Just a beautiful location with great views in Sonoma. A nice respite from wine tasting where you can do a quick hike, get out on the water, or just admire the amazing views. Bring a picnic lunch or just relax. read more

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Lake: 5 stars Public boat ramp on the opposite side of the lake: 4 stars Marina Boat Rental Management and Staff: 1 star Lake Sonoma itself is really nice. Like most lakes in California it's not a natural lake but it's still surrounded by beautiful hills. Plus, it's a lovely drive out from 101 on Dry Creek Road. It might have been cool to go out on the lake too. Our pre-paid, confirmed reservation for a five person pontoon boat was cancelled out from under us with no warning. Nothing was done to make it right. The staff acted like this happens all the time, and that it was our problem. They said the boat was "broken," with no details. It seems more likely that they just double booked and didn't tell us. We booked online, fully paid in advance, and received a confirmation email. What they did do was send us a form email at almost 4pm the day before our reservation. Since it looks like a promotion email, I didn't see it. No phone call, which would have prevented the whole problem. It's amazing when a business tells a rental customer you *must call* to cancel a reservation 24 hours in advance and email cancellations won't be accepted. Yet for the marina staff and management? Different rules. Email cancellations only hours before the reservation and no call needed. Two sets of rules. Even that might have been ok if they had also clearly stated this double standard. As for a resolution, none was offered. We are on a two-week trip to the area so our plans our flexible. Our time of day is flexible. The number of people we can bring is even flexible. But was *any* attempt made to offer an alternative booking? No. They had no other boats to rent except kayaks and canoes, so basically we were S.O.L. But to add insult to injury, they just did not care. Meanwhile, my wife and I made lunches for five people, packed our gear for a day on the boat plus a cooler, we brought along my 76 year old dad as well as our two sons, ages 9 and 12. Sure, we spent two hours driving round trip to the Lake Sonoma Marina to rent a pontoon boat that was "broke down." (See photo below.) Sure we drove 76 miles round trip for nothing. Sure, we burned $15 in gas but who cares. Sure, my wife took off of work to join us for a what could have been a great day on the water. Sure, my sons were disappointed. I just really hope that the management and staff of Lake Sonoma Marina aren't in any way inconvenienced. I'd hate for more than five peoples' day to be ruined due to their thoughtlessness. read more

Lake Sonoma Resort Area - A photo of the cancellation email, received too late: "Boat broke down. Sorry!" - Boating Near Me - Geyserville, California

OMG- The public launch was packed thought this might be better- uh no. Not covid compliant- people gathered on the shore, people everywhere with no masks! They were letting people in with boats and trailers when they had no parking left! So you launch your boat and then what? We turned around and left. First time on this lake- I found it has biting fish, leeches and trees poking out from the water everywhere! I'll stick with my other favorite lakes- this one sucks read more

Lake Sonoma Resort Area - Trees sticking out of the water - Boating Near Me - Geyserville, California

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As someone that reads other peoples reviews and to some degree relies on them to help make educated decisions [for dining and traveling especially] I simply can't allow myself not to share my experience with other visitors that are new to Lake Sonoma. First of all it's gorgeous and just one hour from our home in Petaluma. We only visited the side of the lake with the marina, and the bridge above. We camped above the marina where there were approximately 15 campsites. We stayed at camp number 15 and we were at the end of a short loop that's on the hill. Definitely the best spots are camp 1 2 3. They all have a beautiful view of the lake. Our campsite was actually very spacious. We could've had four tents and still room for our car. We arrived mid day, and it was sweltering in July. We did our best to get our camp set up before heading down to the marina. As expected during these super hot summer months mid day, arriving to a water hole is not a good idea because of parking. The gentleman who was running the parking lot was very kind, I went into the store to check in and was managed assisted by two teenage girls that were on their iPhones. They asked me to complete a credit card form for my camp site which had typos on it and felt unnecessary. They had already charged my card and they already had my card on file. It just did not seem necessary. Some dude at a desk behind the two teenagers was barking about how they shred the documents, not even bothering to turn around to speak with me. So very rude. We had the best parking we possibly could have had, however what we found was very limited access to the lake if you're just looking to float around or take a swim. You definitely want to rent a boat and get out on the lake, unfortunately this trip we were just learning and found ourselves against the over trodden muddy side, Banks of the lake along with tons of young kids and families as well. There is an upper parking lot and more suitable beach type slip of sand, but very small! And the people that go there bring big shade tents for their whole families, I just can't see being comfortable on the lake in this particular part of the lake without having a boat. Next time we will rent one for sure. The campgrounds were super loud at night and a family played amplified music until 10 or 11 and it was insanely crazy seeing the camp next to us in the morning late strewn with garbage keg cups just a total mess. There was no take care of mother earth vibe happening here at all. Also, there's no running water just random Porta potty's that might be in your campsite and used by other people also camping nearby. I hope this helps somebody plan an amazing trip! read more

