FUN Things to do in Big Bear with Kids (when it snows)
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If you’ve ever watched snow falling outside the car window for the first time with your kids in the backseat while you’re driving up the mountainside, then you already know the kind of magic Big Bear holds. When you live somewhere that doesn’t get snow, a winter trip to the mountains can feel extra special… and yes, a little hectic at times too. So, to make your life easier, I’m going to cover some fun things to do in Big Bear with kids (during the winter)!
As a parent, I get it. You want your kids to have the full experience: snow angels, tubing, wildlife, cocoa, cozy nights, BUT (yes, there’s always a but) you also want the trip to feel easy, not chaotic.
After visiting Big Bear as a family multiple times, you’ll start to learn what’s actually fun with kids (and what’s secretly exhausting and way too expensive).
This guide is built from our real family experience and focuses on the best things to do in Big Bear with kids when it snows. There’s activities on the list that aren’t just kid-friendly, but realistic for parents, and worth your time and money.
And if you’re still in the planning stage, you might enjoy our other article which is, How to Plan a Big Bear Mountain Trip for the Whole Family, so you can go in feeling prepared, not stressed.
Whether you’re staying a few nights, or just driving up for a day of fun, let’s dive into all the acitivities your kids will enjoy.
This post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a commission if you click or make a purchase. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. See my full policy for more information.
Fun Things to do in Big Bear with Kids (When it Snows)
1. Big Bear Alpine Zoo
Best for: Animal lovers, younger kids
Price range: 💲💲 (Moderate / Affordable)
This is one of those stops that always surprises parents in the best way. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is not your typical zoo experience. It’s a rehabilitation and conservation center that focuses on rescued wildlife native to the area, including bears, mountain lions, wolves, bald eagles, and more.
When it’s snowing, the experience feels even more magical. Watching animals move through their snowy habitats gives kids a totally different perspective than a traditional zoo visit.
The last time we visited the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, we saw an adorable little fox, and even a beautiful snowy (which my son was absolutely convinced it was Hedwig from Harry Potter).
The zoo is stroller-friendly, walkable, and not overwhelming in size. It’s great to let the littles explore while you storll behind thanks to the more intimate set-up of this zoo. Often times if you visit between the months of November – early January, you can catch some fun holiday lights as you walk through the zoo.
According to the zoo’s conservation mission, many of the animals you’ll see at their zoo were injured, orphaned, or unable to survive on their own in the wild, making this a beautiful opportunity to teach kids about compassion and wildlife protection. As someone who worked in the veterinary field prior to starting a family, I just love their mission and all the workd they put into caring for their animals.
2. Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain
Best for: Adventure-loving kids, families with young and older children
Price range: 💲💲💲 (More Costly)
This one is a core memory kind of activity.
Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain is definitely one of our favorites to visit when we’re up in Big Bear. While it’s not the cheapest, there’s a lot of fun to be had at this little park!
Your kids can experience snow play, go-karts (weather permitting), and the famous mineshaft coaster — a thrilling mountain coaster that travels up and down the mountain. We LOVE the mineshaft coaster so much. It’s fast, exciting, and feels like a mini winter amusement park right in the mountains.
It’s not the cheapest stop on your trip, especially if you’re paying per ride, but if your kids are thrill-seekers, it’s absolutely worth budgeting for at least one visit. This is one of those moments where their laughter echoes long after the trip is over and they’ll continuously talk about it all year long.
Just make sure everyone is dressed warm. I’s windy, cold, and your kids will be playing hard, especially if you’re lucky enough to be there during a snowy day.
3. Big Bear Snow Play
Best for: All ages, especially toddlers + elementary kids
Price range: 💲💲💲 (Scaled pricing depending on date)
This is one of the easiest ways to guarantee tons of snow play and family fun without navigating the crowded ski slopes.
Big Bear Snow Play is a designated snow tubing and play area designed specifically for families. You’ll find tubing lanes, play zones, and built-in magic carpet lifts so no one’s dragging tubes uphill (a small parenting miracle, trust me).
If you head up to this beautiful Southern California mountain during the off season, you can experience other fun such as speedway racing, a ropes course, and even summer tubing!
