Lakeside is a census designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California. The population was 20,648 at the 2010 census, up from 19,560 as of the 2000 census.

Lakeside was house to the Kumeyaay prior to European contact, who called Lindo Lake “Ha Ptur” or Ha Pchurr (Barona Tribal dictionary), meaning lake or “circular water”.

Lakeside was founded in 1886 next 6,600 acres of home surrounding the naturally going on Lindo Lake were purchased by the El Cajon Valley Land Company, who suddenly began to publicize the new home as a town and built an 80-room Victorian-style inn, the Lakeside Hotel, at a cost of $50,000 (approximately $1,220,000 today). Three years later, in 1889, Lakeside became joined to the railroad system, and little businesses began to spring up, firmly establishing Lakeside as a perky community. In 1904, John H. Gay bought the Lakeside Hotel and fenced off the park surrounding Lindo Lake, claiming both as part of his estate. He then proceeded to construct an automobile and horse racetrack approximately the lake, which became famous when Barney Oldfield set a new house speed record considering visiting for the track’s establishment in 1907. The inn and racetrack became a popular gathering place for millionaires and celebrities and consistently drew large crowds by train to watch the races held there, but both were demolished per Gay’s wishes at his death in 1920.

Lakeside has long held a reputation as a “cowboy town” and “rodeo town,” due to the rural setting, the prevalence of ranches and the abundant horse ownership in the area, as competently as hosting an 8-acre (32,000 m) permanent rodeo facility, the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds. The venue is manned and maintained by the El Capitan Stadium Association, an all-volunteer intervention who aims to back up and support the youth of Lakeside by donating everything proceeds from capacity rentals to local sports and service, as well as education grants. Notable rodeos put in the PRCA-sanctioned Lakeside Rodeo, part of their California circuit and usually occurring upon the last weekend in April, regularly drawing higher than 20,000 observers to the arena, as capably as the Lakeside Optimists’ Bulls Only Rodeo in July.