Love this Place - Great Opportunity to fish, water ski, swim, and enjoy family time. My friends and I had a blast renting a speed boat and waterskiing. The price is reasonable and a great escape on a hot summer day. The boat launch and parking is only $5.00!!! WOW - Double WoW!! I've added pictures to give you the beautiful views read more

I love this lake as much as anyone, but when it comes to renting a boat from them I wouldn't trust it... bring your own if possible. My friends and I had reservation for this Memorial Day weekend to camp for 2 nights/3 days and boat in for our friends birthday. We get to the resort area/marina to check in and get our boat rental. They told us then that our boat for the upcoming days had been canceled and given to someone else and there was basically nothing they could do. We used the only time we had for that boat to transport our things (7people) which took two trips down a steep dirt road due to the lake being so low. Not a good start to our trip considering we were going to need to bring all of our stuff back eventually and the only way out without a boat is a supposed 1 mile uphill hike to the parking area. We went to the campground while our crew dropped the boat off and took the dogs to move 2 of the cars and hike down. Hours passed after setting up camp and they finally made it to us and explained that 1 mile hike turned into 3 miles because the liberty parking lot they told us to go to was closed. They made the executive decision to park on the road which was miles away. We would have parked all of our cars in the lot; however, what was originally $15 a night per car turned into $30 and two nights of parking was all of a sudden $124??? We paid for one car and 3 people hiked to the other cars at 5:30am to move them and pay in the other lot. They also had to talk to Larry, the "manager" to try and find us a boat so we could at least bring our stuff back. After hours of us wondering when they were coming back/if we were going to be able to leave- they let us pay to rent a boat for 2 hrs. They came back with a pontoon boat at 9:30am and told us we needed to pack up (and carry all of our equipment down a steep hill less than 24hours of being there and haul it back up the other hill and pack our cars) by 11:30am. It took around 30mins to get to and from the marina in the boat. We all had to rush to pack up (with 3 dogs mind you) and head out by 10:10. We had to stop for a boat on the way over there and our check engine light came on. The boat wouldn't turn on after that. We decided to let the engine cool down and jump in the water for the limited time we had since we were ahead of schedule and they rented our boat to someone else!! We had to paddle our way back out in order to get cell service and let them know the boat wasn't turning on. Finally we got ahold of someone after using multiple cell phones and getting the voicemail over and over... and they gave us instructions (like it happened a lot on their boats). Thankfully it turned on and we got over there with minutes to spare and just unloaded onto the dock before having to hike up with all of our belongings. What really pisses me off is that I heard some of the boat workers say "we're renting boats we don't have!" Which means we weren't the only ones this happened to... additionally as we were packing our cars the Larry guy comes by and asks if we're leaving???? So he can move his car to the dock entrance... like yea bud!! We're leaving. We have to. Are you high?? Like you're the reason we have to leave! On top of that, when we got to the cars there were tickets on the car even though we had paid ticket stubs in the window!! They eventually said they'd take care of it after going into the office. They should have at least comped us for the boat given they canceled our rental, made us pay for a boat we really needed in an emergency, which then broke down on us. We made the most of this trip as a group, but we will never be making plans to rent a boat or park there again. It's not worth the hassle, price gauging, or lack of professionalism on their part. I'm in shock this place runs the way it does and is surviving. read more

