Lake
Nacimiento
In the
hills above Paso Robles lies a great option for boaters, fishermen, and all
other outdoor enthusiasts. At Lake Nacimiento, you can choose from 165 miles of
coves for fishing or exploring. The lake also offers lodging set high on a hill
with spectacular vistas stretching for miles.
We rented
a ski boat from the marina and had a blast. The lake stretches for 16 miles, so
it helps to have little horsepower if you plan to see all of it. The water was
like glass the morning of our excursion, as it would be on most mornings,
especially during the week. Most of the trip I kept the boat at about 20 mph,
but just to see what it had we goosed it up to 35 mph in a few places. On a
boat at that speed, you really feel like you are about to take off on a rocket
ship. I preferred a slower cruising speed.
Most of
the lake is quite natural with a few housing developments. We spotted deer
several times, especially in an area called The Narrows.” A bit farther on you
might see a bald eagle’s nest.
The
fishermen outnumber the water-skiers here, and the lake is plenty big enough
for all. Lake Nacimiento is famous for its white bass and is the only
California lake to stock them. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie,
catfish, and bluegill also are to be found.
The Lakeshore
Lodges are set high on a bluff overlooking a large expanse of the lake. Most
are two bedroom units with large decks. The units come with a kitchen, living
room and air conditioning. The view from these units is worth the trip. One
could spend hours just gazing at the beautiful lake with the coastal mountains
framing the background. Hearst Castle is just 60 miles west at San Simeon.
The lake
also offers a general store and the Lakeshore Café, which is open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner in the summer months. For more information visit
http://www.nacimientoresort.com.
Forever Resorts
Lake
Nacimiento recently has been taken over by Forever Resorts of Scottsdale, Ariz.
They have extensive management experience in national parks, national forests,
and choice recreation areas across the U.S. dating back to 1981. They manage
the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim as well as houseboating on Lake Mead, Lake
Powell and Lake of the Ozarks. They even run the Southfork Ranch in Dallas,
made famous by the television series, “Dallas,” in the early 1980s.
Forever
Resorts is very proud of its environmental record. Every location they manage
has been certified for its environmental management system. They have been very
active in the Clean Marinas Program. This program encourages marinas to promote
clean water. They have actively participated in the EPA Performance Track.
This is a
voluntary program that recognizes top environmental performance among
participating U.S. facilities. Performance Track members have collectively
reduced water use by more than 1.3 billion gallons, cut generation of solid
waste by nearly 600,000 tons, and decreased their energy use by the equivalent
of enough power to heat or cool 80, 000 homes for a year.
For more
information on a great vacation idea visit http://www.foreverresorts.com.
Golf on the way
On the
way to or the way back from the lake, you may well want to play some golf or
just hit a few practice balls.
Hunter
Ranch is just 4 miles east of Highway 101 on Route 46, which is the same road
you use to visit Lake Nacimiento. Hunter Ranch is one of my favorite courses.
They also
have an excellent driving range, including a 3-hole par-3 course — it’s
perfect for the little kids. Hunter Ranch has a fully stocked golf shop and an
excellent restaurant.
Farther
south you might make a bit of a detour and check out the courses in the Nipomo
area.
Monarch
Dunes is the newest option there, and it is worth the visit. Carved out of sand
dunes and tall eucalyptus trees, this is a links style course with a lot of
character.
Cypress
Ridge is also an excellent layout, a bit more of a “park golf” experience.
Blacklake offers 27 holes of quality golf as well.
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