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All the things to do in Bear Lake
Utah is really well known all over the world for its amazing national parks and red rock landscapes in Southern Utah, but there are some really incredible things to do in Northern Utah as well. Located just outside of Logan, in a small town called Garden City is a popular lake with Caribbean blue waters. Bear Lake is a must visit while in Utah or Idaho and there are so many fun things to do at the lake and nearby!
Lodging in Bear Lake Utah
There are many different lodging options in Bear Lake, Utah. Here are some of my top picks whether you want to go camping, glamping, stay in a hotel or rent a home!
Bear Lake Utah Camping/Glamping
Conestoga Ranch Glamping Resort:
Glamping is the biggest trend right now and for good reason. Who wouldn’t want the luxuries of staying in a bed, but still with the good ol’ fashioned rustic camping vibe? They have many luxurious tents you can stay in or you can even stay in a pioneer wagon! It\’s really such a neat experience. They have incredible views of Bear Lake in the background and they even have a place you can eat dinner if you didn’t bring your own food. They also have campfires so you can make yummy camping meals (hobo dinners, any one?) and s’mores! Click here to book your spot at this glamping resort.
Bear Lake House & Cabin Rental
Bear Lake in Utah is the perfect place for a family getaway. There are many amazing vacation homes to rent. I recommend booking this one. This vacation home is absolutely perfect for the family and is super close to the lake. The kids will absolutely love staying here because of all of the fun slides and things to do in the yard. There is an epic patio with incredible views and the perfect place to have a BBQ for dinner. This house is the perfect place to unwind after spending all day on the lake.
Bear Lake Utah Hotels
Where to eat in Bear Lake
La Beau’s- Bear Lake Restaurants
I always go to La Beau’s every time I head for Bear Lake because they seriously have the best raspberry shakes around! They have tons and tons of shake flavors here, but you have to try the Raspberry at least once because that is what Bear Lake is known for! Like most eateries in Bear Lake, they have hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken fingers and shakes. I loved the cheeseburger- it was really good with a sort of special fry sauce on top and I got a side of tator tots. I highly recommend!
La Beau’s is famous for their raspberry shakes at Bear Lake in Utah
Cody’s Gastro Garage
Unfortunately, my most recent visit to Bear Lake was just for a day trip because I would have loved to try Cody’s Gastro Garage. I squealed when we drove past it because there were all these classic vintage cars outside and I LOVE that stuff! Since then, I have had many people recommend it to me because it’s really unique and the food is really good too. The menu includes entrees like burgers, wings, nachos and quesadillas.
Zipz Cafe
Zipz Cafe in Bear Lake, Utah is totally worth visiting even if it’s for the fun kitschy vibe alone. This place is seriously awesome! I love the vintage, rustic beach vibe thing they have going on and there is tons of room for seating so it’s easy to social distance. The food is really good and they even have Dole Whip which I was super excited about because it’s so hard to find in Utah!
The Car Wash Icecream Shop
Dee’s Service gas station has a retro-feeling icecream shop put in right where their carwash used to be. This place is so unique, it’s definitely worth checking out and the icecream is delicious too!
Things to do in Bear Lake
Water Activities at Bear Lake
There are so many fun water activities at Bear Lake in Utah. There are tons of different rental companies right at Bear Lake if you want to wait until you get there to figure out exactly what you want to do or you can check out this company to book your water equipment in advance. You can rent a boat for the day, sea-doos, kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle-boards and more. If you are with a group, you can even pitch in to rent an on the water trampoline which is so fun!
Beaches at Bear Lake
There are many beaches in Bear Lake, some with many amenities, food rentals and water rentals. However, if you are trying to find a place away from the crowd, there are many places you can park just off the side of the road and find a nice little beach area.
Rendezvous Beach
Rendezvous Beach is located not too far from the main Garden City town area and is located on the southwest curve of Bear Lake. It’s a nice sandy beach with campsites and pavilions. This beach is a popular area for water sports, boating & diving.
North Beach State Park
North Beach is one of the busiest and most popular beaches at Bear Lake and for good reason. The sand is a nice powder and it has the feel of a beach in California. This beach is no secret, however, and it gets super busy during the summer. Try to get there early in the morning to secure a spot. This beach is located on the Idaho side of Bear Lake and is a great place to spend a whole day. Bring all of your floaties, water toys, canopies and lots of snacks!
Tip: This beach is actually a state park so they charge an entrance fee.
Garden City Park & Beach
The main town of Bear Lake in Utah, Garden City, has its own public beach access right at the park. This beach is free to visit as well which is another great perk.
East Beach
A beach that is not as well known on the Idaho side of Bear Lake is East Beach. The sand there is amazing and it’s great for groups as there are a lot of pavilions. This beach is a bit further away than all of the other beaches and there aren’t any close places for boat rentals or other amenities.
Top Things to do in Bear Lake
Riding Bikes:
Check out Bike Barn in Bear Lake if you are wanting to rent bikes. They have many different bikes to rent, including surreys that can fit 4 or 5 people which is super fun for the family.
ATV Riding:
Riding ATVs at Bear Lake is so fun and there are hundreds of miles of trails. Check out this company for ATV and UTV rentals. This is definitely a really fun way to spend the afternoon if you are wanting a break from the lake.
Bridgerland Adventure Park:
This Adventure Park is the perfect place to spend the afternoon with your family. There are many different activities to choose from. Some of the activities include zip-lining, a climbing wall, a giant swing, a ropes course, axe throwing, mini golf, a bungee trampoline and tubing! They also have a free playground and free disc golf!