This area is beautiful - nestled in the coastal range at the north end of Dry Creek Valley, you can imagine that the roads afford stellar views and many twists and turns to keep you entertained. This is also a very popular area with motorcyclists, young and old. They love to zip around on the twists and turns to build their skills and have fun. Skaggs Springs Road is usually not heavily trafficked - but when there are cars, they tend to go very fast and to take chances. The pull out from the Lake Sonoma Overlook onto Skaggs Springs Rd is right by a curve - which makes it difficult, as you pull out, to see traffic coming up on your left if you are going to make a left hand turn. Someone took for granted that there was low traffic one day in August a few years ago -- pulling out out in front of my brother Eddo on his motorcycle (https://s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com/photo/8cM4WZcdcVo74GaOf1Ax-Q/l.jpg) - killing him nearly instantly. Please - enjoy the Lake Sonoma resort area, and by all means - enjoy the road - but please stick to the speed limits and always be more cautious than you think the road warrants. Conditions change and there are deer, motorcyclists and bicyclists everywhere, around ever blind curve. read more

Lake Sonoma Resort Area - Godspeed, Rider - Boating Near Me - Geyserville, California

Billing Scam TL;DR Overcharged and was only partially refunded after catching it. Called this rental company before booking a watersports boat online as I noticed the hourly prices not changing when selecting 1, 2, 3, and 4 hour slots. The man on the phone assured me that I would be charged the proper amount after the rental process. (Security Deposit of some sort I presumed) When my family and I returned the boat, we were charged the amount of gas used. This charge was separate from the online booking charge. When I got the sales receipt from the rental office with boat, tube, and gas charges I noticed the charge was much lower than what I had been initially charged for when booking the boat online. I called and emailed the billing office and worked with Larry who was able to give me a partial refund for half the difference. I provided screenshots of my credit card charges and their own sales receipt - still nothing. This communication has been going on for a few weeks now and now I need to file a dispute with this company. We had a good time on the boat but everything before that (billing issue, multiple lines, lack of direction at rental shop, and customer service) made it a poor experience. read more

The lake is very pretty but sadly if your renting a boat I wouldn't bother so un-professional I get staff is a bunch of young kids, that don't know what they are doing, but they don't explain anything to you or even help you dock the boat... & the so to say owner Jeff very rude disrespectful I'm very disappointed on the way Jeff talked to my family like if we were a bunch of Animals I'm not saying it was a race thing but with that aggression he came to color family wow,, but he really just needs to be aware how he approaches people... I also went to complain to the store but didn't get anything but oh I'm sorry Jeff can be mean sometimes like um ok? So yea im guessing we were not the 1st family that complained about him read more

I have been going to this lake for almost 15 years now, and it is everything and more! My whole family loves coming here, and we went a boat every summer. The process has always been so smooth and easy with amazing service, I couldnt recommend anything higher than I do Lake Sonoma Resort Area. It is a gorgeous lake with wonderful grassy patios, perfect for families. If you're in town and get a chance, be sure to stop by lake sonoma! read more

Nice and easy check in and reservation process. However, the boat we were given was from the early 90s... yes over 30 years old. Very obvious that it wasn't cleaned before our rental either with lots of dog hair all over the carpet and seats. One of the doors didn't close but the staff were able to secure it with a bungee cord. Overall disappointing as it was a very slow day on the lake and they chose to give us one of their oldest, most worn boats. read more

Make your way out to Lake Sonoma when the need to escape the Rat Race (that is the Bay Area) ever comes up. We sure do. My family and I have made it a tradition to do a yearly camping trip here. The campsites are spacious, clean, comfortable (well, as comfortable as camping can be), and definitely provide for that all-around outdoor experience. As this is a lake, it technically means you need to have a boat to actually get around and to your campsite. You can also rent a houseboat and set shop out on the lake. The marina is equipped with a first aid station, equipment rental area and mini market for those last minute snacks and items you forgot to get before you head into the campsites. There is also the option for renting out their patio on the marina for private parties. The drive through the vineyards to get to Lake Sonoma is absolutely serene: that sense of peace envelopes you and prepares you for the beauty and wonderment of the Lake *sigh* Love, love it. Can't wait for our trip next year. read more

