Lake House 4 years ago My Trip to Lake Arrowhead in June
I honestly do not have enough good things to say about our recent getaway to Lake Arrowhead.
Firstly, I cannot believe that I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 12 years and had never made the quick drive up the mountain. I’m honestly embarrassed by it. Not only did we absolutely fall in love, but Grant and I have officially made this our new favorite getaway.
With COVID-19, we’ve had to reconsider how we approach travel. We currently have zero plans on getting on an airplane in the near future and when we made a list of places we could drive to, Lake Arrowhead was at the top of our list. Luckily, our good friends have a house and offered us to stay there which was incredibly generous given the popular time of year.
A few things I quickly learned about Lake Arrowhead upon arrival: The lake is private you have to be a home owner to be allowed to take your boat out {with a license}. Because of COVID-19, some of the restaurants and beach access for public is closed. This didn’t bother us so much because we were able to take advantage of our friends’ house and we ate every meal at home. I loved BBQing, reading books in the afternoon and really soaking in long walks along the lake edge.
(feature image borrowed from here)
GETTING THERE
Lake Arrowhead is located at a 6,000 foot elevation just northeast of San Bernardino, CA and is part of the San Bernardino National Forest.
We drove up on Tuesday afternoon and it took 1 hour 20 minutes and we drove back in the same time Friday afternoon. Mind you, the traffic driving up to Lake Arrowhead on a Friday afternoon will cost you a lot of time so I would suggest heading up on an off-peak travel time if you can.
WHAT TO DO
The lake is private and accessible only to residents, but parts of the lake are sectioned off for guided paddleboat tours. So, if you know someone with a house on Lake Arrowhead, you should make them your new BFF. Nonetheless, Lake Arrowhead Village {which is super cute} and its neighboring communities attract visitors year round.
With abundant trailheads, charming shops filled with vintage finds, antiques, and local artists’ wares there is definitely plenty to do if you cannot access a boat.
Heading out for a hike is one of the top things to do in Lake Arrowhead during the summer. Here are a few popular trails to check out:
Places to Shop (check hours as many places are on COVID-19 adjusted times):
Cedar Station Antiques & Interiors
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at a friends’ house that sadly isn’t available for rent. But because so many of you asked for recommendations on places to stay, I did a deep dive into AirBnb and pulled up a few favorites that I found.
The Antler Lodge – wildly popular on Instagram and books in advance!
Modern A-Frame – with lake rights
Lake Front – with a dock and hot tub
and there’s always:
Also, if you’re looking for some true eye candy, be sure to check out Jenni Kayne’s absolutely gorgeous home renovation that she recently sold in Lake Arrowhead. Grant and I are officially scouting out real estate in hopes to do something similar.
WHAT TO PACK
Packing for Lake Arrowhead is all about light layers. Do your best to not overpack. You really only need two pair of shoes {a pair of sneakers for hiking and a pair of sandals for lake life}. I’d suggest one pair of pants for chilly nights and a light jacket, light sweater and a few tops. You really don’t need much!
Everlane Chore Denim Jacket // Amo Off White Denim Trousers // A.P.C Crossbody Bag // Jade Swimsuit // Cotton Linen Sweater // Janessa Leone Hat // New Balance Sneakers // Steve Madden Brown Sandals // Paravel Mini Main Line Duffel Bag // Black Ribbed Tee
Have you ever been to Lake Arrowhead? Leave a comment below on pro tips for my next trip!
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