South Lake Tahoe Travel Guide: Reviews, photos, & videos
Is it cobalt? Is it azure? All we know, it’s pretty darn blue. Past the snow-capped mountains and the soaring evergreens, Lake Tahoe strikes the eye like an electric blue bolt. Yep, it’s blue alright. And cold. Because of the many mountain streams spilling into the lake, the water doesn’t get warmer than 70 degrees, even in late summer. With a shoreline of 72 miles, the lake area swallows 200,000 visitors on a summer weekend without feeling frantic.
Head to Zephyr Cove Beach, indisputably the party beach of Lake Tahoe. The mile-long beach offers every kind of water sport imaginable and the region’s best volleyball. For a bird’s-eye-view, take the gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort to the observation deck for absolutely stunning views of the Carson Valley, the Desolation Wilderness and the crown of it all, the lake itself.
Boating, California, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Lake, Mountain, Relaxing, Romantic, Rustic, Sailing, Snow, Snowskiing, Usa, Wedding
Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the afternoon south of highway 50. Sunny elsewhere. Highs 44 to 54. Brisk with northeast winds up to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph in the afternoon. Ridge gusts up to 60 mph in the afternoon. Hi: 53° F, Low: 26° F.
Tomorrow's forecast
Sunny. Highs 45 to 55. East winds up to 10 mph in the morning becoming light. Hi: 51° F, Low: 25° F.
Ever notice how in SUV commercials there’s always footage of the vehicle blazing over some ridiculously rugged and bumpy wilderness in super slow motion? Ever feel a bit sad that your car will never encounter that type of an environment? Well, weep no more because I’ve found that rugged, all-terrain wilderness: the Rubicon Trail. A 22-mile-long route located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range just west of Lake Tahoe, the Rubicon Trail is the perfect trail for hikers, bikers, nature lovers, and of course – off-road enthusiasts. With part of the trail used as a testing ground by Daimler Chrysler for their Jeep models, a trip down the Rubicon Trail showcases the California wilderness like nothing else. Featuring lakes, hills, creeks, springs, craters and forests as well as the abundant wild life, there’s never a dull moment while traveling down the Rubicon. There are also some pretty intense trail regulations to prevent damage to its natural beauty - like staying within 25 feet of the middle of the trail and never driving over vegetation. So start the engines and buckle up – the Rubicon Trail awaits!
Emerald Bay. Doesn't that name just sound exquisite? It'd be a shame if the setting didn't match the beauty of the name. Thankfully, Emerald Bay State Park lives up to its name. Located about 22 miles South of Tahoe City, Emerald Bay State Park (EBSP) is one of Lake Tahoe's most popular and most photographed locations thanks to its sweeping landscapes and awe-inspiring beauty. Recognized as a National Natural Landmark by the federal Department of Interior in 1969, the park is home to the gorgeous Eagle Falls, the Vikingsholm – a 38 room mansion and one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States – and the only island in all of Lake Tahoe: Fannette Island. With summer temperatures ranging from the low 40's at night to the mid 70's during the day, the climate is perfect for the nature lover in need of a relaxing hike or even a few days camping in the woods. I'm thinking they should make its motto: "Emerald Bay State Park: Great Name, Even Better Place."
Have you ever skied in a blizzard? Neither had I, at least not until daring the slopes of South Lake Tahoe. What started out as a gorgeous but brisk early-December day ended up with peeling off frozen socks and de-thawing my eyebrows and nose hairs in front of a campfire with a cup of kaluha-laced hot cocoa. That’s what Tahoe is: one minute you’re in your hotel eating breakfast, the next you’re hurling down Heavenly on your snowboard, trying to capture as much of the stunning view as possible because you know those images don’t exist anywhere else on earth. Tahoe is both serene and intense, peaceful yet passionate.
