Four-stroke fun at North Shore Landing

Get Wet Water Sports Center at North Shore Landing and Holloway's Marina has the largest rental fleet of personal watercraft on Big Bear Lake. Choose from four-seater Sea Doos and Yamaha SUVs, two or three seaters, even stand up jet skis. Water ski and wakeboard tows and lessons too. 38583 North Shore Dr., Big Bear Lake. (909) 878-4FUN.

A fast and furious waverunner blast...

There’s no more exciting way to beat the heat in Big Bear than splishing and splashing on a waverunner. 

It's definitely a much more intense lake experience renting a pontoon or fishing boat. On those you get to see the lake; aboard a waverunner you taste it. Boats bring you out on the lake; waverunners take you in it as you splash over waves and through the mist, surrounded by millions of droplets of water. And with machines that accommodate one, two, three, even up to four riders, the more that come along, the merrier.

The whole family gets in on the fun aboard four seater Sea Doos and Yamaha SUVs available for rental from Get Wet Water Sports Center at Holloway’s Marina and North Shore Landing. Mom, dad and a couple kids can play in the spray and make some real family memories together.

Or save a few dollars, rent a two- or three-seater, and take turns on the water while the others enjoy the sandy beach at North Shore Landing. Bring a chair or spread a blanket and enjoy one of the few public-access beaches on Big Bear Lake.

"Yamaha SUVs are the most reliable and fun machines we have," said Loren Hafen of Get Wet Water Sports. "Three-seaters tend to be the most popular rentals for groups or even solo riders. Friends and family can go out with two, come back and change out riders, and do it over again. Dad and two kids is a perfect combination—you’ll have a ball."

If you can ride a bike, you can ride a waverunner

Personal watercraft have come a long way since the days of the stand-up jet ski, which required skill to mount though once you did, they were as fun as anything out there now. Get Wet still has one around for the occasional diehard who wants it. But sit-down versions bring the sport to the masses; if you can ride a bike, you can ride a waverunner. Four-stroke (or cycle) waverunners are clearly the machines of choice for lake enthusiasts. Four-cycles have about 20% more power than twos, nice at Big Bear’s Lake’s 6,750 ft. elevation, and they’re so stable they exude a feeling of confidence riders pick up on.

Best of all, four-cycles are friendlier to the environment, which is why they were introduced to the market in the first place; cleaner burning four-strokes are mandatory on other lakes including Tahoe, though not Big Bear. Almost every machine in Get Wet’s ample waverunner inventory is a four-stroke; only a couple twos remain.

"It’s like driving a Mercedes," Hafen said. "Incredible ride, smoothness and power, and are they FAST! They’ve proven to last and be just as strong and as comfortable as when they were brand new."

Two-seat machines start at $85/hour at Get Wet, while three-seaters are $105 plus gas. It doesn’t take long to cool off and wear out while blasting through the waves.

Wanna try some lake wakeboarding?

Wakeboarding is another favored way to get wet on Big Bear Lake and Get Wet Water Sports Center offers the only pulls on Big Bear Lake, out of North Shore Landing and Holloway’s. With jumps and spins, grabs, big air, even inverts, wakeboarding has all the moves of snowboarding. Plus the boats are designed specifically for wakeboarding with tower-mounted ropes and Perfect Pass speed systems that allow the driver to dial in the speed best suited for the boarder. Get Wet includes free lessons if desired. Water skiing and lessons are available too.

For a unique experience hang out at the new Cable Wake Park at Holloway’s Marina. Essentially it’s wakeboarding without a boat, as riders are pulled up and around the water by cable. Whether you’re a first-timer learning how to get up or an advanced level wakeboarder trying to nail tricks, the cable lets riders ages five and up get in all the rides they can handle and greatly accelerates the learning curve. In the wakeboard park’s quiet cove at Holloway’s, conditions are always ideal with glassy water and no chop.

The park has everything riders need, from rental boards, skis and skates to life vests and helmet rentals—just bring your bathing suit. The cost is $35 and buys two hours of pulls and includes equipment.