My boyfriend and I took a few days away from our everyday lives last month and drove up to Lake Arrowhead. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, so I was really excited.
We took off on a Monday, returning Thursday. We live in Orange County, so we drove towards San Bernardino, to the 18, and got there in about 2 hours. The drive up was gorgeous, and as soon as we got to the town, there was snow greeting us on the ground.
My amazing girlfriend Haley manages a cabin that we rented Mon-Thurs, you can check it out at Azure Aframe. It is modern cabin luxury, with 4 bedrooms, 7 beds, and 4.5 baths! You also get to use the guest studio when you rent with her, so you can fit up to 10 people for a perfect mountain getaway. This was our initial look at the cabin when we first pulled up. We were so excited to get inside and check out the cabin and the view!
Haley was born to do this, hospitality was top-notch. We walked in and were greeted by the most amazing welcome gift package from eLAvate High Gear - hats for each of us, a card from our host, Haley, drink holders, coasters, and large coffee cups, because Haley knows we are both coffee lovers. Such a special touch.
The studio was the next thing I checked out because I knew Haley spent a lot of time furnishing and fixing it up. I loved the studio. There was a cute porch with rocking chairs on the front, patio and everything 1-2 people would need - from the kitchen to the bathroom. This is considered the 4th bedroom and I could seriously just move in here! So cute.
We then sat down to have some coffee and relax with this amazing view, before we did anything else. The kitchen has every appliance you need, the rooms are gorgeous, the bathrooms are so clean and welcoming. Every detail is considered as if you were the family of the owners themselves. There is a record player with great speakers and lots of records to play, so that is what I did - the first thing to do, planning on being "unplugged" for a few days. They have a beautiful view of the lake from this 2nd floor where the main living area is.
We headed into the Lake Arrowhead Village for dinner and grocery shopping that evening. It was a little chilly, and we got to see the most beautiful pink sunset. The drive from the cabin to the village was about 20 minutes. We decided on Mexican food at Papagayos. It was a little busy, but the food and beer were really good. We went to the grocery store afterward and stocked up on food to cook and have on hand for the next few days.
We brought our journals and our books and enjoyed the peace and quiet the next morning. I didn't take any photos, but - by the way - the master bedroom is amazing, with a sleep number bed and a bidet in the bathroom. And there is also a second master across the hall and it has a detached bathroom. We slept like babies. We decided to go on a little snow hike that day at "Arrowhead Ridge", a little trail we found using our "All Trails" app. We are not major hikers, but we like to get out and walk and enjoy nature, so it was perfect.
We got back to the cabin, showered and got ready for another night at the village. Enjoyed sunset from the balcony this time, and spent some time on the lower balcony, with a little cozy fire-pit.
Wednesday, we had a relaxing morning, cooked, and hung out. Then, some workers had to do some work on the electricity pole outside the cabin, so we unexpectedly had no power. Haley was so generous and in communication with us though, and honestly, it ended up being one of our favorite times there - romantic and gave us a chance to reconnect over the downstairs fireplace and board games.
Hope you enjoyed my little travel blog. I hope to be adding more in the near future! Let me know if you have any questions!
XOXO,
GretchCannon
More Lake Arrowhead Resources:
- Dining - This was the area we ate at, but Haley had also recommended: Belgian Waffles, Horcientas at the Cliffhanger, Jetties Waterfront, The Grill at Antlers Inn, and Stone Creek Bistro. We will definitely try these on our next trip up!
- Shopping - We got our groceries at the Stater Bros in the Village and on the way home on our last day, we stopped at Sondra's Wild Sophistication, where I bought a magnet, a trucker hat, and a sweatshirt for souvenirs
- Trails - Best trails in Lake Arrowhead
