Lakeport Travel Guide

One of the best assets of Lakeport is that its downtown is right on the shore of Clear Lake, the largest fresh-water lake that is entirely in California. The town has an attractive, large park along the shore of the lake called Library Park, after the old Carnegie Library located there. It has lots of grassy areas, extensive wooded parts, piers, a boat ramp, a small playground, a gazebo, benches, etc., all with nice views of the lake. It seems to be a pretty happening place during the day.

Everybody seems to recommend TNT, the Mexican place on the lake front, including others in Virtualtourist and everyone to whom we talked in Lakeport. However, while the lake is very nice, we wanted a place right in the heart of downtown, we at lots of Mexican food, our favourite Mexican food is normally at hole-in-the-wall taquerias and we are leery of big Mexican restaurants. Moreover, there used to be a TNT in Petaluma right on the river the the one in Lakeport seemed like the same business. Our experience in Petaluma was that the food was all right but not really great. So, we headed for this Irish pub instead.

We were very pleased. Our kids rebelled (they don't like much normal "kid" food OR less kid-friendly food, either), but they can always eat if they want to. It has a fairly good selection of English and Irish beers on tap, plus some good local beers like Lagunitas and other domestics, as well as an extensive bottle selection. The food we had was all very good English-Irish pub food, including lamb stew, shepherd's pie, etc. It was filling and tasty.

Favorite Dish: The lamb stew was very, very good. It also had good soda bread.

Nearest airport is Sacramento, CA (about a 1.5 - 2 hr drive). It's easy to get in & out of. Other nearby airports are San Francisco, Oakland, & San Jose (3 - 5 hr drive depending on traffic). If $$$ isn't a concern, flying into SF, sightseeing there, then renting a limo & wine tasting through the Napa valley, and ending your trip with a luxurious stay at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa is wonderful! Otherwise, rent a car and come on over from Sacramento. Getting around Lake County requires a rental car. We do have a bus system, but it's infrequent & isn't likely to have stops where you want to go.

Please see my Ukiah, CA tip about staying on or very close to the beaten path. There is no point to completely re-writing it since you can easily look it up. If you plan on any hiking or exploring in Lake and/or Mendocino Counties staying on clearly marked trails and roads will keep you from getting lost and may save your life. Again, this is a better written tip on my Ukiah page, and it does apply here. I do not expect you to rate this tip, I know the other one is better. Just wanted to make sure you don't get yourself lost or shot at.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: It's HOT in the summer, so don't forget those shorts & swim trunks. A sweatshirt or light jacket may be needed for the evening. In winter (Thanksgiving - March) jeans, a jacket, & umbrella will work. Don't worry about dressing too fancy, jeans will work for almost everything around here.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Pack any medications you will need for your trip. There are a few pharmacies, but Wal-mart & Rite-Aid are as close to national chains as we get.

Photo Equipment: Bring your camera, you'll want to take lots of pictures. It's beautiful here! If you use film that can't be found at K-Mart or Wal-Mart bring it too.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: If you're planning on spending a lot of time outside, especially on the lake, pack some sunscreen. It's almost always sunny here from May through October.

Miscellaneous: Mosquito repellant is a must! The things are quite literally as large as one's thumb and come out in droves at dusk.