Glamping at Bear Valley Resort

Summer is coming to an end and that in itself called for a little mountain getaway.

I'd never been glamping before and I knew the first time I tried out 'luxury camping' needed to be in a beautiful destination. So I searched for somewhere in California that offered exactly that - that's when I found Bear Valley Resort.

I'd never heard of Bear Valley or even really knew their corner of the world existed, but, I'm so glad we decided to go explore and enjoy their glamping experience!

WHERE IS BEAR VALLEY?

Bear Valley. Bear Valley Resort is located in Alpine County, California. I actually live really close to where Alpine County begins and had no idea how vast the county is and all of the cute little towns it holds!

Bear Valley in itself is super small, besides the resort, it is home to a handful of locals, has a shop to rent things like kayaks and SUP boards, a couple of gas pumps, and a few cafes and restaurants.

But don't fret, if small towns that force you to enjoy the great outdoors aren't really your thing (but you still want to experience glamping) there are some nearby towns like Arnold and Murphys (my favorite) to get in some shopping, wine tasting, and more exploring!

BEAR VALLEY RESORT

Bear Valley Resort is well known for it's prime skiing and snowboarding. So yes, it's open in the winter! And then they have glamping for the summer visitors!

I love that Bear Valley Resort has lots to offer for it's guests like an outdoor heated pool, a private lake, cute restaurants, and of course, those incredible views!

Bear Valley Resort is located very close to other lakes and reservoirs, hiking trails, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, OHV trails, and Ebbetts Pass which is a gorgeous drive I highly recommend taking but, PLEASE drive with caution! The road is very dangerous and is basically one lane (no center lines) with sharp, steep turns and blind corners. The views and serene forest are totally worth it all, though!

GLAMPING AT BEAR VALLEY

Glamping at Bear Valley Resort has truly got to be one of the most breathtaking experiences! The view from your bed, looking out towards the mountains is just insanely beautiful.

Upon arrival, you'll get to your tent and enjoy the fact that you don't have to do anything! Unlike good ol' camping, glamping at Bear Valley Resort means you get a nicely made and super comfortable bed - no sleeping on the ground, yay!

The tent comes with an incredible wood stove fireplace for nights that may be a little chilly, firewood, towels, shampoo/conditioner/body soap, and a solar power box which means... electricity! It was so cool to have lights and power (yep, that means free WIFI too!) to watch movies and not be in the complete dark all night!

I loved the little details they include in the tent like string lights (who doesn't love string lights?!) and dressers, a mirror, a beautiful area rug (I like rugs, okay), and comfy chairs for the patio area of your tent! All these details really add up to make the experience comfortable - you're able to unpack, get ready for the day, and get cozy in your tent thanks to Bear Valley Resort's kind and thoughtful staff!

My favorite part about glamping at Bear Valley Resort was those views. I know I've said that so many times but. honestly, the view in itself is worth more than you could ever pay to stay here! Your tent sits right on the edge, looking out across the valley towards the mountains, so it's truly a one of a kind spot. The mountains are so beautiful and both sunrise and sunset are stunning. Even after the sun goes down, you're left with a view of the most insane night sky I've ever laid eyes on. The stars are endless and the Milky Way is so bold and bright. I was saying, "wow, God made this." the entire time I was looking up. Oh, and I'm sure you'll see more shooting stars here than you ever have before!

WHAT TO DO + WHERE TO EAT

As for Bear Valley goes, and as I mentioned before, it is a very small town! My top recommendations for eating here would be Smokin' Barrel Cafe - the Wrangler and an iced latte are a must! The food is fresh, homemade, and just so dang good.

Lake Alpine Resort has a restaurant/bar that overlooks Lake Alpine - they have a pretty good burger and drinks! Just a heads up, they are a little pricey!

I definitely recommend taking the day to drive down to Murphys! Lesson learned here though, practically everything is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in this town! But, its so cute and has tons of places to wine taste, tons of amazing restaurants, clothing boutiques, and cafes! Murphys also has some caverns if you're into exploring things like that! If it was open, I would have loved to try wine tasting at Broll Mountain Vineyards!

A little farther away, but definitely a place you can drive to and still have a ton of day left is Angels Camp! I've never been but did a little research and wish we could have went. The town reminds me of a old western town with little mercantiles and the cutest main street! I'm not sure all there is to do there, but if you're looking for a unique town to get some photos, I'd totally go there!

Overall, glamping at Bear Valley Resort was absolutely incredible and a must for your next mountain getaway! I'll be dreaming of these mountain views until I can escape to this beautiful place again!

P.S. You can go glamping at Bear Valley Resort until September 28, so there's still time to book your trip!

This is a sponsored blog post and sponsored trip for Bear Valley Resort. As always, all words and opinions are my own!