Happy new year to all my readers and supporters. Thank you so much for supporting me and reading my blog. I am so excited for 2022, and I decided to get back to blogging this year. Today I am sharing my very 1st trip of 2022. Lake Arrowhead is one of the places where you can experience snow in California. The San Bernardino Mountains are the best place to enjoy the snowy winter weather for people living in SoCal. This area is trendy to experience white Christmas and winter sports. I have already shared the best ski places in Southern California if you are into winter sports.
This was my 2nd trip to lake arrowhead, and that’s when I realized I hadn’t shared anything about this cute mountain town. This town gives the vibe of a cozy and friendly little town. This is the best place to visit all year round, but Lake Arrowhead in winter offers the feel of a white Christmas.
How to reach Lake Arrowhead Village?
You can take the flight to San Bernadino, or Ontario airport, which are nearest. If you are not getting convenient flights, you can fly to LAX or Orange County; this will increase your drive time by 1-2 hours depending on traffic. You can rent a car and drive to Lake Arrowhead.
Tips for visiting Lake Arrowhead
- Weekends are usually busy, so you will experience traffic. Start early to beat the traffic.
- If you plan to visit during the winter, please check the weather. During the snow season, you might require chains depending on road conditions. When we saw Highway 18 was closed, so we took a detour.
- Dress according to weather.
- If you plan to stay, there are a couple of hotels and multiple cabins or Airbnb, but it does get sold fast, so book in advance.
Lake Arrowhead in Winter
So we decided on new year’s night to go for snow play and head to the mountains on Saturday morning. We woke up late, so we left around 10 am for home. Due to the snowstorm, Highway 18 was damaged. Hence, traffic was diverted on 330 highway, and the route was super busy. It was moving traffic, so that’s a good sign, but still, it took 1 and half hours for the 45-mile drive.
We couldn’t see any sign of snow until we crossed 5000 ft in the San Bernardino mountains.
Running Springs was the 1st town where we saw snow. There was a substantial pullover parking lot where everyone enjoyed snowball fights and snow sliding. So we also followed the crowd as my little one was excited to play in the snow. We enjoyed sliding and watching people playing around and enjoying snow sliding, plus kids making a snowman.
On the way to Lake arrowhead, you will find a couple of pullovers to get out and enjoy the snow.
Things to do in Lake Arrowhead
As I mentioned earlier, this place attracts tourists who love celebrating white Christmas. If you plan to stay here around the holidays, please book your stay a couple of months before it gets sold out.
Whether it’s your 1st trip or you have already made multiple trips, you will be mesmerized by the lake view. That being said, never ever miss the waterfront walk around Lake Arrowhead. We started ours near Mc Donald.
Don’t miss dining in a waterfront restaurant and enjoy the view. These can be a perfect place to go on a date.
As we walked further, we found Santa’s workshop, but unfortunately, it was not open, so we couldn’t get pictures with Santa, but we loved the giant Christmas tree, and the backdrop was impressive. Though it was cloudy, the picture was a little dark, and the view was amazing.
California has a variety of landscapes from sandy beaches to deserts and snowy mountains to Celebrity fame. Which is your favorite place in California?
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I still have not gotten over to Lake Arrowhead. My favorite place in California is a tie between Yosemite and the Central Coast.