Scrapbooking in Big Bear Lake, California

The cities of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead are just breathtaking. I could spend weeks walking and hiking through these beautiful mountains. Of course in the winter, the beauty turns white and many people come to the mountains to ski and snowboard.

Stop by the Big Bear Discovery Center to pick up hiking and biking maps. There are trails for both the beginner and the very experienced hiker. Paths are offered for one mile hikes and also 13 miles hikes. The scenery is beautiful.

If you enjoy animals, Moonridge Animal Park is a must see while in Big Bear. There are birds, bobcats and more. The zoo tries to bring out one animal daily for an up close and personal visit. You can also follow one of the keepers as they feed the animals each day.

Do you have kids? Alpine Slide is a must for those with kids. During the summer months there is a water slide and in the winter months there are snow activities for the whole family. You begin with a scenic chairlift ride to the top. There are many opportunities for photos as you ride to the top. Once on the top, you’ll have your own individually controlled sled, which you can take down your choice of two quarter-mile long cement tracks filled with high-banked turns and long straightaways.

I have such fond memories of going to Santa’s Village as a child. Each summer, we would spend a few weeks in Lake Arrowhead and we always took one day to visit Santa’s Village. When I saw the website for Memories by Merrilee, my first thought was "this looks just like Santa’s Village. The building is done in red brick, with a white picket fence around the building. What a perfect name for this scrapbooking store. It sure did bring back memories for me.

When I asked Merrilee to tell me a bit about her store, this is what she wrote: "Memories by Merrilee has been in business since 1991. We have one of the largest selections of unique and hard to find scrapbooking items you'll ever find. She prides herself on offering the best in personalized customer service and carrying products from over 200 major and small boutique vendors. When you visit Memories by Merrilee, you'll even find custom Big Bear scrapbook supplies.

Stop by Memories by Merrilee and ask for suggestions on where to visit, what to see and the best photo opportunities while visiting Big Bear Lake.

About the author:
Audrey Okaneko has been scrapbooking for several years. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or click here.