A Dog-Friendly Girls’ Getaway to Big Bear: Where to Stay, Eat & Play With Your Pup
A Pet-Friendly Cabin That Feels Like Part of the Vacation
Some getaways don’t need a packed itinerary. Grab your best friend, load the dogs into the car and trade the everyday routine for a few days in the mountains.
That’s exactly what Andrea and Nick [the dog!] and her friend did on their recent trip to Big Bear. Their dogs came along for the adventure, too, turning a girls’ getaway into a four-legged mountain escape.
They made pet-friendly Chalet Onyx their home base, grabbed coffee and breakfast at dog-friendly local spots, explored Big Bear together, and ended their days back at the cabin with plenty of space for both humans and pups to unwind.
If you’ve ever wondered whether Big Bear is worth visiting when your dog is part of the travel plans, steal their itinerary.
Coffee Run, But Make It Dog-Friendly
A mountain morning requires coffee. A mountain morning with dogs requires coffee with a patio.
The cozy Moonridge Coffee serves handcrafted coffee, specialty drinks, pastries and breakfast/lunch options, with outdoor patio seating where guests can bring their dogs.
For Andrea, the appeal was simple: nobody had to leave the dogs behind just to start the morning with coffee.
Grab your drink, find a patio spot and let your dog participate in the coffee run for once.
Take Your Dogs Along for a Big Bear Lake Day
The group traded their cabin for the lake and headed to Holloway’s Marina for a pontoon boat ride on Big Bear Lake, with the pups coming along for the adventure.
Renting a pontoon gives you a completely different perspective of Big Bear: mountains surrounding the lake, cool air coming off the water and plenty of room to settle in and enjoy the ride together.
For a girls’ getaway with dogs, it also meant another major Big Bear experience they didn’t have to skip because they were traveling with their pets.
Cabin in the morning. Dogs on the lake in the afternoon. Jacuzzi at night. That’s a pretty solid Big Bear day.
Bagels With the Whole Crew at Amangela’s
Next stop: bagels.
Amangela’s Sandwich & Bagel House is located in Big Bear Lake’s Village and serves bagels, breakfast sandwiches, deli-style sandwiches, salads and other casual breakfast and lunch options. Its outdoor seating is commonly used by guests traveling with dogs.
The humans grabbed fresh bagels, sandwiches, salads and drinks.
The dogs? Scrambled eggs.
That’s a recurring theme when traveling around Big Bear with a pup: you don’t necessarily have to divide the day into things we can do with the dog and things we can’t.
Sometimes the dog comes to breakfast.
Sometimes the Best Big Bear Plans Aren’t Plans
Not every hour of a Big Bear getaway needs a reservation.
Some of their trip was simply enjoying where they were: walking the dogs through the neighborhood, taking in the trees and mountain air, cooking together at Chalet Onyx, relaxing in the jacuzzi, playing games and ending the evening with wine on the couch.
When you travel with a friend, sometimes that’s the whole point. You have somewhere beautiful to go when you feel like exploring and somewhere comfortable to come back to when you don’t.
Bringing the dogs along just makes the cabin feel a little more like home.
Why Big Bear Works for a Dog-Friendly Girls’ Trip
The best dog-friendly destinations aren’t simply places where dogs are allowed. They’re places where bringing your dog doesn’t make the entire trip harder.
A dog-friendly cabin can give you a comfortable home base. Outdoor patios make coffee and casual meals easier. Then the mountains provide the thing most dogs came for anyway: outside.
A Big Bear trip can be built around scenic walks, forest time, patios, cabin mornings and evenings together instead of leaving your dog behind every time you head out.
And because Destination Big Bear offers a dedicated selection of pet-friendly vacation rentals, you can start your trip planning by finding a cabin that works for the humans and the dogs.
Planning More Adventures With Your Pup?
This trip is just one way to experience Big Bear with your dog. If you’re planning your own getaway, our Pet-Friendly Big Bear Guide can help you find even more places to stay, eat and explore together.
From pet-friendly cabin rentals and outdoor adventures to local restaurants and tips for traveling with your four-legged companion, use the guide to build a Big Bear trip where your pup doesn’t have to miss out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Big Bear can be a great destination for travelers with dogs, with pet-friendly vacation rentals, outdoor recreation and a number of restaurants and cafés offering dog-friendly outdoor seating. Individual business and trail rules can vary, so travelers should confirm current pet policies before visiting.
Destination Big Bear offers a collection of pet-friendly cabin rentals throughout the Big Bear area. Properties vary in size, location and amenities, allowing travelers to search for a home that fits both their group and their pets.
Yes. Chalet Onyx is currently listed by Destination Big Bear as a pet-friendly three-bedroom, two-bath cabin accommodating up to eight guests.
Moonridge Coffee Company offers outdoor patio seating where dogs are permitted, making it an option for travelers looking for coffee or casual food while exploring Big Bear with their pup.
Several Big Bear restaurants offer outdoor seating that