The surprising thing about South Tahoe is how the city just naturally caters to city girls and cowgirls. It’s as easy to get to a five-star steakhouse as it is to get a box of chow mein. And Tahoe isn’t just beautiful, picturesque sunsets; it’s also the ruggedness of the red clay earth, the howling of the roaming wild dogs, the rough edges of the brick-lined streets. I’m told there are other things to do in Tahoe than ski….I guess I’ll have to find that out next time I visit.
Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places on the planet Earth, a pristine and picturesque valley that Mark Twain himself once recognized Lake Tahoe as "the fairest picture the whole world affords." He was right. Superlatives can only go so far, but let me assure you : Lake Tahoe remains a wonderful and unexpected place to relax, explore, and get in some serious communing with nature. I'm from Sacramento and one of the selling points of our humble capitol city is its proximity to Tahoe. We can easily escape to the High Sierras to vegetate by the lake's sparkling blue water, snowboard and ski at one of its seemingly infinite resorts, or waste our money most delightfully in downtown's over-the-border casinos.
Winter is of course the main draw here - the excellent conditions and world famous ski resorts need no introduction - but fall and summer are wonderfully unexpected times to pay a visit to the lake. Then there are's the little things: the startling quiet of a fall stroll around a forest pond, a delicious meal at a little restaurant right on the water, the pine-scented air and the bristling Ponderosa pines in the morning. We like to get away from town and take a hike in gorgeous Emerald Bay State Park, or get away to nearby Truckee and Donner Lake, both Western emblems and handy refuges from idiot tourists. Tahoe is near and dear to my heart, and for good reason: it's got both an embarassment of things to do, along with a truly astonishing level of natural beauty.
I chose to write about South Lake Tahoe, California first because every time I think about getting away, it is the first place that pops into my head. Good Times.
If your looking for boring, plain, or mundane then South Lake Tahoe is not the place for you.
Embraced in the arms of the Sierra Mountains, Lake Tahoe is one of the most jaw dropping sites you will ever lay your eyes on (it will hurt a little when it hits the ground, but totally worth it). People have tried to put its beauty into words for many decades. Once you get to see it in person with your own eyes, you will understand no words do it justice. I have been there many times and my jaw still drops ( I catch it now before it hits the ground and yes I don have those type of skills).
No matter how you get to it, whether your traveling on Hwy 50 coming from Reno or Carson Nevada, Highway 267 off Interstate 80 or flying into its private airport, You will understand why God smiles every time he looks at ti. You can't help but get excited at your first shot of it and it gets better from there.
For all you information junkies (that would be me) and trivia buffs lets get some facts about the lake out of the way. The lake is 72 miles around and 1,645 feet deep and 6,225feet above sea level, which makes it the second deepest lake in North America. Also its the largest Alpine lake in North America and the highest Alpine lake in the United States.
The lake also sits on the border of California and Nevada (even though this is a fact, later I will be discussing how much fun that is).
A bonus nugget of information. Lake Tahoe hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and is currently putting in a bid to host the 2018 Winter Games.
Now for the fun stuff. South Lake Tahoe is the largest city on the lake, which adjoins the town of Stateline, Nevada. While walking across the street call Stateline Ave. you can actually have one foot in California and one in Nevada. (we still have not gotten to the fun part of that but we will).
South Lake Tahoe offers so much for you to do. If you get bored your either dead or close to it. In the Spring, Summer and Fall you can go hiking on some of the coolest trails you will ever find. You can also go boating, kayaking, windsurfing, golfing, fishing, biking (both road and mountain), swimming, water skiing, the latest craze stand up paddling and so much more. They have so many tours of incredible places I will have to do a separate post to cover them all.
In the Winter it turns into Wonderland. You have some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, within walking distance of most of the lodging. (we walked to the Gondola that took us to Heavenly Mountain Resort, the largest ski area in California and Nevada. Just a few minutes away by car you also have Kirkwood Mountain Resort, a ski area that gets more snow than any other area in Tahoe.
Along with skiing you have snowmobiling, snow tubing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and snow sledding.
