Clearlake, CA Road Trips
Clearlake, CA serves as a quiet starting point in the Pacific Coast, connecting drivers to 6 outbound routes across the area. Routes from here tend to cover serious ground — the average trip runs 376 miles, so plan for multi-day adventures. Most routes from Clearlake, CA head south, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
8
Longest Drive
580.7 mi
San Diego, CA
Quickest Drive
2h 3m
Sacramento, CA
Plan Around Clearlake, CA
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Clearlake, CA is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Clearlake, CA
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Clearlake, CA
Driving from Clearlake, CA
Expect an average of 376 miles and about 7h 20m behind the wheel when leaving Clearlake, CA. There is a healthy spread of short hops, medium drives, and longer road trips to pick from. The longest mapped route runs 581 miles (11h 14m), while the shortest is just 100 miles.
Popular Destinations
The most popular drives from Clearlake, CA include San Diego, CA (580.7 mi, 11h 14m), Santa Ana, CA (491.9 mi, 9h 28m), Long Beach, CA (483.8 mi, 9h 19m), Los Angeles, CA (459.7 mi, 8h 51m), and San Jose, CA (142.2 mi, 3h 4m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
For the average 376-mile drive from Clearlake, CA, expect to burn about 14.8 gallons of fuel one way at 25 MPG. Check local pump prices before you go to lock in your budget.
The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives. These are full-day drives. Start by 7 or 8 AM if you want to arrive at a reasonable hour without rushing.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 6 mapped routes leaving Clearlake, CA and 2 routes heading into Clearlake, CA, covering 8 total connections. Distances range from 100 to 581 miles.
The longest mapped route from Clearlake, CA covers 581 miles and takes approximately 11h 14m. Shorter options start at just 100 miles.
The average route from Clearlake, CA runs about 376 miles with a drive time of roughly 7h 20m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
The most popular road trip destinations from Clearlake, CA include San Diego, CA, Santa Ana, CA, Long Beach, CA and Los Angeles, CA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Clearlake, CA by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
16,604
Median Income
$41,580
Median Home Value
$204,500
Median Age
35.8
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Clearlake, CA at a Glance
Founded
1980
Elevation
1,417 ft
Area
11 mi²
City data from Wikidata (Q376246), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Clearlake, CA
Clearlake is a city in Lake County inland in the North Coast region of California. It is located at the southern end of Clear Lake, which is more than 1.5 million years old.
Seaplane Splash-in. In September is a large gathering of seaplanes including floatplanes, flying boats, and other amphibious vehicles. 1 Clear Lake State Park, 5300 Soda Bay Rd (3.5 miles northeast of Kelseyville on Soda Bay Road), ☏ +1 707 279-2267. Daily sunrise to sunset. A beautiful park on the largest natural lake entirely within California where you can fish, swim, boat, hike, and learn. The gift shop is a world in itself it has many taxidermy animals live fish teach the children about animals. The park has many trails to walk along that are very beautiful. 2 Mount Konocti. Mount Konocti is a beautiful and majestic sight. There are many resorts on the lake available, you can take a boat ride and enjoy a better view of the wonderful landscape. 3 Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, 8400 CA-53, Lower Lake (Between Lower Lake and Clear Lake on Highway 53, north of Calistoga), ☏ +1 707 279-2267, [email protected]. Sunrise to sunset. Historical information about California's native Pomo people and ranching. Good for hiking and bird watching, especially waders and other birds that like the wetlands. Stroll along the easy Cache Creek Nature Trail. Boating is easiest during summer and fall, when the water levels are lower; even then, less-experienced boaters should stay far away from the dam. (Kayaks and canoes can be rented from Clear Lake Campground on the other side of Cache Creek.) Picnic tables and one faucet with drinking water. Wheelchair-accessible portable toilet, if the path isn't too muddy. This wildlife preserve is not a dog-friendly location.
Aromas, Culinary Arts Building 200, 5880 Dam Road Extension (Yuba College Clearlake Campus). Some of the best food for a college culinary class. It has awesome food and good prices. 1 Trejo's Diner, 3900 Bayliss Ave (corner of Lakeshore Dr), ☏ +1 707-995-4046. American food with a few other things thrown in (e.g. chilaquiles). 2 Main Street Bar and Grill, 14084 Lakeshore Drive. A wonderful place to eat. The service is excellent and the food is yummy. The club sandwich is a favorite. 3 The Happy Garden Chinese, 13440 State Hwy 20, Clearlake Oaks. The prices are reasonable and the food is first rate!
Best Western El Grande Inn, 15135 Lakeshore Dr, ☏ +1 707 994-2000, fax: +1 707 994-2042. Blue Fish Cove, 10573 East Highway 20, ☏ +1 707-998-1769. Huttopia Wine Country, 13444 Spruce Grove Rd, Lower Lake, ☏ +1 707 461 0740. Opened in June 2023, what is offered is "glamping" - large tents (350 or 425 square feet), each on a platform and with a deck, and either a private or shared bathroom. The site has a swimming pool, playground, and a cafe-bistro. (updated Aug 2023)
Lake Transit offers service from several nearby towns, including Calistoga, where you can make connections from the Bay Area, and Ukiah, where you can make connections from Mendocino.
Travel tips adapted from Clearlake on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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