Ugh. Who is charge of this place? There is TRASH all over the beaches and every place????? Are there any people responsible for this? Don't let people leave the trash on the beaches that go in the water...going swimming is a hazard....too bad. Why charge people but clean it...or enforce the f-ring law and fine liter bugs. Come on management. go down by the bridge and there is crap all over...so gross...do the job you are paid for please. It's also a fire hazard.... read more

Few things: 1. Lake is beautiful and not too rough for swimming which was nice on our super hot day. If it were just location and views this would be a 5-star 2. The boats from this rental place are SO old that even at their pretty high rental rates it doesn't make the day feel relaxing and enjoyable. 3. Communication between front office and the marina is really poor and they'll charge you at the time of your rental no matter if its their processes that slows you down and holds you up for up to an hour! 4. Very little advice on how to steer or stay clear of the rocky edges etc. 5. All wrong information (including the wrong address to go to and the wrong parking fees) in their confirmation email so just call and confirm! read more

very nice lake resort not far from san francisco city easy 1.5 hrs or lesser depending on traffic you can enjoy the wineries and go to the lake which is only less than 30 min away lots of great eating places on the way the marina itself is complete enough to get you by boat rentals snacks picnic areas enjoy the lake which is swimmable esp during summer temp in the low 80s read more

Now this is a good review taking into consideration that we're in a severe drought. The main camp ground is closed due to the low level of the lake (it's about half full). There is plenty of water for boating and swimming though and the setting is still beautiful. We stayed at the small campsite above the marina area which served our needs just fine. I wish there were flush toilets instead of the ONE porta potty, but we drove down to the nearby marina to use their facilities. Unfortunately, camping overnight sometimes includes tolerating partying young adults, crying babies, and unexpectedly cold nights, so be prepared! This was a terrific place to start and finish our spectacular 25 mile bike ride around the Dry Creek Valley. read more

The lake is AMAZING!!! It was warm enough to swim in, clean & just beautiful, however the campground had ZERO access to water, no water spout whatsoever, they have ZERO SHOWERS, & the dirtiest ports potties, just 1 in our area. Let me just say, I used the bathroom elsewhere, because feces was filled up high to the seat, That was a bit disappointing, & than some lady drove around to every camp telling us to be quite from 10-6am, who does that on a major holiday weekend? Do we look like children???? Just crazy!!!! I'll come here for the day, but never camping!!!! At least give people access to water!!!!! read more

Really pretty views, really cool to see the boat launch. Be sure to visit the lookout to get the full panoramic! Not necessary to spend a ton of time here, but definitely worth a quick stop and a brief break from tannins and grapes! read more

The lake is beautiful however the service was horrible. When we arrived on the boat my friend had slashed her foot on a piece of metal hanging from the boat door. When it was time to return the boat we had a horrible experience with the staff who claimed to be the manager. He was very unprofessional and was yelling at us because the boat had bumped into the dock. He continued to yell at us and was extremely rude. read more

