I recently went on the quintessential Southern California vacation. You know, the one that all Southern Californians talk about but never take,the one where you ski, visit the beach, and enjoy the hot, desert sun all in the course of a long weekend.
My weekend started in Big Bear, home to what once was the world’s largest man-made lake. The body of water stretches 7 miles and includes 22 miles of shoreline. I found that the lake also includes hissing geese that are particularly unafraid of humans, especially if you have food.
While Big Bear Lake has felt the brunt of the sour economy, there are signs that its tourism industry is faring better than those in other places.
The mountains have seen heavy snowfall that has attracted snowboarders and skiers. (Snow hugged the walls of my cabin in mid-March.)
The community’s proximity to San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles has lured people who are looking to save money by driving to powder instead of flying.
The marketing director of the Big Bear Lake Resort Association told the Press-Enterprise in February that business has been better in Big Bear than in places such as Utah and Colorado.
“Hey, we’re a close alternative to a faraway location,” he said to the paper.
A clerk at a local ski rental shop said that while rentals are down a little, the shop has made up for the slump by selling clothes and other items.
If you’re a running geek, Big Bear could be an interesting destination for you. The area is the former home of Ryan Hall, who is often called the next great hope for American marathoning. Signs that read “Run Ryan Run” pepper the village.
The second half of my weekend included a jaunt to Indian Wells, where I attended the BNP Paribas Open. BNP Paribas, a French bank that also sponsors the French Open, took over title sponsorship of the tournament after Newport Beach-based Pacific Life Insurance Co. decided to end its seven-year relationship with the tournament last year.
Those in the know tout the tournament as the most important after the grand slams. This year, it attracted tennis gods such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
And just to complete my quintessential Southern California vacation, I squeezed in a bike ride along the Pacific Coast Highway, where I drew in views of Catalina Island while avoiding Southern California drivers in Lamborghinis and Porsches who don’t pay attention to bikers.
,Courtney Baird
