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Big Bear Lakefront Cabins

Shore Acres Lodge - Big Bear Lake, CA
Private lakefront vacation rentals homes

Big Bear Lake's best kept secret is Shore Acres Lodge
& Vacation Rentals.

"Lot #1, Tract #2575, Gibraltar/Tract, which abuts Fisher Road. (The high water line of the lake)." This is the description of the two acres of land currently know as Shore Acres Lodge. The history of this lakefront property and number of owners is endless.

Originally known in the 1900’s as Potters Camp, the property was established as a “Gentleman’s” fishing and hunting camp in 1907. Twenty –three years after the original dam was built to collect snow to irrigate the citrus groves in Redlands. This was a time when Grizzly’s roamed the valley until they were hunted to extinction in 1922. The land was purchased in 1938 by the Bear Valley Development Company until sold to Clair and Phyllis Rogers in 1952 for $200,000, (a lot of money, even by today’s standards. The Rogers were the first to develop the property into what it is today, converting one of the original structures (a horse stable) into he cabin currently called Lakeview. The Rogers held the property until 1965 at which time they sold it to George and Wilma Meyer.

The Meyer’s continued to develop the property adding a swimming pool and more cabins. During this time the two person rate was $13.00 to $18.00 and maxed out at $35.00 to $50.00 per night. The Meyer’s brochure at this time listed the hunting of deer, pheasant, Quail, jackrabbits, and other game as a “winter Sport” in addition to skiing and ice-skating on the lake. It was during this time that the Meyer’s started a tradition that still exists to this day, the Monday night barbeque. The lodge would provide the basics and guests were encouraged to bring a side dish. This was a way for people to meet each other and form some lasting friendships. Many guests have made friends here and plan their vacations to include a Monday so their kids can do the chicken dance with Ernie who has been a mainstay at the barbeque for many years. During the Meyers tenure in 1977 they found themselves in a battle with the city. While dredging Mallard Lagoon and Canvasback Cove to a depth of 58 feet, the City decided to dump the residue from this project into the cove off Fisher Road to create additional tourist parking. The Meyers hired a lawyer and narrowly averted the city covering up one of Big Bear’s hottest fishing spots.

The Myers held onto the property until 1980 when they sold it to Bob and Michelle MacDonald. The Mac Donald’s, in addition to raising a family on the property, continued to build on the legacy. Aggressive marketing efforts and hard work paid off for them making Shore Acres a Big Bear favorite. In addition the Mac Donald’s added a new layer to the business. The vacation rental (renting out a property when the owners are not using it) was anew addition to the Big Bear Valley. The Mac Donald’s added sixty-five private homes to the business allowing added occupancy when the Lodge was full. Shore Acres lodge to this day is a family owned business. The Lanza family, Tom, Candy, and son Nick purchased the lodge and vacation rental business from the MacDonald’s in 1997. They incorporated the business and still run it with many of the same traditions the previous owners created.

Big Bear Vacations, the parent company that owns the lodge, currently manages over 200 private homes and is one of the largest property management companies in the Big Bear Valley. Lot #1, Tract #2575, Gibraltar tract has come a long way since the early 1800’s. There is one thing that has never and will never change. It will always be a place where families can build memories that will last a lifetime.