$10 entrance fee for day use. Not my favorite boat rental experience. Very unhelpful Marina staff who lost my initial booking I'd made in advance over the phone. Okay fine, so you lost our originally booked cheaper boat rental, and the boats in that class were all in fact broken, so we upgraded, which was fine- because it was a nicer boat and better for a comfy time- but they wouldn't work out a little price break or anything. Not even a real apology. Once we confirmed our boat rental, they started the clock. Like, IMMEDIATELY. If you have 4 hours on the water, bring your stuff down to the docks so you don't have to run up to your car- and you can't park in the lower lot, so we had to move the boat to the loading dock, load up our stuff, move the truck, use the restroom, and buy ice while we were on the clock. That really bothered me. Don't expect these teens to cut you any breaks. Also don't expect any tips or advice on where to go or what not to do with your boat other than not to destroy the propeller. LOL. Luckily this wasn't our first boating rodeo, but I would even suggest you bring a bit more rope/line with you, because the boat was pathetically equipped if you wanted to tie off. Since this is a man made lake, a filled out canyon, the shore is very steep, and there are lots of hazards below the surface- mainly trees, and there aren't many 'beaches' to speak of. Not too many sandy areas to speak of. In fact, If I had it my way, we'd of had an anchor so we could drop anchor (to what depth I don't know!?), and swam up to some of the cool lakeside campsites that looked empty and inviting when we were here in Early June. I brought my trusty inner-tube which was great for floating around on the side of the boat and in the lake. Once we got out of the Marina/Resort and onto the Lake, we had a Grand Ole Time. I won't reveal our secret spots or strategies for chillaxin, but it was very fun. Sadly, coming back to the dock was deflating. Once again totally rude employees, and they charged over $6/gallon to fill the boat back up with fuel. Who knows how much was in it when we left? The gas meter was broken (in fact the entire electrical console on the craft was bunk). So the boat rental was quite exorbitant, yet they have your card and there's not much you can do to contest these prices, right? Once back on shore, the Resort area is 'okay'. There's not much of a beach to my satisfaction, but the store area with all the trimmings and the pretty lawn beside it, with the grapevines growing and the shade trees is nice- but that's by the Marina area- the only open 'beach' area that we discovered was rather small and not very nice. It was certainly entertaining to watch all the wake boarding boats and boat traffic coming in and out from the lake, but being on the water is where it's at here at Sonoma Lake Resort. read more

This review is only echoing what many others on here already said but avoid this marina at all costs. The lake itself is great so if you go to the free launch on the other side of the bridge you can have fun on the water but don't even step foot onto the Lake Sonoma Resort Grounds. 1. The manager at the desk Janet is incredibly rude and disrespectful and got confrontational with almost every customer that walked in for no apparent reason. Anything relayed on the phone prior to arrival is a lie and once you get there they begin nickel and diming you. 2. The boat ramp has minimal parking for trailers and the lines become absurd.' 3. They claim there are 3 lanes to launch in but really only one trailer can fit without having your trailer half on a ramp and half in mud causing boats to not lay on the trailer bunks correctly. I watched as countless experienced boaters pulled boats out only to have to back down again into the center lane to level their boat. 4. Gas is the definition of a monopoly. I expect to pay atleast a dollar more a gallon than gas at a station but they wanted $2.50 more per gallon for unleaded than you can fill up for elsewhere right now. Basically avoid at all costs. There are tons of well run marinas northern California that treat customers with respect and deal honestly. If you cannot launch at the free launch there, then choose a different lake in my opinion. read more

Prime example of a monopoly ruining a beautiful thing. The lake is gorgeous, good-sized, and on federal land, which means there are a LOT less rules than in a state park. So far so good, right? Well the problem is that there is only one place that rents boats and these people are the worst. We've been coming for three years straight (because again the place itself is amazing), and every year it's almost the same story. 1. They lose reservations because they still take them down on paper and have no system for keeping track of them. They won't quote you a price or send you a confirmation email, which seems strange until you meet them and realize the kind of people you're dealing with. Incompetent, backwards, and shady. 2. The boats are very poorly maintained, and something always breaks down. No apology, no refund, just blank hostile stares. 3. Every interaction is a new frustration. No one talks to each other, so you cannot rely on what anyone tells you. Janet, the manager can either be the only one who can sort things out, or she can be the most confrontational of all, depending on her mood (and time of day). We also for the first time this year had the pleasure of meeting another manager, Jose, who was rude, hostile, unreasonable, and didn't mind conveying his true opinions to his coworkers in Spanish in front of us. Shadiest guy there -stay away. Long story short, if you have your own boat or at hiking in to camp, this place is amazing. If you have to deal with the folks at the marina- good luck. You're probably in for headache and disappointment. read more

These folks are great contrary to what some comments note. Larry, Fern, and Maya were all very friendly and helpful on the phone and did everything they could to modify my reservation due to the fires near there. Very patient and courteous. read more

