Big Bear Adventures is a fun, family-owned business specializing in outdoor recreation. We are located in the small, but beautiful resort area of Indian River, Michigan (between Burt and Mullett Lakes). The area abounds with wildlife, pristine rivers, lakes, and forests. Guests to the Indian River area are seeking outdoor-oriented family recreation. Our company provides these activities for our guests in the following capacities.
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River Trips: Canoe, Kayak, Raft, and Tube trips on the fastest and most challenging river in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, the Sturgeon River!
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Family Fun Center: 18-Hole Adventure Golf, Bumper Boats, Ropes Challenge Course, and a General Store offering groceries, camping, paddling, beach items, souvenirs, gifts, and outdoor apparel. The log building also offers a SUBWAY sandwich shop with indoor seating for 40 guests, as well as a nice, outdoor picnic area.
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Northwoods Lodge: a unique, 2-story log lodging facility with 15 "Northwoods" themed rooms.
Please note that while employees are hired for a particular job position, our staff must function as a team, and everyone must be prepared to fill in where they are needed in this resort atmosphere. Therefore, we look for employees who have a wide variety of interests and experiences and are extremely versatile. The experiences for employees of BIG BEAR are many and varied including, but not limited to:
- Canoeing, Kayaking, Tubing and Rafting
- Guest Relations & Communication
- Organizing Groups, Trips, & Equipment
- Giving safety & equipment instructions
- Loading/Shuttling Guests & Equipment
- Giving Tourist Information
- Sales & Customer Service
- Distributing Promotional Literature
- Cleaning, Repair, & Maintenance of Equipment
- River Clean-Up & Adopt-A-Highway
- Food Service Operations (SUBWAY)
- Stocking & Pricing Retail Items
- Housekeeping (Northwoods Lodge)
- Lawn Care & Light Landscaping
- Light Construction & Painting
Our Motto: We work hard, and we play hard!
In May, we spend most of our time getting ready for the upcoming season: cleaning, raking, washing, painting, staining, distributing promotional materials, cleaning the river and put-in points, landscaping, etc. This is also a good time to get to know one another and become familiar with the river, different trips, equipment, apparatus, vehicles, and tools, as well as the area. We also open, organize, price, and display all merchandise. By the end of May, school groups start coming in and foot traffic starts to pick up. Memorial Day Weekend can be busy and is usually a glimpse into what the summer will be like (weather-permitting, of course!)
From the end of May through Mid-June, we are very busy with school groups. We offer unique packages that consist of Rafting, Adventure Golf, and a Hot Dog Roast. Many days, we are dealing with hundreds of kids and/or several schools. Each day after 2:00 (when the kids leave), we clean-up and continue on other projects. When school's out, the summer tourist season begins slowly. Of course, we still work on projects throughout June as time allows.
July through mid-August is extremely busy and fast-paced with the bulk of all guests coming in the short span of 6 weeks. We primarily cater to smaller groups, youth groups, and families, but also have a few rather large convention groups and such. We normally don't do any projects at this time, as it's all we can do to take care of our guests and business. This is the time when Northern Michigan is most beautiful and when we're not working, it's really time to play (Work hard, Play hard!)
Around mid-August, business slows down and we get a chance to catch our breath. We clean-up, organize, relax a bit, and still enjoy how beautiful Northern Michigan is (especially now that the crowds are leaving). Most college students head back to their college towns around Aug. 25-28th, but then come back to work at least 2 days over Labor Day weekend.
Big Bear Adventures has employed local community members and college students for 21 years and has many great experiences to offer. Housing can be available for those who are not from our area. If you would like to be part of our Team, please mail or e-mail an application today! Don't wait too long - positions can fill quickly!
[email protected]
Click here for a copy of our Employment Application
