Members of the community take pride in what the country town has to offer: historical sites, recreation, lodging, dining, shopping and special events complemented by rural countryside and agricultural lands.
An ambiance of country friendliness is found in the small shops along Main Street. Take time to stroll Main Street, which is lined with historic, early 20th Century streetlights. You can enjoy sitting at tables outside the eateries and wine tasting at Wildhurst, Rosa d’Oro and Focused on Wine tasting rooms. The Saw Shop Gallery Bistro features Lake County wines and fine dining.
Taylor Planetarium & Observatory, located at 5725 Oak Hill Road, is operated by the Lake County Office of Education and is equipped with a permanently mounted 16 inch reflector telescope and astrophotography equipment. Visit their website at www.taylorobservatory.org.
During the summer, there are street dances on Main Street with local musicians. On the last Saturday in September, the town hosts the Kelseyville Pear Festival. It features craft booths, entertainment, a quilt show, art and antique tractor shows and begins the day with a great street parade. Not to be missed is the annual Christmas in the Country on the first Friday of December. For more information, call 707-279-9022 or 279-1561.
Also located in Kelseyville on the shores of Clear Lake is the beautiful Clear Lake State Park.
A favorite destination for boaters and campers alike.Clear Lake State Park is located about three miles northeast of Kelseyville. The park offers camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating facilities.
There are 147 campsites of which 60 are open year round. The park can easily accommodate large groups for special events. There is a swimming-only beach area and an excellent boat dock for access to beautiful Clear Lake for a large variety of water sports.
A real jewel of the park is the Clear Lake State Park Visitor Center. It was created from the inspiration of the park’s staff and volunteers to showcase Lake County’s cultural and natural heritage. The Visitor Center is volunteer-staffed and is open various hours in spring and summer. Call the Park for hours.
The Center offers a close view of vignettes that are rarely seen and features dioramas to illustrate lakeside, woodland, and pre-contact Pomo Village scenes. The underwater environment is shown in a 700 gallon aquarium. The volcanic peaks that now define the landscape are illustrated in a unique and “active” ceiling shadow box display. Nature films, slide shows and personal presentations are regularly scheduled in the Center’s Audio-Visual room.
Clear Lake State Park is located on Soda Bay Road at: 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451. You can call them at (707) 279-4293. For camping reservations call (800) 444-7275 or go online at www.reserveamerica.com or www.parks.ca.gov.