The lake is beautiful. But the management for the boat rentals is not helpful at all. He basically brushes you off after hearing your concerns.!!! I believe his name is Larry.. We rented a patton boat, and apparently there was to much weight in the front . Three adults sitting in the front in an ice chest and three adults and two children sitting in the back. As we were going slow out to the water the front of the boat started to go into the lake so of course everybody rushed to the back. I did see just jet was a person enjoying the day at the lake as he came up he said the front of the boat was pointing down in the water as we left. And that it can lead to it going head first. The person driving the boat has driven boats several times and it also stated that it was not in the best condition. StopIf they knew that was a concern they should've came up a little bit faster once they saw it as we left the dock. My grandkids at that point became terrified and cried for a bit. When we got back I voiced my concern to the manager. Who basically brushed me stating the renter read the contract, and know. I understand that but the people that work there should also make sure they explain or reiterate potential dangers or issues that could arise. I work in customer service. I explain contracts and even after the sign it. And if I see something that doesn't look safe I pointed out right away. He also went to mention that he saw was coming in which was not true at a fast speed again not true and too many people in the front there was two people in the front. We had to wait because there was another boat coming in and we came in at a slow speed and he wasn't even down there when we came in. I know for a fact he was not there cause I was unaware that when I was up there talking my son and son-in-law were down there expressing their concerns at the dock. He lied away to brush me off just so he didn't have to deal with it. read more

A friend of mine rented out the patio area by the marina for her birthday shit-show/extravaganza. And becuase of the lenient rules, it was exactly that. It was a rather large picnic area with multiple benches, a couple large grass areas and a barbecue. Next to our fenced off patio was a huge Volleyball area that we took advantage of. With a few kegs, loud music, tons of food, and about 40 people we had a great time, thanks to this facility and the people in charge. We were never repremended until later in the night when our behavior became quickly questionable.... which was understandable. Still we were allowed to play our music loudly late and continued the party into the darkness of the night. The lake is literally 100 yards away and easily accessable and the bathrooms are within walking distance. This is a great spot to rent for any event. read more

This review is more on the Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road that connects from Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg to Highway 1 just south of the town of Gualala. Very scenic, especially during autumn, as it meanders through vineyards and Lake Sonoma, through dense redwood forests and breathtaking views from the mountain tops. Although picturesque and a recommended path at least once in your life, I definitely don't recommend it as a way to conveniently and efficiently get to the ocean. The road has so many twists and turns and at times it narrows to uncomfortable one car widths. Luckily for us, we only encountered about 5 cars the entire length of this drive (others must already know this is not the best path to the Sonoma/Mendocino coast. But if you have some time and are in no hurry (and you're not prone to car sickness), it's one of the most beautiful drives I've encountered! read more

Only $5 parking and I think $5 boat launching. The lake is beautiful and man made, so you don't have to worry about unknown creatures swimming around beneath you if you are swimming. No cell phone reception so it a nice place to unplug. I went on Memorial Day weekend and it wasn't overly crowded. I just wish there was a lakeside cafe for picking up a coffee or sandwich before getting on the water. read more

Rented a pontoon boat for 2 hours. It was clean and well maintained. John, our host was AWESOME! Very friendly, personable and funny. The 2 hours flew by though. We will have to take it out for the full day next time. read more

