Lake Gregory is a lake in Crestline, California; a small town in the San Bernardino Mountains. While it’s popular for the winter time, there’s still fun to be had and plenty of things to do in the summer. Here’s my notes on it:
- Distance: ~2 hours from LA/OC area
- Less busy than Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear
- More quiet, small town vibes
- Lake Gregory is open to public (Lake Arrowhead is more private)
This trip started off chaotic before I even left the house—my friend that was supposed to come with me got covid last minute, so I asked my boyfriend instead and he met me at the Airbnb later that evening after his work. Even though it was stressful until I got to the Airbnb, the weekend turned out to be awesome.
Where we stayed:
This Lake Gregory Adventure Cabin Airbnb looks tiny but has 3 rooms! Check the link to see the listing images. Interior design has a very cozy western charm with antique furniture and decor.
The cabin is tucked into a cul-de-sac down a hill with large trees providing cool shade all day, so the fans weren’t needed, even though it was summer time. The kitchen has plenty of appliances you’d need for cooking (we didn’t cook though), but there isn’t any Brita or filtered water for drinking. The bathroom has shampoos and soap and there are plenty of extra towels and blankets in the house.
Day 1
Skypark at Santa’s Village
First thing I did was head straight to Skypark at Santa’s Village. I went alone because my friend couldn’t come due to covid and my boyfriend has work on Friday, but it was fun anyway!
It is mostly for kiddies but I tried almost everything there because my inner child said so. They have mountain biking, archery, sharp shooting, axe throwing, rock climbing, playgrounds, food and shopping, and more. Since it’s primarily for children, the archery wasn’t really with sharp arrows or heavy-duty bows. Same with the sharpshooting—it was just BB guns but enough to keep kiddos entertained.
Goodwin & Sons Market
This is just the local supermarket, but make sure you check it out! In the corner, they have a good amount of cute gifts. Inside there is a counter where they make ice cream and fudge, and there is a deli and bakery, too. Seating is behind the souvenirs (tee’s, hoodies, keychains, coasters, etc.) by the front.
Day 2
Coffee at Higher Grounds Coffee House
This cute little coffee shop has some indoor and more outdoor seating with local goods inside and some bakery items.
Lunch at Sweet Pea’s Poke
Before heading to the lake, we picked up lunch at Sweet Pea’s Poke, which is a walkable distance from the north lake entrance. I don’t know why I expected it to suck but it was decent! The employee was sweet and they even had teriyaki rice bowls, ramen, spam musubi, boba, and mochi ice cream. I didn’t try all those though.
Lake Gregory
At the lake there is a food stand, gift shop, giant inflatable obstacle course on the water, giant water slide, cabanas (if you reserved one), and a public bathroom. There are other activities you can get tickets for on their website, like fishing, kayaking, and boating.
I was worried 75°F wasn’t going to be warm enough for Lake Gregory but it was actually warmer than I thought it would feel. I also didn’t expect the water to be so cold, pretty much just as cold as the beach (this is my first time at a lake). After playing on the inflatable thing, I was too cold and tired to do anything else so I guess I am old now.
Check out my “What’s in My Bag” blog to see what I brought.
Dinner at Puglia
To wrap up the day, we went to Puglia, an Italian restaurant owned by chef Antonello Zito, who won Chopped: Battle Italiano on Food Network in 2024. I found this place while looking for restaurants in the area, but I actually went because of the bad Yelp reviews!
Let me explain… The one-star reviews were rough, but Zito’s sarcastic/passive-aggressive responses were hilarious and real. Idk, I just think business owners should stand up for themselves because customers be wack sometimes. Someone complained about the wait for food, and the owner responded, “…we are not OLIVE GARDEN…” — and tbh, I respect that. I won’t spell out all the drama, but you get it. He just matched the energy and defended himself, imo.
So naturally, I had to go to Puglia to see what the heck was going on for myself. And honestly, I don’t have anything negative to say about it. The service was good, there wasn’t anything to be upset about. So yeah, I’d go back. And yes, the food was amazing — and no, it’s deffo not Olive Garden.
Day 3
Explore Crestline
Sorry ya’ll, I wish I had better pictures. But you get the vibe of the town, right? Here’s a list of shops I hit up:
- Hearth & Sage General Store – thoughtfully selected handcrafted goods
- My Favorite Things – antiques trinkets and handmade items
- Ye Olde Thrift Shoppe
- Flying Squirrel Vintage – cute, curated vintage knickknacks
- Encompass – vintage trinkets, treats, and goodies
- Trinket Trader – thrift shop with antiques and knickknacks
- Mystic Mountain Music – record shop
- Earth Elements – small shop with crystals and incense
- The Goods at Crestline – lots of antique things
- Mountain Pawn – antiques and thrift shop
- Crestline Antiques – another antique thrift shop!
- Crestline Jerky Co – jerky and other snacks
More Things to do
Even though that seemed like a lot, there’s still some things I missed. If I had more time, this is what I would have checked out:
- Corks and Hops festival
- Eddie Lou’s Pizza
- Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout
Let me know if I missed anything!
Safe travels, Big J
P.S. If you enjoyed this, maybe check out my San Diego trip? Please?