8 perfect California road trips to take for fall vibes

An easy weekend trip that promises fall colors is Big Bear Lake. It’s also one of the most family-friendly mountain destinations around. Nature trails and the lake aside, Big Bear has an alpine slide, coaster, zip line, a zoo and other activities to keep kids busy and active.For an easy hiking trail that offers some leaf peeping, head to Towne Trail, a 2.5-mile loop that starts near the Snow Summit parking lot. A Segway tour through town is also a fun way to see colorful trees around Big Bear’s neighborhoods.

Another major fall event in Big Bear is Oktoberfest. This is a specifically family-friendly one: There’s a bounce house, face painting, a mechanical bull, and themed children’s Halloween costumes for sale, in case your little one lacks their own lederhosen.

On the way to or from Big Bear, be sure to take SR-18 to Lake Arrowhead so you don’t miss some of the best parts of the Rim of the World Highway. Extend the trip with a stop at Skypark at Santa’s Village in October for some pumpkin spice lattes and Halloween festivities, or explore Lake Arrowhead.

Don’t miss: Pies from Pickle’s Pie Shop, operating out of a whimsical building that looks rather like a witch’s house. They sell their sweet pies by the slice, but the pot pies are only available frozen. If you’re renting a cabin with an oven, it’s worth getting one.