Where to start? Alright I'm going to keep it really simple- at the Lake if your boat dies the Lake Sheriff department WON'T help you for two reason. 1) Because they don't tow boats that break down on the lake they would rather leave families totally 100% stranded. . That's sensible right? 2) They're too busy joy riding helicopters 100's of feet from the water wasting our tax dollars. But this review is not about them it's about the other horrible, unforgettable service you can expect from Marina employees who absolutely have no sense of humanity. So again, if your boat breaks down on the lake here is what you can expect 3) Completely useless Army Corp of Engineer staff that shouldn't even pick up the phone (this is coming from a former Army Corp of Engineer Park ranger so you're getting the real deal with this review people.) Park employees that don't know how to give out correct phone numbers to the Sheriff and won't make any calls for you after you have explained you have bad service and a broken boat. Oh and if you don't have any cell service on the lake you might as well not go on the lake or make sure you're a great swimmer. Lastly, (4) if your boat breaks down on the lake, the Marina staff, not resort staff, let's not be ridiculous and try and characterize this place as a "Resort" cause if you have been to a real resort you would know this is just a total dump with a terrible dock that is falling apart and is a hazard. As is the launch that's in dire need of replacement. So the Marina staff- WILL tow a boat. Sure right... for $85 an hour and but ONLY if you pay in advance giving them your credit card number while your are on the water. Really who takes a credit card on the lake? And if they write down your number wrong, which not only do they want your 16 digit card number, but a bunch of other senseless information you can give them WHEN THEY COME here is the message you can expect on your phone, because again there is no decent cell service so you won't be able to get those incoming calls "Your card didn't work, were not coming to get you" . Hang's up. Never mind the fact the cell service on the lake is horrible but again to them it's logical to force people to pay in advance. Boats can be very unpredictable even really nice newer boats. I would never ever ever recommend relying on anyone for any helpful or considerate service at Lake Sonoma. YOUR ON YOUR OWN people literally. Oh' and also don't rely on the Army Corp of Engineer's to staff the boat launch kiosk with envelopes they would rather not leave any out and then circle around a couple hours later and give $75 parking tickets. read more

This review is going to cover three areas of Lake Sonoma: 1.) The Campgrounds (Liberty Glen, Group Site D, Five Stars) 2.) The Marina (Three Stars) And 3.) The Lake (Three Stars) 1. Of the three parts of this review, this is the most recommended by far. This campground is awesome. Really awesome - I've been to a lot of campgrounds, this one really was great. It's well run, well maintained, and the view is spectacular. We were at Group Site D, so one of two larger campsites on the Lake side of the grounds. There are two covered pavilions, a large parking area, and a small auditorium if you feel like hosting an impromptu play. There are three water taps in the site with drinkable water, and bathrooms with 24 hour lights and showers. The showers are ice cold, but this is big group car camping, hardly roughing it. Also, it's inland enough that you get warm nights and very few mosquitos (we saw none), something that's rare in a lot of nor-cal campgrounds. It was nice enough though that half of our group slept happily without tents. Did I mention the view? It's spectacular. This site (all of them, really) are far enough down the road to mute traffic from the main road, but high enough on the hill to give you wide views of a valley that covers both sunrise and sunset. It's far enough outside of town that you'll get some great stargazing, and close enough in that it's a short trip to and from. We got the group site because there were about 30 of us all told, and at $80/night it was an absolute steal split among a group (get ten people in on it and it's $8 a night!) There is a trail down to a less-public and much nicer spit of the main lake, and great hiking/running/horseback riding trails all up and down the hills. Only problems: There are raccoons (although they're far more timid and less numerous than most sites, and the parking lot is so close it's easy enough to just lock things up), there are Yellowjackets (wasp traps recommended, especially in late summer, mid-September on). You can reserve and pay for sites online, which is nice and again a bit unusual for a campground. 2. The Marina. It's crowded, and they charge for parking (but they do give you a pass if you want to pop down to the store and back up). That said, it's also beautiful. I can say from experience that it's a wonderful place to host a summer wedding! There is some swimming, but again, it's crowded, there are a lot of boats, and you can park at the boat landing across the bridge for free. Also, the Marina store... It's tiny, has a very limited selection (good for trail mix, terrible for beer etc.), and because of where it is it's very expensive. We bought six packs that were probably in the cooler for a year and they were $15 each (you're better off making a town trip). 3. The lake! It is a beautiful lake, really spectacular from the lookout point or driving across the bridge. It's walkable from the camp site, easily accessed from the Marina or the Boat Landing. It's cool, but perfect for a hot day. The shorelines vary from rocky (boat landing) to grassy (marina) and there is very little debris in the water. The beaches are a little dirty, and in the shore we went to there are leeches (!?) I was shocked, I've never seen a leech in California, but they're here. They're tiny brown worm-looking things about the size of an inch worm, though they can apparently get bigger at other times of the year. They pull off no problem and don't hurt or leave any marks. They're just gross. read more

