Things to Do in Big Bear City

Though they met through the RV business, Jim Headley and Dick Burke bonded over their excitement for a different mode of transportation. They opened Segway Orange County in 2004, and have since been matching customers with Segway i2 and Segway i180 models. Their shop hosts orientations for new owners, bringing Segway representatives in to coach attendees on the machine's operation and safety features before their first ride. The training also kicks off each of Segway Orange County's guided tours, which whisk visitors on 60- to 90-minute jaunts through Newport Pier or the Balboa Peninsula. Riding atop their Segway PT, patrons glide past sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, beachfront homes, and boardwalk highlights such as the lone wizard who controls the tides with a series of pulleys.

Presented with 600 acres of verdant pasture to sculpt into an executive course, golf-course architect David Rainville dreamt up 18 Bermuda grass fairways adorned with colorful flowerbeds, four ponds strewn into play, and sand bunkers of various sizes and difficulties. In the three decades since Rainville’s vision became reality, the course’s trees have flourished on all of the eight par 4s and 10 par 3s. The well-manicured course has been ranked in the top 10 courses in San Diego, inviting golfers of all stripes to experience the verdant playground and perhaps occasional sightings of caddies that graze on the short grass. While swinging through the course, men and women are asked to wear collared shirts, protecting them from neck sunburns, informality, and vampire flagsticks.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 62 course
• Length of 3,968 yards
• Course rating of 58.9
• Slope rating of 102
• Course layout

More than one million fossils and artifacts were unearthed during the construction the Diamond Valley Lake reservoir in Hemet. These time-swept relics make their home in the Western Science Center's museum complex, creating a bridge between ancient eras and the scientific advances of the future. The campus itself is steeped in advanced design tactics, making it the first museum in California to earn a Platinum LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. A rooftop covered with 3,000 solar panels provides more than half of the museum's power needs, and a combination of heat-resistant windows and forced-air circulation keeps the interior cool while spending less energy on air conditioning and ice sculpture maintenance.

A journey through the ages begins from the moment visitors step from the parking lot and under the Life on Earth Timelime, a 156-foot corridor of geologic time rings from Pre-Cambrian to Holocene that leads to the museum lobby. Inside, they explore permanent and temporary exhibits, including "Max," the largest mastodon skeleton found in the Western United States and the Discovery lab highlighting the tool contemporary architects use every day. Crowds can take a seat in the immersion theater with a 270-degree screen to watch a pair of short films about the time when giant creatures roamed California and how the region was excavated and preserved.

On a shimmering bay, a trained gondolier rows a happy couple along on a romantic evening. Having conferred with the gentleman before the trip, he slips a special message inside a bottle and discretely places it in the water. After turning the boat around, he asks the lady to retrieve the bottle that, unbeknownst to her, contains her marriage proposal. After tears of joy and a celebratory kiss, the engagement is confirmed, and the gondolier rows the lovebirds ashore.

This tale is not stolen from the pages of an Italian love story, but rather, it’s an unforgettable moment that Gondola Company of Newport helps make possible. A team of professionally trained gondoliers ferries guests through the bay and canals of Newport Beach, creating an intimate mood for special occasions, such as proposals, anniversaries, and birthdays. The journey is also ideal for families or friends, and includes picnic fare, and sparkling cider for guests to enjoy as they tour the bay in a unique and relaxing manner.

Calling on the alchemic knowledge of ancient mystics, Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre blends gut-busting comedy, jaw-dropping barbecue fare, and mind-boggling magic tricks on the Rib Trader stage. Clothed in medieval garb, Merlin unleashes a flurry of illusions, levitating water glasses and assistants and confounding minds with sleight of hand and recitations of tax manuals. While audience members attempt to make sense of their newly stretched reality, a cadre of costumed servers piles tables high with ribs and chicken—or chicken strips and french fries for wee ones—and oversees edible disappearing acts.

Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre Calling on the alchemic knowledge of ancient mystics, Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre blends gut-busting comedy, jaw-dropping barbecue fare, and mind-boggling magic tricks on the Rib Trader stage. Clothed in medieval garb, Merlin unleashes a flurry of illusions, levitating water glasses and assistants and confounding minds with sleight of hand and recitations of tax manuals. While audience members attempt to make sense of their newly stretched reality, a cadre of costumed servers piles tables high with ribs and chicken—or chicken strips and french fries for wee ones—and oversees edible disappearing acts.

Owned and operated by artist Kelly Hutchinson, Kelly's Art & Frame is home to a 2,800-square-foot art gallery where original paintings, watercolors, and limited-edition prints line the walls. Onsite custom framing services combine archival materials and meticulous work to properly preserve drawings, sculptures, and cherished pieces of ABC gum. With fellow artist Carol Fogelsong, Kelly also leads art classes, teaching the fundamentals to students during intimate group sessions.