Reservations are often required in peak season, so planning ahead is key. Snow Play is incredibly structured, which helps everything feel safer and less chaotic, especially if your kids are younger.
Be sure to check out their glow tubing, a night time tubing experience that your little ones will never forget!
4. Snow Tubing (Free & Paid Options)
Best for: Budget-friendly fun + flexibility
Price range: 💲 to 💲💲💲 (Free to Costly)
Here’s the truth a lot of parents don’t realize until they’ve been a few times: you don’t always have to pay for snow fun in Big Bear.
There are:
- Free public snow play areas along the roads (when conditions allow)
- Paid tubing parks with groomed lanes, lifts, and staff supervision
- Backyard snow play spots if you’re staying in a cabin that has a fenced in yard and a decent sized hill to sled down on.
- We love booking our stays with Big Bear Lakefront Cabins! They have a variety of family-friendly cabins, and have graciously given me a discount code to share with you for 10% off your stay of 2+ nights! Simply add Momma10 into the booking notes on BigBearLakefrontCabins.com. Please note, this discount is NOT valid during any holiday period, for lakefront/lakeview cabins in summer, or during December 10th-January 10th. *Subject to change at their discretion*.
The free areas are great for spontaneous sledding, snowman building, and snowball fights, especially if you bring your own sleds. Paid tubing parks add convenience, safety oversight, and structure.
Both options are valid. One is more relaxed and flexible, the other more controlled and time-managed. It really depends on your kids’ ages and your energy level as a parent.
However, one note to make is if you happen to embark on some free snow play, please don’t leave broken or damaged sleds behind. These mountains aren’t just homes to people who end up cleaning up the tourist mess left behind, but to the beautiful wildlife as well. Be respectful when visiting the incredible San Bernardino Mountains.
5. The Bowling Barn
Best for: Nighttime fun, rest days, mixed-age groups
Price range: 💲💲 (Moderate)
This is one of those hidden-gem activities that saves you when:
- Everyone is cold
- The sun goes down early
- And your kids still have energy to burn off
The Bowling Barn offers glow bowling, arcade games, food, and a family-friendly atmosphere. It’s warm, lively, and a perfect way to break up a snow-heavy itinerary.
On a multi-day trip, having one indoor evening activity like this can completely reset everyone’s mood.
The last time we visited, it was $50 per hour per lane or $25 per 30 minutes. Shoe rentals were an additional cost.
6. Big Bear Discovery Center
Best for: Nature education, calmer mornings, young children
Price range: 💲 (Very Affordable)
If your family enjoys a slower pace mixed into all the action, the Big Bear Discovery Center is a beautiful balance.
They have really fun nature discovery exhibits for kids to dig, built, climb, and crawl. There’s simple scenic trails to walk together and even junior ranger and educational programs you can view online to plan your visit ahead of time.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Discovery Centers are designed to help families understand how to safely and responsibly enjoy forest environments, which is especially important with kids playing in snow and mountain terrain.
This is a great way to sneak in learning during your snow trip without it feeling like “learning.”
7. Gold Rush Mining Co.
Best for: Rainy/snowy days, hands-on fun
Price range: 💲💲 (Moderate)
This is such an exciting and underrated activity, especially for kids who love treasure hunts and don’t mind getting a little dirty.
At Gold Rush Mining Co., your kids get to pan for gemstones, fossils, and crystals. It’s warm, indoor-friendly, and gives them something tangible to take home from the trip!
We’ve only stopped by here once during one of our trips and I wish I took photos, but we were so busy digging for treasures I completely forgot, but I guess thats a good thing, right?
It’s also surprisingly calming compared to tubing and snow play, perfect for balancing out big-energy days when you need something on the more ‘mellow’ side.
8. Dank Donuts (Moonridge)
Best for: Early mornings, warm treats before snow play, cozy family moments
Price range: 💲 (Very Affordable)
If there’s one stop that feels like a pure winter tradition waiting to happen, it’s Dank Donuts in the Moonridge community. First off, Moonridge is our favorite community to stay in when we travel up to Big Bear.