I went there with my boyfriend and a friend. Could not of believed what a beautiful time we were going to have. John helped us pick a perfect boat. Had a great 2 hours on the lake. We will definitely go back. Next time for the whole day. A great experience. Thanks John. read more

The problem started when the woman at Lake Sonoma hung up on me abruptly after booking reservations for kayaks a few days before our visit. I had a few questions to ask, but she took my credit card info and hung up on me. No niceties or opportunity to ask a question. My family and I got to the lake on time for our reservation, but for 30 minutes we stood there waiting in line at the rental desk. When we finally got to the front of the line, we were greeted with a glare. The service was horrible. They gave us canoe paddles for our kayaks (they were out of kayak paddles...) which makes it very difficult to kayak. We were out on the water for about twenty minutes making meager progress against a stiff headwind, paddling frantically with our canoe paddles. We complained, however, and did get a full refund. read more

Great place with so many great people to help you with anything you need. If it wasn't for the terrible manager I'd have loved to continue working there. Larry (the manager) treats workers with zero respect read more

This review is specifically for kayaking or canoeing on the lake. Don't do it. They rent all sorts of boats. The boat rental is professional, efficient, and friendly. I rented a tandem kayak with my boyfriend and it was a pretty unpleasant experience. The lake is really meant for speed boaters and jet skiers and other people who like roar around the lake in motorized watercraft while getting really drunk. So the boats are really loud and a good number of people are drunk and they like to go really fast and leave huge wakes. i was terrified all the time that someone was going to hit our kayak or a wake would tip us over. I would never kayak here again. read more

Very pretty area!!! Even if you don't have a boat, grab your sweetie and pack a picnic.

The lake and surrounding area are beautiful. Boats are fun but getting your own is expensive: buying, maintaining, storing, insuring... plus tricky and time consuming to trailer and launch, so renting at the marina here is a nice option. Its about a dollar a minute all told for a 4 hour trip, but considering all else not such a bad deal. Took two families out tubing and we had a great time. The sea ray we rented (cheapest one?) had a brand new motor, but some issue with a fuse deep in the engine compartment and it died on us mid day, and there was no mobile phone service there to call for help. Got a ride with another boater to a place where I could make the call and they came out to tow us all they way back to the marina. That was the only sucky part of it. We had an awesome time other than that and will be sure to spend a few dollars more to rent the Toyota epic next time. read more

I rented a 10 person patio boat for my best friends birthday. I called a few weeks ahead and made the reservation, a 4-hour rental starting at 11am, everything went smoothly. The person who made the reservation reminded us to bring cash for parking. When we arrived the parking attendant instructed us to park in the dirt lot as the parking lot was "only for people who had a slip at the marina..." not a big issue. We unloaded our car and I parked it about 60 feet from the paved lot in the dirt. The whole party arrived and checked in for our rental about 10 minutes early. There was someone ahead of us so we waited. By the time they taxied our boat over, gased it up and went through safety it was about 11:30 and the attendant apologized and said we could keep it until 3:30 without us even asking...I thought that was awesome. Our time on the lake was awesome, and returning the boat was a breeze. We will definitely be renting again. read more

Lake Sonoma Resort Area - Rented 10-person patio boat on Lake Sonoma - Boating Near Me - Geyserville, California

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While making reservations for my family and I to go kayaking in Lake Sonoma, the woman on the phone hung up on me. That was just the start of our problems. When we got to Lake Sonoma, we waited in line for thirty minutes, and at the front of the line, we received nasty stares from the staff. When we got our kayaks, they gave us canoe paddles, and after twenty minutes on the water, my family and I decided that we'd had enough of lake Sonoma. We did, however, get a full refund. read more

Lake Sonoma rocks. One of the hidden gems in our area. if you haven't been you are missing out. Long drive but worth it.

My family and friends rented a Sea Ray boat, and two paddle boards. We had a few questions before we went up to the lake. Janet was helpful, complete, even walked us over to where we needed to rent. The lake was beautiful. There was seven of us and we were able to eat lunch on the lake, swim, laugh, and just being together on a Summer day was just fantastic. It is a very reasonable rate for all what Lake Sonoma has to offer. We are lucky that is place is an option for fun! read more