Pickleville Playhouse:
This is definitely one of the most fun and unique things to do in Bear Lake. This is the perfect place for dinner and a show. The Mexican food is delicious and catered by Cafe Sabor. You can even book your dinner in advance or get the dinner special which comes with an entree, chips and salsa, a drink and churros and icecream for only $12! This Summer (2021) the play will be Peter Pan which is sure to be a huge hit!
Scuba Diving:
There is actually a place you can scuba dive at Bear Lake located on the East side of the lake called Cisco Beach.
Visit the Oregon Trail Center:
For something unique to do in Bear Lake, headed to the Oregon Trail center. This museum has some fun and interactive exhibits for the whole family. There is a simulated wagon trail adventure that you can try out and you will be guided by a live cast of pioneers.
Butch Cassidy Museum:
There is a small Butch Cassidy Museum located in Bear Lake at the Bank of Montpelier which was actually robbed by Butch Cassidy and his gang. The bank now preserves this history and it\’s a fun little place to visit and admission is free.
Raspberry Day Festival at Bear Lake:
Bear Lake is famous in Utah for their Raspberry Days Festival that happens annually on the first weekend in August. It is a really fun 3 day festival that includes parades, rodeos, a chuckwagon breakfast at the Garden City park, dancing and fireworks on the beach. Bear Lake is very busy at this time.
Golfing:
Bear Lake is actually a wonderful place for golfing and there are 3 different golf courses to choose from.
Go Karts:
Looking for some thrilling things to do in Bear Lake that’s not on the water? Check out the Bear Lake Go Karts. This place is fun for the whole family and the pricing is pretty reasonable as well.
Bear Lake Visitor’s Center:
It’s always worthwhile to stop by the Bear Lake Utah Visitor’s Center to find out any information you may need about your trip. The main reason to stop here, however, is for the first views overlooking the beautiful Caribbean blue lake in the background. If you visit in the Summer, this area will be teeming with wildflowers.
Cave Tours:
There are actually 2 different caves to explore in Bear Lake. The first is called Minnetonka Cave and it’s a 9 room cave with many stalactites and stalagmites. One of the most interesting features of the cave is an incredible stalactite nicknamed the Bride because of its “lacy” look. There are also 3 different stalagmites that are over 10 feet high. There are 90 minute guided tours to Minnetonka Cave that are open from June through Labor Day.
Make sure to bring a jacket because it is really chilly in the cave and only around 40 degrees. The second cave to explore near Bear Lake is the Paris Ice Cave. There is ice in this cave year round. This cave isn’t quite as fascinating as Minnetonka Cave so if you only have time for one, I recommend Minetonka.
Horseback Riding:
There are many different companies you can check out while in Bear Lake that provide horseback riding adventures. This area of Utah is definitely a gorgeous place to go for a ride. Many of the horseback riding trails are in nearby Logan Canyon which is so gorgeous, especially in the Summer. Riding horses is always one of my favorite things to do in Bear Lake!
Nearby Things to do in Bear Lake
Tony Grove Lake:
One of our pit stops on the way to Bear Lake was Tony Grove Lake and it did not disappoint. The blue of lake contrasted with the green pines in the background was spectacular and if you visit in the summer time, there will be tons of wildflowers. You can hike all around the lake and there is even some camping available at one of the beach sides. There are also many different hikes here with spectacular views. Some of them are pretty strenuous, so make sure to come prepared. The drive in Tony Grove Canyon was amazing and we saw so many fields of wildflowers!
There are many wildflowers in the Summer time at Tony Grove Lake nearby Bear Lake, Utah.
Bloomington Lake:
Bloomington Lake is another amazing lake nearby. It’s an alpine lake high in the mountains that features a really fun rope swing. The hike is only 1 mile long making it very family friendly. Dogs are allowed on this trail as well.
Logan Canyon:
Logan Canyon is definitely worth a drive on your way to Bear Lake. It’s incredibly scenic and has many different places to hike. It’s especially incredible in the Summer and Fall.
Fish Dig Quarry:
Looking for something unique to do nearby Bear Lake? Visit this quarry 45 minutes away. It’s really cool because you get to dig and keep real fossils. It’s the only quarry in the world where you can literally keep every fossil you find.
Logan Wind Caves:
The wind caves are an incredibly epic hike near Bear Lake. The hike is moderate and 3.5 miles round trip. You’ll gain 1000 feet of elevation, but it\’s not too bad. However, there is limited shade on this hike so make sure to come prepared.
Bear River State Park:
There is a great state park in Evanston, WY nearby Bear Lake. This state park is beautiful with tons of nature hikes and actually features buffalo roaming all over the plains.
Visit Logan
Things to do in Logan:
If you have extra time or finished all the things to do in Bear Lake, check out Logan. The city of Logan is a Utah college town located just an hour from Bear Lake. It’s a small city, but it packs a big punch. It has amazing arts, outdoor adventures and an up and coming food scene. Make sure to visit Main Street and feel like you are stepping back into time.
Stop at The Blue Bird Restaurant, an iconic 105 year old ice cream shop and soda fountain now turned into a restaurant. Stay for dinner and take home a bag of their famous O’Aggie Bars. Stop at the Logan Temple and Tabernacle which are must sees while visiting Logan. Check out one of their many family friendly parks and stop at the famous USU Creamery for some of the best ice cream around.
Garden City Bear Lake Weather
To make sure you get to all the best things to do in Bear Lake, you are going to want to check the weather!
The weather at Bear Lake in Utah varies greatly from season to season. The best time to visit is definitely Summer, but make sure to bring your hats and sunscreen because it can get very hot. The water at Bear Lake is actually quite cold so that is why the Summer time is the best time to visit if you are planning to swim or do any other water sports.
The elevation at Bear Lake is pretty high at almost 6,000 feet so the sunburns can be really bad so come prepared.
There you have it! All the best things to do in Bear Lake!
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