Get away from it all—but don’t grow apart from one another! This spacious mountain retreat has bedding options for up to 19 people, with other accommodations (5.5 bathrooms, a huge kitchen, provided sleds, pool table, etc.) to match that scope. Located in the picturesque town of Green Valley Lake, Wood Haven is perfectly situated for hiking or fishing trips, and it provides easy access to both the charm of Lake Arrowhead and the slopes of Big Bear (a half-hour drive to either location). Snowy in the winter and wonderfully temperate in other seasons, the local area features intriguing boulders and towering pines along hiking trails only a three-minute walk from the cabin’s front door. Since it has three outdoor decks (with provided furniture) and an electric-powered barbeque, even large groups can simultaneously enjoy the clean mountain air and the amenities of home.
Inside, Wood Haven is built for comfort. Clean, wall-to-wall carpeting keeps your toes comfortable, while two large fireplaces (with complimentary firewood) provide a true “mountain retreat” atmosphere. Cushy, reclining chairs and sofas fill the big family room, immediately next to a central dining table that can accommodate 12 people at once… adjoining a huge kitchen equipped with two ovens, two microwaves, a gas stove range, a griddle, toaster ovens, blenders, slow-cookers, a toaster, and so on. A foldaway table and chairs can expand your hosting capacity even further, with plenty of room for games—since, after all, the house features a collection of board games and puzzles. With three HDTVs (one of which you can move as you wish) and two DVD players, you will be able to make good use of the provided, family-friendly collection of DVDs. Naturally, too, the house has free Wi-Fi access throughout. The master bathroom even has a Jacuzzi-style bathtub!
The driveway can easily fit 7 vehicles, if you are willing to park each other in! The entire cabin will be exclusive to you and your guests—but, because of the carpet and child-friendly accommodations, pets and smoking/vaping are not allowed inside Wood Haven. (The downstairs deck can serve as an excellent smoking area, if need be!) Additionally, for insurance reasons, we must insist that renters be at least 25 years of age. For security, cameras are set up to monitor all outside entrances. Considering the altitude and generally cool climate, the cabin features two furnaces and two fireplaces, but no A/C.
Wood Haven is ideal for children and the young at heart. You will not find any delicate modern-art sculptures here; instead, you will find homey comfort and room to play. Retractable child-safety gates protect access to any hard-to-supervise stairwells, while our collection of sleds makes winter play irresistible—there is even a place to sled, right along the property! A full-size pool table (with balls, cues, chalk, etc.) is provided, right next to a truly impressive collection of wooden building-blocks. Additionally, the fourth story of the house consists of a large loft (plus half-bathroom) that is perfect as a “kid zone,” with bedding for 4 and room for more.
A Brief Walkthrough of Wood Haven—
After parking, you will enter through a bright-red door into the garage. This functions as a kind of “mud room,” keeping a buffer between outdoor activities (like sledding or hiking) and the interior. Please keep your shoes here, rather than bringing them into the all-too-carpeted house! The rest of that floor consists of a Laundry Room; a bathroom; the Kitchen; and a huge, open combination of dining room, Living Room, and sitting room with a pull-out sofa bed (sleeps 2), a big fireplace, and access to the south deck. If you head downstairs, you will find another big fireplace and access to the downstairs deck, attached to a pleasant Downstairs Den [Bedroom 7] sitting room that sleeps 2 on its king-size fold-out sofa. Next to that, there is another bathroom and a secluded bedroom (the "Writer's Room," [Bedroom 3]) containing a trundle bed that sleeps 2. If you head upstairs instead, you will find access to the northeast deck, plus 3 bedrooms (each sleeping 2)—the Sun Room [Bedroom 1], Swan Room [Bedroom 4], and Master Bedroom [Bedroom 5]—that all have their own full bathrooms. Additionally, this level features the Pool Room [Bedroom 6], where a pool table is accompanied by a trundle bed (sleeps 2) and a fold-out sofa bed (sleeps 1). A steep staircase leads to the Loft [Bedroom 2] at the very top of the house, featuring a half-bath plus mattresses and cots / pads that sleep 4.
Our kitchen is stocked with a few absolute basics—salt, coffee, etc.—but you should plan to buy groceries if you want to do any cooking. The nearest grocery store of note is in Running Springs, roughly 15 minutes’ drive away. Note that this market has a deli counter and a butcher counter. In our Information Binder, too, you will find information about our favorite restaurants in the area, along with menus for those establishments. Note that, since the barbeque is electric, you will not need to use propane.
Fun at the Lake—
One interesting feature of this town is that the lake itself is carefully cleaned, aerated, and stocked with fish. This means that its shores are clear of slimy algae and weeds, making it delightful for swimming and boating in a way that many other lakes are not. Such active maintenance costs money, though, so there is a fee for spending time at the lake; check http://www.green-valley-lake.com/fishing-and-swimming/ for the current prices. (This has the side-effect of preventing crowding.) There is a picnic area immediately next to the lake, with tables and barbeque grills. You can rent various kinds of boats or fishing gear, too, for less than $20 an hour. Trout are the primary fish to be found here, along with occasional bass and catfish. Since the lake freezes over in the winter and no ice fishing is allowed, you should not assume that fishing is an option during those months.
Wood Haven has been our private, family destination for decades, and we are excited to share its potential and its comfort with you!
[Please note that, with the BIG cleaning fees we need to charge for a house this size, we recommend longer trips rather than short ones, to maximize your value—you can get a 20% discount for any trips of a week or longer! Also, we recommend bringing slippers if you have them, so the no-shoes policy is easier to work with!]
