Santee & Lakeside
Choose your lake first: flexible picnics and camping at Santee Lakes, or fishing and stargazing at Lake Jennings.
Every list that covers Santee & Lakeside
Updated as places change
6 rankedNeighborhood Guides6 Places Worth Your Time in Santee & Lakeside, RankedUpdated Jul 27
8 rankedBars & NightlifeThe 8 Best Distilleries in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
8 rankedOutdoors & ViewsThe 8 Best Campgrounds in San Diego County, RankedUpdated Jul 27
12 rankedOutdoors & ViewsThe 12 Best Dog-Friendly Places in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 24
The neighborhood itself
7 verified places · 1 eat & drink and 3 things-to-do listsThe lakes are the reason to head east, but they ask for different days. Choose Santee Lakes for picnics and camping; choose Lake Jennings for fishing, lake-view camping, and stargazing. For an easy morning, start with breakfast at Cafe 67 or make the 24-hour Mary's Donuts & Coffee your first stop. If you would rather finish than begin here, put BNS Brewing & Distilling after the lake. Check each lake's rules before deciding: swimming is prohibited at Lake Jennings, and pet access differs between the two.
If you only do 5 things
1Santee Lakespicnic2Lake Jenningscamp3Mary's Donuts24hr4Cafe 67breakfast5BNSdrinksKnow before you go
Heat: Inland afternoons run hot; start at 6am when the lake or breakfast schedule allows and carry more water than a coastal day would require
Lake rules: Lake Jennings prohibits swimming and body contact; fishing requires both the lake permit and a California license
Pets: Santee Lakes bans pets in day-use areas, while Lake Jennings limits them to the campground and Bass Road under posted rules
Where they are — 7 verified places
The index
Ranked places pulled from all 4 listsSeven lakes, linked by more than 5 miles of paths, all inside one preserve on Fanita Parkway.
If Santee Lakes is the day that runs itself, Lake Jennings in Lakeside is the trip you plan on purpose.
Somebody wants beer, somebody wants whiskey and everybody wants dinner.