25 Best Things To Do in Lake Arrowhead With Kids 2024

Lake Arrowhead is a mountain town in Southern California just a short drive from San Diego or Los Angeles but it feels like a whole world away! We have visited during the summer and winter; both are equally magical and fun for the whole family. It’s the perfect place to get away from the city. 

Here are the best things to do there!

1. Lake Arrowhead Village
2. Santa’s Village at Skypark
3. Visit Big Bear
4. Water Slides Lake Gregory
5. Candy Store Cedar Glen Malt Shop
6. Belgian Waffle Works
7. Mountain History Museum or Rim of the World Historical Society
8. Northwoods Express Train Ride
9. Wildhaven Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary 
10. Lake Arrowhead Queen Paddleboat Boat Ride / Boat Tour
11. San Bernardino National Forest
12. Lollipop Park (closed)
13. Jetties Waterfront Kitchen
14. Lake Gregory Regional Park
15. Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company
16. Lakefront McDonald’s
17. Mackay Recreational Park
18. Snowdrift Tubing
19. LouEddie’s Pizza
20. Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain near Big Bear
21. Center Stage Summer Concerts
22. Lake Arrowhead Village Pizza
23. Jurassic Fossils
24. Firehouse Park
25. Restaurant Honorable Mentions

Where To Stay

We stayed at this gorgeous Airbnb called Treetop Retreat! It was perfect for kids as they had all the kid stuff, including a high chair, baby gates, potty seats, kid plates, and cups, and kids’ books/toys. The cost was around $350-$400 per night which was reasonable considering the house sleeps 8 people comfortably and has a huge playroom. The decorations were amazing and the house felt like it was nestled in the trees. It made my kids’ 6 AM wake-up calls almost pleasant as I got to watch the sunrise over the treetops. They are offering a discount with the code SDMAMAS10 .

If that Airbnb is booked up, I have heard good things about UCLA Lodge in Lake Arrowhead. In the higher budget range, you could check out Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa. And if you are the camping type of family, Dogwood Campground gets high ratings.

When To Go

Lake Arrowhead is fun during the holiday season or the warmer months. When it’s cold and snowy, you can play in the snow, visit Santa’s Village (an outdoor adventure park), go snow tubing, or even cross-country skiing if you’re the adventurous sort. When it’s warm you can hike in the San Bernardino mountains, do lake activities like water skiing, and play on the slides at Lake Gregory!

If you’re going during the snowy months, I highly recommend grabbing some snow clothes from Amazon. We buy gender-neutral colors in every size and shuffle our kids through. Except I accidentally bought a pink snowsuit for the baby so there’s that. Our favorites are here! (affiliate link)

Here are all the best things to do and places to eat with kids in Lake Arrowhead!

Lake Arrowhead Village

This fun shopping area is full of cute shops and restaurants and is a great place to poke around during the winter or summer months. You can pick up souvenirs, grab a bite to eat, or just hang out and enjoy the lake. Note that Lake Arrowhead is a private lake, accessible only to those who live there or have lake rights. Make sure to check out the McDonald’s by the lake, Jettie’s, Village Pizzeria, and the Jurassic Fossils store. 

Santa’s Village at Skypark

This was by far the best thing we did in Lake Arrowhead. You pay a single admission fee (currently between $39-$59) and you get access to a TON of fun things to do. There’s ziplining (60 lbs+), archery, a BB gun range, axe throwing, tons of playgrounds, characters to meet, live entertainment including a magic show and Northwoods characters, a train ride, cute little hikes, Santa’s sweet shop and so much more!

One piece of advice: the ziplining reservations fill up at the very beginning of the day, so head there first to get a return time. The course is cool, it’s through the trees, and at the end, you get to rappel down. If you are not a zipline sort of person, try out their rock climbing wall or bouldering area (behind the rock climbing wall). 

We ate at the BBQ place and it was really good. The portions are huge so we got two adult plates for our family and fed our kids the mac and cheese sides. We also tested out the sweets at Santa’s Sweet Shop Gingerbread House and the clear winners were the Gingerdoodle cookie and the cinnamon roll. 

