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welcome to lake chabot!

One of the best kept secrets in the bay area

Tucked away in the suburb of Castro Valley, Lake Chabot is only 30 minutes away from San Francisco. This scenic destination boasts over a dozen hiking and biking trails, trophy-sized fish, boat rentals, bay area kayak tours and a picturesque eating area at the surprisingly delicious cafe – the perfect place to cool down and refuel after a fun-filled day.

Lake Chabot is very popular with anglers, families, kids, hikers, runners, seniors, mommy stroller groups, kayak enthusiasts, and dog owners.

What makes this place so special? Is it the family of deer, the hummingbirds, being able to walk to the local dam or the honeypot lake… we don’t know for sure. However, once you visit, you will know exactly why some are keeping this place a secret all to themselves.

Lake Chabot won 7th place in America’s Top 100 Family Friendly Places to Boat & Fish by Take Me Fishing!

Plan Your Visit

Hoppy Spring!

Hop on over to Lake Chabot for Spring adventures; we have some sweet treats for you!

Enjoy your adventure aboard our sweetly styled patio boat decked out in Spring style for the perfect photos, comfort and memories of your day! Did we mention you get a children's Easter/treat basket AND an adult's spring treat basket? That's right - fun for the family is included! This is a limited time offer; available March 16 - April 21.

The Queen Boat

Chabot queen tours

Have you taken our public, one-hour Chabot Queen Tour with the fabulous Alex? Click the link below to book your time for our many tours this summer!

Looking for a private party rental, corporate outing experience or education trip? We are available for private tours with just your group of up to 20 max per tour, alongside Alex - our experienced tour boat operator for your special occasion & inquire today!

Couple pedel boating

explore THE Lake from a pedal boat!

A rental pedal boat on Lake Chabot offers a delightful and leisurely way to explore the scenic beauty of the lake while enjoying a relaxing outdoor activity.

Lake Chabot offers beautiful views of the surrounding landscape, including lush green hills and serene waters. Pedal boating provides a unique vantage point to enjoy these picturesque vistas.

What Our Guests Are Saying…

  • "I love Lake Chabot. There's great walks around the reservoir, and there's plenty to do including renting kayaks etc. The cafe is really good including great sandwiches at a decent price. Fun way to spend a day or just an afternoon. Prices are not too high."

    - Clint H on Trip Advisor

  • "We went to Lake Chabot Lake and Marina. Its a very pretty lake The cafe is nice to go to. There is outdoor patio seating with views."

    - mini on Trip Advisor

  • "Beautiful lake where you can rent pedal boats, canoes, and electric boats. In the cafe you can find hotdogs, sandwiches, etc."

    -Nir E on Google

  • "One of the greatest places to go visit! It’s really great place for family picnic or friends. With good lake views. you can also rent boats. I don’t have anything else to said but one of the great places to go visit. Had great time with my nephew." - Aimal A on Google

    - Aimal A on Google

  • "Awesome experience amongst local regional parks. Great hiking trails for the whole family."

    - Animesh P on Google

  • "Wow... unexpected experience here! The cute little walk up cafe is so nice. The food was good, the prices perfectly in line, and sitting out on the wooden deck overlooking the lake... you would have no idea. Great place to have lunch, or bring the family over the weekend."

    - dragonfly on Trip Advisor

  • "Spent an hour pedal boating around Lake Chabot with my partner. We had a great time. The whole process was quite easy from start to finish due to the excellent staff who were helping us."

    - Sebastian C on Google