fireplaces, I worry that there is no way I'm going back to the city after this. With so much to see, I can't help but snap a gazillion pictures to send to my husband. When the stimulation overload finally settles down, I take a deep breath, close my eyes and feel my body sink into the floor. It's finally happened, I'm at my happy place and this is truly going to be one of the best weekends of my life.
Front gate, seasoned pool and lobby with Halloween decorations
We also took this chance and explored a few popular spots in town. First we visited Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain which offers year-round outdoor activities including bobsled slides, miniature golf, and the Soaring Eagle. My son and I got to experience their famous Alpine Slide tracks and we truly enjoyed every minute of it. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, try the Soaring Eagle! This newest attraction takes you up 100 feet high and 500 feet long in just a few seconds before you are pulled all the way back to the base at a high speed.
Alpine Slide and Soaring Eagle
Gold Rush Mining Company offers a variety of mining packages for kids of all ages to pick from. Whether it is a mermaid's sea chest, a Davy Jone's locker, or a Mystery Bucket, you can definitely find something intriguing for everyone. My son picked the Galaxy of Gems package where he was led to a closed off room mimicking the outer space hunting for treasures!
Gold Rush Mining Company
If you are ready to visit Big Bear and experience family fun all season long, there is no better way than to be pampered at The Club at Big Bear Village. This resort has a truly professional and friendly staff, top-notch amenities, and a convenient location that is within walking distance to popular shops and restaurants. My son and I have created many wonderful mother son bounding moments during our visit this past week and we look forward to coming back again and again with the whole family.
40671 Village Drive
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
909.878.2700
Bluegreen Vacations is a sponsor of Macaroni Kid but the review is solely from the publisher.