swim beach

It is difficult to imagine how Big Bear can call itself a four season resort without furnishing a clean, safe, staffed public beach. This area is someone's private beach which is not well-kept, not clean, overcrowded and suitable for desperate parents. Certainly not what I would envision for an area to swim in such a beautiful area as Big Bear Lake.bb

what a great day of fun at this beach with lots of extra waterplay actives beach volleyball and much more... we had lots of fun here!

Swim beach is feeling the pain of the draught probably more than any other attractions. Very limited swim area and open only 12:00PM - 5:00PM daily. Beach itself is nice but lake so low the water is not inviting.

Con: The place looks terrible: the water level is so low it looks like a dump...the floatation devices had duck feathers and duck poop all over them. The life vests were the wrong size and gave my son and I a rash. The mossy bottom was disgusting to touch...Pro: My kids loved it. They loved jumping off the dirty floatation devices with me. We had a lot of fun. It's bizarre that Big Bear Lake has so few places to actually swim. That being said, it's hard to recommend this place because of the look...it looks so terrible...but my kids and I had a wonderful time.

Fully agree with previous reviewer. To say you are swimming in Big Bear lake at the swim beach is a stretch. It's a murky watered inlet that smells of dead fish, as did my son's hair when I sniffed it after he went swimming. Yuck. Kids can't build sandcastles because sand is small rocks. The swim test is silly. Even if an adult passes the test they STILL have to wear a life vest, even though there are three life guards on duty for such a small area, one of which paddles around in a kayak circling the deep area. The "slide" is a test unto itself, that is climbing up onto it. I watched my 9 1/2 year old struggle for ONE HOUR to get up the first big step up (OK, he is not a particularly strong or coordinated kid but even bigger kids were having trouble). FInally a nice high school aged kid started helping smaller kids get up. So we paid a total of $20 for 4 adults and kids who never stepped foot in the lake.In the meantime, my other son, nephew and another kid or two all melted down at the thought of the swim test. It is intimidating for little kids to "test" in front of a bunch of people, much less in cold water that you can't see to the bottom in. Keep that in mind. The shallower roped off swimming area is about as big as half the size of an Olympic swimming pool, you can basically just wade around in it, woop de doo. Great for a 3 year old, but...It really is silly to think that Big Bear city does not have a better swimming solution, they should take a hint from Lake Tahoe. We are going to check out Green Valley Lake swim area, seems to be bigger, has a real waterslide that dumps into the lake.

With such a large lake like Big Bear Lake it is absolutely ridiculous that you can only swim in this small enclosed area where you have to pay $5/person to enter. It simply does not make sense, if anybody knows the reason please let me know. My only guess is the monetary gain, you charge for boating, you charge for fishing so it makes sense to charge for swimming too. This is absolutely in line with the rest of Big Bear "features" like: resort fee, cleaning fee, smoking fee, pet fee, etc.Maybe that is exactly the reason why less and less people are visiting Big Bear Lake, you can only expect to be rip off for anything you want to do.Going back to the swim park, be aware, they check your bags for alcohol and depending on the mood of the staff they may or not accept any glass container. The swim test is also a laughable matter, it may be OK to test little kids but why the adult people, aren't they mature enough to understand that if you do not know how to swim you cannot go in the deep water?This place is completely out of place, out of time and out of reason.The City should just invest some money to create a nice public beach, free of charge like any other resort/city/village in California. This is what every tourist and locals alike expect.

kids loved it! Its in a enclosed area of the lake where you can swim, sun bathe, slide down into the lake. There are benches and tables where you can bring your own food to eat.

overcrowded with kids, useless $5 fee, once you're in you have to wait in a long line for a swim test. The water looked dirty, and we saw several dead fish floating around. Stay away from here.

Let me first clarify that my boyfriend and I didn't even go here because as we pulled up at 10:30am...all packed with a picnic lunch and ready to spend the day on the beach (and let me might add this is really the only place with a beach and swimming on Big Bear Lake). totally disappointed, and if you ask me, a little silly on the weekend. In the middle of July. On a Lake. I'm giving it an average because it did look nice and maintained. From the fence. That has a sign that says they are open only from noon-5pm.

I can't quite make up my mind about this one. I mean, if your kids can swim well enough to pass the swim test (doggy paddling does not cut it and backstroke is also required), it is definitely worth the visit. They will be allowed to go to the deeper water and play on two floating bouncy structures which they can climb and from which they can slide or jump into the water. What more can a kid want than doing cannonballs without getting yelled at. All are required to wear life jackets, so it is safe. They are also only allowed to be there for 20 minutes, so you don't have to worry about getting them back from where they cannot hear you.My 5 year old son cannot swim, so he could only be in the shallow area, but he still liked it a lot. The swim area is super safe. You don't have to worry about your kid making a wrong step and ending up in deep water or getting snatched by a rogue current. The place is teeming with life guards and life jackets are available to anyone. There is also a volleyball net, a pair of swings, and a climbing structure that occupied my monkey bars obsessed son for at least half an hour.On the other hand, I can't help feeling that there is something pathetic about that little water hole you have to pay to get to. There are so many kids in a fairly small area. The water is cold and murky. Maybe I forgot what it is like to be a kid and appreciate, no, love any body of water you are allowed to go into. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to bring your own food. Yes, there is a snack bar and it offers what can qualify as real food, such as hot dogs and chicken tacos, but while I was standing in line, I noticed that the woman working there was handling food and money without ever putting on gloves or washing her hands.

We spent lots of time here - four legged friends have to be left behind though.You do pay a small fee to get in, but then you get:Snack bar, toilets, kids playground, volley ball net, free balls, buckets and spades etc, grass area to picnic and use free BBQ's, sandy area to laze, shallow water to play, deeper water to swim and play on the inflatable slides (Free) - they enforce a swim test to ensure swimming ability to access this area which is such a great idea. You can also hire canoes and kayaks!

It was closed but, from the outside and other people talking about it. It looked like fun. Even though it was closed the staf there were very nice to map out and write down other entertainment for my family to enjoy our stay in the Big Bear City.

Swim Beach is a great way to enjoy the lake. The beach is clean but more important, the water is clean, You can be sure that you won't step on a fish hook or saddle up to a dead carp. The lifeguards are top notch and my kids always have a blast. I did not love having to take a swim test to go into the deep water but I understood. The lake water is not clear like a pool so they assure you can swim to minimize the risks. You only have to take the test once per season. The grounds are really nice! My kids love when we BBQ and play volleyball. I enjoy sitting in the shade, reading my book. I know my kids are having a great time and are safe.

A cool lake during a hot day in the summer was the best way to spend the day in the mountains!Picnic tables nearby provided a relaxing spot to have a picnic. Tasty grilled burgers were an excellent way to wrap up this day.

Lived in Big Bear and took my grandson a couple of times but wasn't impressed. They often close for special groups.