This article may include affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, Utah Outdoor Activities may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products or services we personally use. FTC Affiliate Disclosure.
In this Utah Weekend Getaway, we travel to Bear Lake to enjoy the many festivities around the annual event called Raspberry Days. A trip to Bear Lake on any weekend is fun, enjoyable, and relaxing. However, on the first weekend of August the town of Garden City, Utah holds its annual Raspberry Days Celebration. This celebration includes a parade, live music, craft booths, fair food, and fun for the whole family.
Bear Lake on any summer weekend will be busy with families and friends enjoying their summer vacations. The Raspberry Days weekend attracts even more visitors, so keep this in mind when booking and planning your weekend getaway. If you plan to take part in all of the festivities you will need to arrive on Thursday or earlier. The Parade is held Thursday evening only. In my opinion the Parade is the most enjoyable part of the weekend activities. The craft fair begins Thursday morning and runs through Saturday.
Attending the Bear Lake Raspberry Days Parade:
If you plan on attending the parade be prepared to stake your claim along main street early Thursday morning. Then go enjoy the many other activities going on in town. If by chance you arrive late, here is a little tip that may help you. An hour before the parade begins drive into town a enjoy dinner with your family. For example, if you like Mexican food we highly recommend Cafe Sabor. Once you have finished your meal the parade will begin right in front of the restaurant.
Planning your Bear Lake Weekend Getaway:
Like mentioned above, Bear Lake during the summer months attracts many family vacationers. If you plan on visiting Bear Lake during Raspberry Days, you must book your lodging ahead. Below you will find a list of campgrounds, and lodging available around the Bear Lake area.
Bear Lake State Park Campgrounds / Lodging:
Bear Lake State Park - Rendezvous Beach is located on the south shore near Laketown on State Route 30. Rendezvous Beach includes the Willow (3), Cottonwood (1), and Big Creek (1) group-use campsites, and the Cottonwood (32), Birch (60) and Big Creek (49) campgrounds. All campgrounds provide restrooms with flush toilets and hot showers. The Birch and Big Creek campgrounds offer the utility hookups of power, water, and sewer. A wide, long sandy beach makes this a popular place. The park's Eastside areas provide four primitive campgrounds at South Eden (20), Cisco Beach (56), Rainbow Cove (13), and North Eden (10), along with boat ramps at First Point, Cisco Beach, and Rainbow Cove. In addition, South Eden has two group campsites. Activities include scuba diving, boating, and fishing. Drinking water is available at the South Eden Campground. The South Eden campsites can be reserved. All other Eastside campsites are first-come, first-served.
Bear Lake KOA:
The Bear Lake KOA offers tent sites, KOA cabin rentals, RV sites with a maximum length of 80 feet. There are numerous fun activities at the park, including a swimming pool, a jumping pillow, mini-golf, shuffle boards, bike rentals, and more.
Bear Lake Hot Springs (Idaho)
The Bear Lake Hot Springs is a hidden gem located at the Northeast corner of Bear Lake, Idaho. The resort offers two hot mineral pools, 25 campsites, camping supplies, a café, along with a full-service water sport rental concessionaire, and access to miles of sandy beach. The Bear Lake Hot Springs is east of the Bear Lake State Park, Idaho. Visitors at the springs will not only enjoy access to the mile long beach located directly in front of the resort, but an additional two-mile long stretch of beach called North Beach.
Conestoga Ranch:
The Conestoga Ranch is Bear Lakes first-ever Glamping resort. It offers its visitors a unique camping atmosphere; like the smell of a campfire, the fresh mountain air, and the beautiful views, without sacrificing luxury and comfort. Each of the Conestoga Wagons and tents come fully equipped with soft beds, fresh linens, lighting, power outlets, as well as WIFI. The accommodations at the Conestoga Ranch cater to a couple looking for a romantic getaway, to single families, corporate retreats, or a family reunion. The resort also includes a main lodge that offers a general store, private bathrooms and showers (for those that aren’t equipped with these), laundry facilities, and a shake shack where you can order one of Bear Lake’s famous raspberry shakes. Click here for TripAdvisor reviews and reservations. (Affiliate link)
WorldMark Bear Lake:
Explore all the exciting opportunities for recreation at Bear Lake and then return home to your comfortable, spacious vacation rental. These newly remodeled condo-style suites are well equipped and feature separate living spaces, with a private terrace or balcony. Each condo comes equipped with a full kitchen with refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and all the utensils, and the pots and pans you need. Take advantage of your gas barbecue grill to cook up a tasty dinner, relax in front of the crackling fireplace or watch a movie on your cable TV with DVD player. Each family suite also features a stereo with CD player, high-speed Internet access, hairdryer and much more. Click here for TripAdvisor reviews and reservations. (Affiliate link)
Other Bear Lake Activities:
A visit to Bear Lake would not be complete without enjoying one of the many beaches. There are several beach access points around the lake, including Rendezvous Beach, Cisco Beach, and my favorite is the North Beach, located on the north end of the lake in Idaho.
The north beach offers 1 ½ miles of sandy fun. For those searching for rentals there are several locations you can rent paddle boards, Waverunners, ski boats, kayaks, and more.
No matter which weekend you choose for your Bear Lake getaway, we are sure you will have a fun filled exciting weekend enjoying the many outdoor activities. If you wish to take part of Bear Lake Raspberry Days remember the event is held the first weekend of August.
Driving:
Driving to your destination can also be part of the fun on your weekend getaway. There are two ways to visit Bear Lake from Salt Lake City. One is by traveling I-80 through Evanston, Wyoming and the other is through Logan Canyon. The Logan Canyon route will be more scenic, but can take a little while longer. The Wyoming route, although less scenic will offer the opportunity to see some historic sites on the way. For example, Randolph, Utah is a great place to stop and rest your legs. The town offers a nice little park adjacent to a few historical sites.
Bear Lake Safety:
While enjoying our Bear Lake weekend getaway a very tragic accident took place on the lake. This accident involved the drowning death of two people. When recreating in the turquoise blue water and enjoying the shallow beaches it is very easy to become complacent, and forget the power of this natural body of water. Wind and waves can hit at any time, catching the unprepared off guard. Please, if you are going to swim, float, and enjoy the water, be aware of your capabilities and wear or have a life jacket close by at all times.
We hope you enjoyed this information. For more outdoor activities, please connect with us on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Help us keep this site up and running by visiting our online store which features outdoor themed gifts, decor and more. Thank you for visiting and for your ongoing support!