Lake County Lush-ious

Wine Tasting in Clear Lake and Lake County in California

Wildflowers aren’t the only things dotting the emerald-green rolling hills of Clear Lake. Wineries have been popping up all over the mountain ridgelines and sun-soaked valleys of the Clear Lake Appellation—home to 8,718 acres of planted vineyards and dozens of tasting rooms offering world-class wines at a fraction of the price of some neighboring areas (with none of the tour busses or bachelorette parties!). This is a hidden gem for wine lovers, and probably won’t stay a secret for long. Start your tour-de-vino in the little town of Kelseyville, tucked sleepily within the rolling hills south of Clear Lake. Chacewater Winery and Olive Mill has a huge selection of organic wines, from sauvignon blanc to a 15-year-old tawny port. When you’re ready to venture into the countryside, make a short drive out of town to visit Laujor Estate Winery and neighboring Boatique Winery.

Laujor offers outstanding Lake County wines complemented by jaw-dropping views of Mount Konocti and the surrounding valley from the back patio. Be sure to try their sauvignon blanc–musqué blend. Just next door is Boatique Winery. Taste through a selection of big reds rivaling the cabs of Napa, take a tour of the owners’ huge collection of rare and antique luxury boats from the fifties and sixties, and grab a handful of tulips (they’re grown for guests) from the garden before you leave.

BEER HERE: Kelsey Creek Brewing Company on Main Street in Kelseyville is not to be missed by those who fancy fantastic microbrews. Master brewer and owner Ron Chips serves everything from Irish reds to IPAs to bourbon-barrel stouts, bittered with local hops and brewed out back, all in a dog-friendly, laid-back saloon setting complete with peanut shells on the floor.

kelseycreekbrewing-image-jpeg

STAY: For cozy lodgings with some adorable rustic charm, stay at the guesthouse at Finch Gardens.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View