Kelseyville/Lakeport possible move (Sacramento, Santa Rosa: new home, buy, movie theater)

[goinglikesixty]

Hi: Considering a move to the area and most of the threads are somewhat dated. Hoping to get some input on COL, taxes, politics and lifestyle amenities such as yoga, meditation groups, restaurants, weather and the effects of fire and flooding on the area. I have good income and could buy or rent. Thx!

[Ruth4Truth]

Yoga, Pilates & Mind-Body Classes - Lake County Be Well

OP, this forum provided you with all the info on that area, that we're capable of giving, on your thread earlier this year. Unfortunately, people who live around Clear Lake rarely participate here. I guess it's worth one more try, though.

[Mr5150]

Cheap, but not a great area to live. Visit for a week before you move

[Quewbism]

Lake County in general:
I just left Lake Co last year after living there for almost 10 years. I can say Kelseyville and Lakeport and everywhere inbetween the two towns are nice places to live. That whole side of the lake is pretty nice. The wine industry is booming and new vineyards and tasting rooms open every year.

It’s hot there in summer, regularly in the 100s, so a/c is a must-have. It cools down at night but sometimes not until 9pm or so and then heats up quickly in the mornings. January is chilly and once every few years there might be a dusting of snow, but it’s rare and melts almost immediately. There can be spurts of 90s even in February. Rains are hit-and-miss; some years dry and others drenching rain.

The biggest problem is the fires. It is a constant threat and topic of conversation. For some reason the county seems to have several big fires every year. Even if the fires aren’t in the area, Lake Co is a big valley surrounded by hills and the smoke from fires in other parts of California settles there. I got really really tired of smoke.

Lake county votes blue. It seems redneck but it is mostly liberal. Not radical liberal like the bay area, but definitely blue.

One thing about living in Lake County is that it’s rural and has very little shopping. If you want clothes, shoes, Costco, etc., you’ve got a long drive either into Ukiah or Santa Rosa. This may not seem that important at first but it will wear on you.

Also, if you like to travel, it’s a very long drive to Sacramento airport (2 hours). I heard there is a shuttle to Sacramento airport but I’m not sure if it’s still operating. SFO is about 3 hours, much more depending on where you live and traffic to the Bay Area.

The town of Clearlake is awful. There are homeless addicts everywhere. If you go into the Safeway or Walmart you’ll hold your nose a lot because a lot of people smell of urine, cigarettes and alcohol. They sit outside the stores, close to the entrance. Efforts are being made to clean up the town but it just never seems to get any better. During the time I lived in Lake County, Clearlake actually seemed to get worse. It is the blight of Lake County. If I had to shop in Clearlake I always went very early in the morning before the homeless addicts started gathering. They are EVERYWHERE.

Other than Clearlake, I liked Lake County. Sure the shopping and driving and smoke got old, but I enjoyed the slower pace of life, the open areas, the wine-tasting, the friendly people, and the scenery. I liked how it sits out on it’s own, free from the influx of people and problems from the major cities.

Kelseyville:
Kelseyville is an established little town with a mix of old and new homes. There are unkempt homes here and there but every town has that and most homes are nicely maintained. The “Riviera” in Kelseyvile is especially nice and a highly desirable place to live. Mt. Konocti looms over the lake near Kelseyville and looks beautiful.

Main street is kinda cute and unpretentious with locally-owned restaurants, shops, wineries, hardware store, sandwich shop, etc. The Saw Shop restaurant has really good food and Wildhurst has great wine tasting. They have regular events there, the biggest being the Pear Festival. Kelseyville is famous for it’s pears although most pear groves are being replaced with vineyards. Kelseyville Lumber on the north side of town is a huge home improvement store with good quality items but it can be expensive. There are farmer’s markets in town where you can buy locally grown fruits and veggies.

I don’t know what types of yoga are offered but I know there are yoga places around. Google the area and I’m sure you’ll find them.

People swim, boat, waterski and fish in Clearlake. It is a recreational mecca most of the year. In heavy rain seasons the lake can flood the docks and houses on shore so keep that in mind. There is an algae problem. In August the algae blooms die and it smells really bad, like rotten fish, and it is toxic so no swimming is allowed where the blooms are dying. I think the worst of it is across the lake so Kelseyville doesn’t really get affected by it but, depending on the breeze, the smell can waft all around the lake. The rest of the year it seems pretty nice, especially on the Lakeport/Kelseyville side of the lake.

Clearlake State park is nearby and offers hiking, biking, and camping among the huge oak trees.

It’s a long drive from Kelseyvile to, well, anywhere. It’s location is a disadvantage if you want to go anywhere else for entertainment or shopping. On the other hand, it’s location also plays a big part in how nice it is because it’s so peaceful.

The pace of life is slow and enjoyable. I wouldn’t say it’s a close-knit community because it’s a bit spread out but it’s still a friendly place. Overall Kelseyville is a nice place to live.

Lakeport:
A nice town with older homes, many historic. People buy the older homes, quite a few victorians, and restore them so it’s kinda cool to drive around and see them. It’s really quite charming.

Main Street has lots of small locally owned shops and parks right on the lake with beautiful views. Walking down Main Street is fun and they have many special events throughout the year. There’s also a movie theater and several restaurants. There are farmer’s markets and the corner vendors in spring sell some of the best tasting strawberries I’ve ever had.

Just up 11th street there’s a shopping center with a nice clean Safeway, CVS, banks, a couple small coffee shops, stuff like that.

Lakeport is the largest town in Lake Co. And the county seat.

The disadvantage to Lakeport (for me personally) is that it always felt congested to me. There seemed to be a lot of noisy cars, trucks, motorcycles, sirens, etc. Many were so loud it hurt my ears and could be heard from blocks away. Although traffic is very mild compared to most areas in California, Lakeport has a steady stream of cars in a lot of the town. Just be aware that areas around Main Street/11th Street can get very noisy.

Lakeport has easy access to Ukiah via a pretty drive on highway 20. It’s about a 30-minute drive so it makes shopping a lot less painful than other parts of Lake County. Hwy 20 is also the least winding road in and out of Lake County so people who come visit you will be glad to not drive highway 29 (which is really steep and curvy).

Other areas:
There are some other areas in Lake Co you might want to consider. Hidden Valley Lake, where I lived, is absolutely amazing. There aren’t very many amenities but it’s absolutely gorgeous there and a wonderful place to live. The views will knock your socks off. The lake is idyllic. I really loved it there.

Also Middletown, just south of Hidden Valley, is worth checking out. Although Middeltown was almost completely wiped out during the Valley Fire a few years back, the town is rebuilding better than ever.

Hope this info helps. Good luck to you!

[goinglikesixty]

This was EXACTLY the response and information I was seeking. Thanks SO much for taking the time to post this detailed report! Sue