This theme park gets VERY crowded in December. We went in January and everything was open and it was not crowded at all. They also have a beautiful mountain biking trail. You can bring your bike or rent one there for $65. At noon all the bike rentals go to half price! They also have ice skating most months of the year which is included with admission. I saw they also do special events like weddings and birthday parties.

Big Bear

In case Lake Arrowhead doesn’t have snow, you can drive a little further up the mountain to Big Bear. There are a whole lot more things to do there (that’s a whole different blog post!) but we liked the Castle Rock Hike (uphill, but short) and swimming in the lake!

Water Slides Lake Gregory

During the summer, they have some amazing water slides on the lake at Lake Gregory. If you’ve ever been to The Plunge by Belmont Park in San Diego, that’s what it looks like, except there are more slides. It’s $30 per person per day to access the water slides or $15 to access swimming and the small beach.

Candy Store Cedar Glen Malt Shop

Do not forget to visit this cute candy shop and old-fashioned diner. It’s perfect for kids and adults alike. It’s located at 29125 Hook Creek Rd, Cedar Glen, CA 92321. They do not take reservations so on a busy weekend there may be a bit of a wait. They are known for their shakes and their fries!

Belgian Waffle Works

This restaurant has been touted as the best breakfast spot in Lake Arrowhead. The lakeside location and old-timey feel make it a classic spot to eat! Make sure to try their Belgian scrambled eggs and apple waffles with ice cream. Located at 28200 CA-189 Suite E-150, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

Mountain History Museum or Rim of the World Historical Society

This museum is open from June to October (closed during the winter months) and it’s a great spot to learn about the history of Lake Arrowhead. It’s free to enter, though they do accept donations. The building it’s in is almost as cool as the museum itself as they chose to house it in a restored firehouse! It’s located at 27176 Peninsula Drive, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

Northwoods Express Train Ride

This train is actually inside Santa’s Village at Skypark. You take a narrated train ride through the flora and fauna of The San Bernardino Mountains. They teach you about the history of the area and the littles get a train ride so everyone is happy. Note that you must pay admission to Skypark to access the train ride!

Wildhaven Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary 

This wildlife rescue area in Lake Arrowhead is a must-visit! You and your kids will learn about the animals that are native to the area including black bears. The wildlife sanctuary is open year-round weather permitting on Saturdays. Admission is between $35-$50. Reservations are required and you will need to book online here: http://wildhavenranch.org/reservation-form/ 

Lake Arrowhead Queen Paddleboat Boat Ride / Boat Tour

This cute boat (think Mark Twain steamboat from Disneyland but smaller) sails around Lake Arrowhead. This is a super kid-friendly thing to do in the summertime! I have heard they will let the littles take a turn at the wheel. Prices range from $20-$35 per person. The website to book is here: https://lakearrowheadqueen.com/ticket-pricing/

San Bernardino National Forest

The real reason most people come to Lake Arrowhead is to escape into nature. This is a great place to do just that. If you have little kids or just people who don’t like walking much, Heaps Arboretum is a great mini hike to a sequoia grove. The beginning has animal footprints in the concrete which my kids found VERY exciting. For the more intrepid hiker, you can keep going on the paths from here. Note: you will need an America The Beautiful parking pass to park here or you can pay the $5 parking fee when you get there. 

Lollipop Park

This small amusement park for kids is CLOSED. It closed during the pandemic. I am putting it on the list so you don’t drive around trying to find it.

Jetties Waterfront Kitchen

This cute diner on the lake is a great spot to dine with families. It’s in Lake Arrowhead village so there are a lot of places to walk around afterwards. They are known for their peach burrata salad and their poke nachos. 

Lake Gregory Regional Park

This is the spot where we had the best snow day of our SoCal lives. We drove straight up from San Diego, played in the fresh falling snow for an hour, and then drove back home the same day. As mentioned earlier, this is also a great place for lake activities in the summer. Lake Arrowhead requires a resident pass, but Lake Gregory is open to the public. 

Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company

This spot is ideal if you’re dining with a family. They have a large outdoor patio with a view of the trees and stream running nearby. Unfortunately, I am not able to help with alcohol recommendations, as I don’t drink alcohol, but browse their Google reviews and people have a lot of opinions. Note: they only serve snacks, not meals. They occasionally have food vendors nearby, so call ahead to see if they’ll be there on that date. People also bring in their food. It is a short walk from Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa. 

Lakefront McDonald’s

This has got to be the prettiest spot for a McDonald’s I’ve ever seen. It’s right on the lake and the windows look out to the boat jetties. The interior is pretty nice too and I appreciated that they didn’t have games like many McDonald’s have lately. My kids always play those instead of eating their food and I have to feed them again when I get home. If you don’t feel like eating a Happy Meal, you can get them for your kids and then walk and find yourself some adult food from Jettie’s. 

Mackay Recreational Park

This cute park is above the lake and SO pretty. They have a big zipline a play structure and nice bathrooms. It was a great spot to enjoy nature and amuse the kids at the same time. 

Snowdrift Tubing

One time we went up to Lake Arrowhead in January and there was no snow on the ground. So we drove around and investigated every tubing spot from Lake Arrowhead to Big Bear. We ended up choosing Snowdrift as it was $25/hour instead of $50/all day and it’s very close to Lake Arrowhead. We guessed right as our kids were done tubing when the allotted hour was up. They have a variety of hills, some very steep and some less steep. You have to go down on your stomach and they make you sign a waiver. It’s cash only (ATM on site) and there are no refunds. We had a great time there and even went down some of the biggest hills!

LouEddie’s Pizza

This is a very popular pizza place about 5 miles outside of Lake Arrowhead. They deliver or you can go in. The atmosphere in the restaurant is super fun with servers throwing pizza dough around! Make sure to order early or make a reservation as it can get crowded.

Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain near Big Bear

This alpine slide is just 45 minutes from Lake Arrowhead on your way into Big Bear. It’s fun in the winter or the summer! They have a few different options and price ranges including an alpine rollercoaster. You do not need to make a reservation. The minimum age is 3 years old and 36 inches tall. More info here: https://alpineslidebigbear.com/

Center Stage Summer Concerts

These concerts start a little late for young kids, but adults and older kids will enjoy the live music in the woods. More info here: https://www.lakearrowheadsummerconcerts.com/band-lineup-tickets

Lake Arrowhead Village Pizza

Another great option in Lake Arrowhead Village. Adults and kids will find something they want to eat AND they have an arcade. They have TVs playing whatever sporting game happens to be going on at that time as well. 

Jurassic Fossils Store

This cute store in Lake Arrowhead Village has Jurassic fossils and many other items you and your kids will love checking out. It’s located at 28200 CA-189, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352. Make sure to check out their deadly minerals, but do not touch them! Your kids will want to bring their allowance because if they are anything like mine, they are sure to want to buy some rocks for their rock collection. There’s an area in the back where they can pick out a little bag of colorful stones. 

Firehouse Park

This cute little park is across from the library located at 2646 Whispering Pines Dr, Running Springs, CA 92382, and makes a great spot for snow play when the snow is deep. There’s also a farmer’s market from June to October. 

Restaurant Honorable Mentions

The following restaurants were suggested when I asked for Lake Arrowhead with kids recommendations: Puglia’s Italian food, Stone Creek Bistro, Mountain Coffee Co., The Villager Breakfast, and Hotencia’s Mexican food. Check them out and see what you think!

Allow me to introduce myself…

My name is Camille! I am a San Diego stay-at-home mom who is never ever at home. I share a lot of fun things to do around San Diego including parks, restaurants, LEGOLAND, the zoo etc.

My goal with my Instagram account and blog is to make any mom feel prepared for any outing with her kids so that she doesn’t have to stay home unless she wants to. Getting out with my kids was key for me in overcoming postpartum depression so I try to pay it forward by sharing what we do to help other moms in a similar situation. Read more about my story here.

Thanks so much for reading!

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