A Leisurely Autumn Trip to Lake Arrowhead
A must-visit hidden gem in Southern California – Lake Arrowhead. Starting from Los Angeles, no matter which route you take, you'll eventually converge onto the scenic CA-18 mountain road. The journey takes about an hour and a half.
Our first stop was 📍Mackay Park, a hilltop park. This is the best spot to overlook the lake, offering panoramic views of Lake Arrowhead from the observation deck. While the autumn mountain scenery by the lake might not be ablaze with color, it definitely has a taste of fall. Any photo taken with a phone here is wallpaper-worthy.
After coming down from the hilltop park, I headed for lunch at 📍Hortencia's at the Cliffhanger, a cliffside restaurant. This restaurant truly offers both great ambiance and delicious food! Enjoying authentic Mexican cuisine right on the cliffside, the Fajita and Lobster Tacos are highly recommended. The food is excellent, and you can also admire the layered mountain views. The average price per person is around $30, which is fantastic.
After lunch, we returned to 📍Lake Arrowhead Village. Although the village isn't large, it has a distinct European Alpine valley charm, with red-roofed wooden shops built along the lake, each with its own unique character. There are many ducks in the lake, and shops sell duck food for one dollar a bag. There are also boat tours on the lake, with tickets costing $34. Due to my "elephant legs" (a humorous way to say I had difficulty walking or was tired), we didn't take a boat. Sitting on a bench by the lake, watching the diverse array of tourists, was also very pleasant.
💡Practical Tips:
1️⃣ There's an interesting antique shop next to the village; worth checking out.
2️⃣ On weekends, there's a beer garden and open-air concerts here, which are very down-to-earth.
3️⃣ Terrace seating at restaurants is limited, so it's recommended to dine during off-peak hours or make a reservation in advance.
4️⃣ Parking in the village is very convenient, with a sufficiently large free parking lot.
5️⃣ You can reach all the places mentioned above by navigating using their names.