Turlock Lake

"Relaxing at the Lake"

There is a parking fee for your vehicle.
I love this lake.  When I lived in Turlock, everyday after I would get off work from Denny's, I would drive to cool off beside Turlock lake.
There's a large grassy area with picnic benches and a sprinkling of trees in one area...Then there's a little trail through the trees besides the boat landing.  When summer hasn't hit full blast yet, we would go swimming and jump off the landing.  Then there is a cliff with picnic tables that is heavily shaded by trees.
Below the cliff there is a great beach for small children for it is buoyed in.  
If you drive up the hill (which is a great spot to watch the sunset) and park in the parking lot you can walk onto a small stone beach, or a bit further to a sand beach.  On the sand beach there is a tall sandy cliff that people like to carve into.  In this area you'll find that it can get crowded with jet skiers.  
If you drive even further, there is another dirt pull out.  At the edge of that cliff there is a somewhat steep trail that goes down to a rock that juts out into the water.  This is a more secluded area and very seldom do you find swimmers here.  Mainly people who want to be on their own sunbathing or reading.