Second, this little small-town donut shop feels extra magical when it’s cold outside, snowing, and your kids are bundled up in their snow gear, bouncing with excitement for the day ahead.
If you plan to tackle some snow play or tubing, you need to stop for some fresh, warm donuts first. Pair it with one of their hot drinks, and that cozy mountain energy that instantly sets the tone for your day.
And yes… the hype is real. You absolutely have to try these menu items:
- The Giant Cinnamon Roll
- The Apple Critter
They’re warm, gooey, perfectly sweet, and genuinely worth every bite. This is one of those places your kids will ask to go back to before you even leave Big Bear (and it’s not a bad idea to have a delicious donut on the car ride home).
They also have cold sandwiches and refreshing drinks if you stpo by later in the day, but if I’m being honest, I only go for the donuts.
Don’t be surprised if there’s a decent line out the door, but I promise every time we’ve stopped by their service is quick and friendly.
9. Snow Summit
Best for: Older kids, teens, snowboarding & skiing families
Price range: 💲💲💲💲 (Pricey, especially for snow play only)
Snow Summit is one of Big Bear’s main ski resorts and is one of the best when your family is ready for real snow sports. They offer:
- Beginner to intermediate runs for skiing and snowboarding
- Lessons you can book in advance for kids and adults
- Tubing and designated snow play areas
Sometimes I’ve seen where they offer kids a free ski/snowboard lift ticket in the month of December, so be sure to visit their site ahead of time to check out any deals they might have.
If you have older kids, teens, or adults who truly enjoy skiing or snowboarding, this can be a fantastic full-day experience. While some family members are on the slopes, others can spend time in the snow play areas.
However, and this is important for parents, Snow Summit isn’t always ideal if you’re only going for snow play. Especially, if snowfall has been light.
Since Snow Summit utilizes a system to make their own snow and when it site there, it gets compacted making it harder to shape or mold, and falls tend to feel much more rough than in soft, powdery fresh snow.
From our real family experience: one year, Snow Summit cost us close to $200 for our family of four when the kids were still pretty little. The boys weren’t loving the snow that day, and after about 40 minutes, everyone was ready to leave. Unfortunately, that ended up being a day that didn’t feel worth the cost.
Because of that, Snow Summit is one of those places I gently recommend for:
- Families with older kids
- Snowboarding or skiing enthusiasts
- Or mixed-age families where some members will use the slopes
If your main goal is pure snow play only, I suggest Big Bear Snow Play (#3 on the list) or a free public snow play spot.
Also worth noting: during peak season, Snow Summit gets extremely busy. If you don’t arrive early, be prepared for:
- Difficulty finding parkin
- A long walk and line to check-in
- Crowds at rental and lesson areas (it’s a must to plan this ahead)
Planning your timing carefully makes a huge difference when it comes to visiting the every so popular Snow Summit.
Making Big Bear Feel Magical and Manageable for the WHOLE Family
Visiting Big Bear in the snow really is one of those places that stays with you. I’ll never forget our first trip up when our boys woke up to their very first snowfall, it was so fun seeing them light up in awe watching the soft snow fall down.
Their pink cheeks, their laughs as they’re flying down tubing hills, the warm donuts, the way your kids fall asleep faster than usual after a full day of winter play. These are the kinds of memories that feel simple, but mean everything.
And here’s the truth: the magic doesn’t come from doing everything, it comes from choosing a few things that feel right for your family and letting the rest unfold naturally.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Okay… but how do I actually plan this without losing my mind?” — I’ve got you. I’m currently working on a full, step-by-step guide called How to Plan a Big Bear Mountain Trip for the Whole Family, where you’ll get help with:
- Where to stay with kids
- What to pack for snow trips
- How to plan your days without overdoing it
This activity guide pairs perfectly with that planning piece, so you can go into your trip feeling excited instead of overwhelmed and burnt out. This is a family trip, it’s supposed to feel fun!
Until then, come back to this list whenever you need inspiration for things to do in Big Bear with kids.
You’re doing such a beautiful job creating that life for them and I hope you find love for the family friendly Big Bear mountains as much as we did, after your trip.
