Does your family regularly visit lakes? Or are you a first timer who isn’t quite sure where to go? Whether you like to fish, go tubing, or just sit back and relax in a boat, there are multiple lakes in California to fit your needs. Depending on how far you like to travel, there is a wide variety from Northern California to Central California and Southern California.
Southern California, most notably, has Pyramid Lake, Big Bear Lake and Lake Elsinore. Pyramid Lake is located 26 miles north of Santa Clarita. It gets its name from a pyramid-shaped rock carved out by engineers building the original Highway 99 . It has a wide sandy beach for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding or renting a pontoon boat.
Big Bear Lake is 60 miles northeast of Ontario. The deep blue lake has six marinas and a pine-rimmed shoreline laced with shady hiking and biking trails. You can rent a kayak and paddle around Big Bear Lake’s tranquil coves.
Lake Elsinore is 35 miles south of Riverside. It’s California’s largest freshwater lake. The lake’s main body has an “unlimited” speed zone, so rent a boat at Lake Elsinore Marina or Launch Pointe.
Zariah Billinger, a senior at Huntington Beach High School (HBHS), said, “I like going to lakes for relaxation, being in the sun and doing water activities. I also like the scenery, and it’s a good opportunity to spend time with my family.”
In Central California, a few options are Bass Lake, Cachuma Lake and Lake Sabrina. Bass Lake is 50 miles North of Fresno. It has been featured in dozens of Hollywood films like “The Great Outdoors,” “Leave Her to Heaven,” and “Carnival Boat.” The water warms up to 80 degrees during the summer. Bass Lake is ideal for swimming, water skiing and wakeboarding. Depending on what season you go, there are different fish to fish for. In the summer, you can fish for bass and kokanee salmon, but in the spring and fall, there’s rainbow trout.
Cachuma Lake is located 25 miles northwest of Santa Barbara. You can’t swim in Cachuma Lake because the water is used to supply Santa Barbara County areas with drinking water. However, it’s a great spot to fish and rent kayaks or patio boats.
Lake Sabrina is 20 miles southwest of Bishop. It has hiking trails that lead into the John Muir Wilderness, where you can experience its beautiful scenery. If you don’t like hiking, there are many options available like boating, fishing and even canoeing.
“I like visiting Lake Tahoe to wakeboard and ride jet skis,” said Violet Henderson, an HBHS freshman.
Up in Northern California, you can pick from Shasta Lake, Lake Tahoe and Lake Almanor. Shasta Lake is California’s boating capital, located 20 miles north of Redding. With 370 miles of shoreline, you have multiple campgrounds, eight boat ramps and 20 different species to fish for. Shasta has so much to explore with multiple arms, inlets and coves.
Lake Tahoe is located 100 miles northeast of Sacramento. Lake Tahoe is known for its crystal clear water, being the largest Alpine lake in North America. Lake Tahoe is one of the only lakes to straddle two states: California and Nevada.
Lake Almanor is what people consider a hidden gem. It’s located in the small town of Chester, California. It sits between Lassen Volcanic National Park and Plumas National Forest, giving it great boating, fishing, watersports and camping experiences all at the base of Mount Lassen.
Juliette Foutz, a freshman at HBHS, said, “I like going to lakes because it’s a good way to enjoy the summer with a good view and swimming.”
Now, the hard part is deciding which lake you want to visit. Decide how far you want to travel, then pick the one that suits you best. Remember to have fun, be safe and go step on the gas.
