Beers to You!

Oktoberfest in Big Bear Lake California

First comes hiking, then comes beer! Good news, the hiking leads to the beer at Big Bear Lake, where its annual Oktoberfest stays open until midnight on Saturdays and until 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. Begin a 3-mile hike from either Pineknot Campground (or the Snow Summit parking lot; from the lot it’s a short walk east along the fire road to Pineknot). From Pineknot, take the adjacent forest road east, following the bend as it continues north to Switzerland Drive. Turn right on Switzerland and then left onto Elm Street.

Make the first left onto Moonridge Road, followed by a slight right onto Big Bear Boulevard, which meanders through the lively part of town all the way to the festival. When the road reaches the lake at the intersection of the Stanfield Cutoff bridge, opt for the Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk for a brief scenic walk before reaching the Convention Center, aka: beer galore! (Both indoors and outdoors.) At the festival, pair classic German food like bratwursts and Bavarian dumplings with any (or all!) of the 22 biers on tap, including offerings from Oktoberfest regulars Spaten (we like the original Oktoberfest brew!) and Franziskaner. Join in on yodel-off contests and dance the “Schuhplatter” to live bands playing—what else?—German music. Got some liquid courage built up? There’s a mechanical bull challenge, so go ahead and add your Western spin on this Munich-originated pastime. Zum Wohl!

TIP: Beer buzz? There’s a complimentary shuttle that runs “until everyone is home”!

Big Bear's Oktoberfest runs weekends through Saturday, October 29 (the last day, and with the mountain’s biggest Halloween Party – a German Spooktacular). Directions to Pineknot Campground, where you can start the hike (Note: Road closure due to construction is scheduled most weekdays this October between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on CA-18.) Service dogs only at Big Bear's Oktoberfest.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View