Lucerne's housing stock is defined by its lakefront. Homes line the shore of Clear Lake, many positioned to capture water views and direct or nearby lake access, while the Highway 20 corridor and the hillside streets behind it hold a mix of older cottages, mid-century houses, and newer builds on larger wooded lots. The community includes both year-round residences and vacation and second homes, reflecting its role as a north-shore retreat. Lots can be sizable and often feature oaks, pines, and madrone. As an unincorporated CDP, properties fall under Lake County rather than a city government, and the market offers lake-oriented living at a more modest scale than busier Clear Lake destinations.

Lucerne is organized around its Highway 20 corridor and the lakefront that gives the community its identity. Waterfront homes and cabins line the north shore, many with piers or views across Clear Lake, while streets climbing from the highway toward the hills hold larger wooded lots and quieter residential pockets. Country Club Drive, home to Lucerne Elementary School, anchors a central residential area, and the marina and Lucerne Harbor Park form a gathering point at the water's edge. The community is small and unincorporated, so residents tend to orient themselves by the lake, the highway, and the nearby north-shore towns of Nice and Upper Lake rather than by formal subdivision names.

Lucerne offers a quiet, lake-centered lifestyle on Clear Lake's north shore. Days revolve around the water — boating from Lucerne Harbor Park, fishing, swimming, and watching sunrises and sunsets over the lake — while the community's small commercial strip along Highway 20 provides everyday services. The town's "Switzerland of America" welcome sign nods to both its namesake and its lakeside setting. Residents enjoy a slower pace than the busier south-shore communities, with Lakeport and its county services a short drive west, and the region's wineries, state parks, and hot springs within easy reach. It is a place shaped more by the lake and the surrounding hills than by any urban bustle.

Lucerne is served by the Lucerne Elementary School District, which operates Lucerne Elementary School in the heart of the community for the elementary and middle grades. High school students attend Upper Lake High School, part of the Upper Lake Unified School District, which serves Lucerne along with the north-shore communities of Nice, Blue Lakes, Glenhaven, and Upper Lake. The high school, established in 1916, sits between the Mendocino National Forest and the northern edge of Clear Lake. This two-district pathway gives Lucerne families a local elementary option and a consolidated regional high school a short drive away.

Lucerne sits on Highway 20, the principal east-west route along the north shore of Clear Lake, connecting the community to Lakeport about seven miles west and to Upper Lake and the Highway 29 corridor to the north. Highway 20 continues east toward the Central Valley, while Highway 29 links the area south toward Clearlake and the Napa Valley region. Daily errands and county services generally mean a short drive to Lakeport, and the rural setting makes a car essential for most trips. The lake itself adds a recreational and, historically, a practical water route along the shore, though modern travel is road-based.

Clear Lake is the center of recreation in Lucerne, offering fishing, boating, water skiing, kayaking, and swimming, with Lucerne Harbor Park providing a boat launch, piers, and a designated swimming area right in the community. The lake is known for its bass fishery, and local outfitters and marinas support anglers and boaters. Beyond the water, Clear Lake State Park, Mount Konocti, and the Mendocino National Forest offer hiking and sightseeing within a short drive, while the region's hot springs and wineries add to the recreation mix. The mild climate and year-round lake access make outdoor life a constant rather than a seasonal exception.