About Big Bear
Immediately east of Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City is an unincorporated city surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. It boasts abundant wildlife and is unmatched in mountain beauty, hidden lakes, and towering pines. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, Big Bear allows more opportunities for enjoying the alpine forest environment and outdoor adventures, including water sports, hiking, biking, winter sports, fishing, and more.
Thanks to its natural resources and unique features, Big Bear makes a perfect filming location in Southern Carolina. The ways it morphs and changes its appearance as the season changes create stunning backdrops for photography and films. It is no wonder it attracts TV and film crews worldwide, providing them with ideal settings to bring their visions to life.
It’s also hard not to fall in love with the state-of-the-art event and meeting spaces in Big Bear. Whether you’re looking for an outdoor party venue or an unconventional indoor setting for your corporate affairs, this city has fascinating sites to exceed your expectations.
Attractions in Big Bear
Big Bear thrives as a popular tourist destination, offering limitless outdoor recreation regardless of the season. Get to know this vibrant beach resort community by visiting some of its top-notch attractions!
- Big Bear Solar Observatory
The Big Bear Solar Observatory should be on your vacation itinerary if you’re looking for an entertaining and educational spot to visit in Big Bear. Here, you can delve deeper into the mysteries of space and science and observe the vital technology, including impressive instruments and telescopes that scientists use in their studies and experiments.
- Dam Keeper’s House
The historic Big Bear Dam Keeper’s House was built in 1980 as a home for multiple dam keepers and their families. However, it was left vacant by 1977 and had since fallen into disrepair. But before it turned into a skeleton of the former stone cabin residence, it was featured in the 1931 Frankenstein film. Now in ruins, this historical landmark provides visitors with a fascinating peek into the past.
- Big Bear Valley Historical Museum
If you want to learn more about the city’s culture, history, legacy, and inhabitants, you should go straight to the Big Bear History Museum. Operated by the Big Bear Valley Historical Society, the museum features an outstanding collection of artifacts and exhibits from the gold mining era, indigenous Serrano Indians, early winter sports, and fox farming. It will also teach you about the cowboys, miners, loggers, and ranchers who played a crucial role in the city’s history.
Production Locations in Big Bear
Big Bear City has been a favorite among location scouts looking for unique backgrounds for commercials, documentaries, music videos, TV series, and films. It boasts unique rustic homes and gorgeous unspoiled scenery that make any story come alive. Here are some of the best filming and photo shoot locations in Big Bear to consider for your next production project.
- Lodges
Lodges make an ideal place to shoot, especially if your story demands a secluded private location in Big Bear. They offer privacy and create a distinctive mood, typically nostalgia, romance, and mystery. The setting itself will enhance the tone and feel you’re trying to achieve in your photos and videos. The Historic Gold Mountain Manor, for instance, has been accommodating guests, including filmmakers looking for a place for commercial, catalog, television, and film productions.
- Campgrounds
There are many scenic places to camp in Big Bear for an exciting night out with friends and family. However, not only do they make excellent campgrounds but also fantastic filming locations. A perfect example is the Holcomb Valley Campground, used in the 1969 film Paint Your Wagon. And if you’ve ever been to Camp Juniper, a scene in the 1977 movie The Girl in the Empty Grave featuring the place might look familiar to you.
- Woodlands
Being surrounded by a national forest, Big Bear provides unrivaled outdoor space for your unique filming needs. Perhaps you’re looking to film a new drama, make your music video, create a short clip, or need a backdrop for a documentary. Big Bear woodlands offer various settings to shoot in, from rocky mountains and wooded valleys to wide-open spaces. You can also rent a spacious luxury mountain home to cater to a large film crew and production equipment.
Event and Meeting Venues in Big Bear
Plan and create an experience that everyone will remember for years by booking the best event and meeting venues in Big Bear. No matter your style or preference, the city has a perfect space to host your big day.
- Performance Centers
A sizeable venue is crucial for hosting a major conference or big celebrations. Spacious, beautiful, and well-equipped, the Big Bear Performing Arts Center is more than just a performance space in Big Bear. Besides concerts, Broadway shows, and dramatic presentations, this state-of-the-art theater also serves as an ideal setting for private parties, reception, and corporate functions.
- Log Cabins
Invite collaboration and ignite your team’s creativity by hosting an off-site company meeting at a log cabin in Big Bear City. Everyone can feel at home and relax while enjoying the setting’s privacy, allowing them to focus on the task. Suppose you want to gather with friends or host an intimate party. In that case, you can rent a log cabin to celebrate a particular day, whether an anniversary, birthday, wedding shower, or engagement.
- Hotels
As a resort community in Southern California, Big Bear is home to an array of world-class hotels and resorts in convenient and accessible locations. Many of them are equipped to help you organize a party, meeting, or any entertaining and productive gathering. Their world-class suites, charming rooms, and flexible meeting spaces ensure that your event is a memorable affair for everyone.
- Art Galleries
Another unconventional venue you can use is an art gallery. Art enthusiasts or not, your guests will admire the stunning works showcased in an extraordinary event venue like a gallery. Another venue to keep in mind for a Big Bear party venue or networking space is a craftperson’s shop.