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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Clearlake
Clearlake, California
Give Clearlake 2 nights if you want the lake and Mount Konocti; 1 night is enough if you are only passing through on CA-29.
Clearlake sits at the southern end of Clear Lake, the largest natural lake entirely inside California and more than 1.5 million years old. It is a small lakeside city of about 15,000 people, not a resort town: you come for water, hiking and quiet, and you need a car to do any of it. Two nights covers the lake, Mount Konocti and Anderson Marsh without rushing.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Clearlake, California
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, smoky fire season), Dec–Feb (quiet, some closures)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–140 excl. bed · Mid $150–230 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Clearlake Police (non-emergency) 707-994-8251 · Caltrans road conditions 1-800-427-7623
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Diner breakfast | $12–18 |
| Deli sandwich or burger | $12–20 |
| Sit-down dinner, main | $18–32 |
| Draught beer | $7–9 |
| Gallon of petrol | $4.50–5.50 |
| State park day-use fee | $8–10 |
| Kayak or canoe rental, half day | $40–70 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- STS · Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County (Santa Rosa)
- Closest larger airport; about 1.5 h by car via US-101 and CA-29 (check)
- SFO · San Francisco International
- About 2.5–3 h by car (check); the usual gateway for a Lake County loop
- OAK · Oakland International
- About 2.5 h by car (check)
Typical fares
- Lake Transit local fare
- about $2–3 one way
- Clearlake → Calistoga by Lake Transit
- about 1 h 30 min, connections required
- Clearlake → Lakeport by car
- about 35 min, 30 km (19 mi)about 35 min, 19 mi (30 km)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is effectively required. Lake Transit runs buses between Clearlake, Lower Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport and on to Calistoga and Ukiah, but frequencies are low and stops are spread out (check current timetables). CA-29 and CA-53 are the two main roads; the lake loop is about 100 km (62 mi) and takes 1.5–2 h without stops (check).A car is effectively required. Lake Transit runs buses between Clearlake, Lower Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport and on to Calistoga and Ukiah, but frequencies are low and stops are spread out (check current timetables). CA-29 and CA-53 are the two main roads; the lake loop is about 62 mi (100 km) and takes 1.5–2 h without stops (check).
See and do
Known for
- Clear Lake
- Mount Konocti
- Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
- Clear Lake State Park
- Seaplane Splash-in (September)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake State Park | Drive CA-29 north to Soda Bay Road, about 35–40 min from Clearlake | About 45 min |
| Anderson Marsh State Historic Park | Drive CA-53 south toward Lower Lake, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Lakeport | Drive CA-29 north along the west shore, about 35 min | About 40 min |
| Middletown | Drive CA-29 south, about 40 min | About 45 min |
| Calistoga and Napa Valley | Drive CA-29 south over Mount St. Helena, about 1 h 15 min to Calistoga | 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake
- The main strip: motels, the Best Western El Grande Inn and lakefront restaurants within walking distance of each other.
- Clearlake Oaks and East Highway 20
- Quieter stretch east of town with cabins and campgrounds; you need a car for everything. Rates vary — check current listings.
- Lower Lake
- Small town south of Clearlake on CA-53; closest base for Anderson Marsh, 15–20 min drive from the Clearlake strip.
- Soda Bay Road
- Rural lakeshore north of town, closest to Clear Lake State Park; 25–35 min drive from the Clearlake strip (check).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the boat ramp? | Where is the boat ramp? |
| Is the lake safe to swim in today? | Is the lake safe to swim in today? |
| Do you take cards? | Do you take cards? |
| Can we get a table for two? | Can we get a table for two? |
| Is there a fire restriction in effect? | Is there a fire restriction in effect? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer wildfire smoke can close roads and ruin the view: check air quality and Caltrans road conditions before you drive.
- Lake levels drop late in the season; boat ramps and some marina services may be unusable — call ahead (check).
- Cell coverage is patchy on the east shore and around Mount Konocti (check).
- Anderson Marsh is a wildlife preserve and is not dog-friendly.
- Rural roads are dark and deer are common at dusk.
Clearlake is a small rural city; lock your car, do not leave valuables visible at trailheads or boat ramps, and stay off unlit rural roads after dark. Check current local crime data before choosing an area to stay.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Clearlake yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Clear Lake
- Mount Konocti
- Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
- Clear Lake State Park
- Seaplane Splash-in (September)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Clearlake, revision 4711920 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4711920
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ClearlakeClearlake, California
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Clearlake Police (non-emergency)707-994-8251
- Caltrans road conditions1-800-427-7623
No consulates in Lake County; nearest are in San Francisco.
English is the only language you need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/clearlake). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.