Arrowbear Lake's housing is defined by its mountain setting and cabin heritage. The community holds a mix of modest cabins and single-family homes set among pines and sloping lots, many dating from the post-World War II building boom that followed the opening of the Rim of the World Highway. Properties tend to be compact, with a substantial share serving as vacation homes and short-term rentals. The forested, small-scale character distinguishes Arrowbear from the larger developments around Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. Buyers are typically drawn by winter access to Snow Valley, summer access to the forest, and the relative quiet of a small high-elevation community.

Arrowbear Lake is a single, small community rather than a set of distinct neighborhoods. It occupies a short stretch of Highway 18 between Running Springs to the west and the Big Bear Valley to the east, with homes and cabins climbing the forested slopes around its namesake lake. Running Springs provides the nearest full-service commercial center, while Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake anchor the larger mountain resort region on either side. The community's compact scale and forest cover mean its identity comes from the lake and the surrounding woodland more than from any internal subdivision structure.

Life in Arrowbear Lake revolves around the mountain seasons. Winter brings skiing and snowboarding at nearby Snow Valley, one of the closest resorts to the community, along with the snow play and quiet of a forest blanketed in white. Spring and summer turn the focus to the stocked fishing lake, hiking and mountain biking in the San Bernardino National Forest, and the community's fishing derby and Fourth of July celebration. The pace is unhurried, and the community mixes year-round residents with weekend cabin owners. Daily services are a short drive away in Running Springs, while Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear offer dining, shopping, and larger events within easy reach.

Arrowbear Lake is served by the Rim of the World Unified School District, which provides public education for the San Bernardino mountain communities, including Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, and the surrounding area. The district, headquartered in nearby Blue Jay, operates a small number of elementary schools, a middle school, and Rim of the World High School. Because the mountain region is served by this single unified district, Arrowbear students attend schools a short drive away along the Highway 18 corridor. The district's small, community-oriented structure reflects the dispersed, seasonal population of the San Bernardino Mountains.

Arrowbear Lake is reached by Highway 18, the Rim of the World Highway, which runs along the mountain crest and connects the community to Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead, and the Big Bear Valley. Access from the valleys below comes by way of State Route 330 from the San Bernardino and Redlands area, rising to meet Highway 18 at Running Springs. Winter travel along these mountain routes requires chains during and after storms. The community is car-dependent, with Highway 18 serving as the essential corridor for commuting, school runs, and recreation trips throughout the San Bernardino Mountains.

Arrowbear Lake is positioned for year-round mountain recreation. The community's namesake lake offers fishing for stocked rainbow trout, while Snow Valley, among the nearest ski resorts in Southern California, provides downhill skiing and snowboarding a short drive away. The surrounding San Bernardino National Forest opens onto hiking and mountain-biking trails and camping, and both Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake are within easy reach for boating, lakefront dining, and larger events. The community's own calendar — a spring fishing derby, a Fourth of July celebration, and softball at Tucker Field — adds a local, small-town layer to the region's broader outdoor offerings.