At night no matter what time of the year, South Lake Tahoe has a night life second to none. Remember the state line and the talk of fun. Well, not 5 feet from the state line on the Nevada side sits one of several fabulous casinos that offer 24 hour entertainment. So whether your looking for a romantic moonlit walk on the beach, to a exciting game of chance in the casinos, great stage entertainment or to dance the night away South Lake Tahoe is a sure thing.
Oh by the way did I mention the food is excellent. If its Stake, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican or a plan old cheese burger, you will not be disappointed in the taste or the prices. For example a mouth watering prime rib dinner for $10.50, need I say more.
The hospitality of South Lake Tahoe is also second to none. Some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.
The best way to describe South Lake Tahoe is "usable splendor". It is not like a beautiful painting that you can only look at and admire. It is more like a great bottle of wine. Not only does it look wonderful, it also tastes great. Get a taste of splendor soon, go visit South Lake Tahoe.
Next review - South Lake Tahoe Hot Spots
The 3-foot snow storm that hit Lake Tahoe in February 2008 caught me, a winter sports novice, off guard. Traveling with a group of seven adventurers, our winter vacation proved to be a refreshing, yet thrilling experience: refreshing because of the mountain air and views that no HDTV can do justice; and thrilling because no matter what your degree of experience, there will be a slope to push you to that next level.
We rented one of the many available houses in town…a smart budget decision (plus the hot tub proved to be a much welcomed bonus at the end of each day). We also decided to rent boards, boots, helmets and goggles at one of the many reasonably-priced rental places in town before heading to the ski resort. With the slopes finally in site, our experienced snowboarding leader headed to the back side of the mountain. Three of us picked one slope and mastered it before moving on to the next. And a few others were content riding the bunny slope for a few days then shopping and casino-hopping for the rest of the time. However, at the end of the day, we would all meet back at the house to warm up and ease our aches in the hot tub while watching the sun set behind the evergreens dusted in snow.
We rented one of the many available houses in town…a smart budget decision (plus the hot tub proved to be a much welcomed bonus at the end of each day). We also decided to rent boards, boots, helmets and goggles at one of the many reasonably-priced rental places in town before heading to the ski resort. With the slopes finally in site, our experienced snowboarding leader headed to the back side of the mountain. Three of us picked one slope and mastered it before moving on to the next. And a few others were content riding the bunny slope for a few days then shopping and casino-hopping for the rest of the time. However, at the end of the day, we would all meet back at the house to warm up and ease our aches in the hot tub while watching the sun set behind the evergreens dusted in snow.
Having just returned from Lake Tahoe, I find it hard to disagree with the initial review: blue doesn’t quite describe it. Few words do, really. In fact, I wish I brought my pocket thesaurus with my trail map because I didn’t know how many new words I would need for “fun,” “incredible” and “When can we come back?” We rented a house in South Lake Tahoe (CA side) on Julie Lane, just off of Lake Tahoe Blvd. and it was perfect for my wife and me. Two blocks from national forest land and about five minutes from Camp Richardson, which serves as a hub for family and adventure activity, on and off the water. One of the most unique characteristics about Lake Tahoe is that it’s not all about the lake. It’s about all the other stuff you can do there. We spent quite a bit of time at Fallen Leaf Lake. This is where that thesaurus would have come in handy for alternative words for “scenic.” My wife and I rented a pontoon boat and had a ball floating past some lavish lakeshore homes (many accessible only by seaplane) and underneath the shadow of the Sierras. We rented bikes from Camp Rich one morning and made the grueling trek in about an hour. (Look up “steep.”) We had a killer time in Tahoe and found ourselves wondering about median home prices while sitting around the Reno airport. Now what’s another word for “delayed?”
Getting to South Lake Tahoe is half the fun. It was the end of May and Jan and I were on our way to Yosemite National Park. We drove through Reno, Nevada and over Mount Rose Summit – at 8,900 feet - the highest pass in the Sierras to be kept open year-round. The western descent of Mt. Rose offers up one of the most spectacular views in the world. The brilliant blue surface of Lake Tahoe is 6,200 feet above sea level; it is 22 miles long from north to south and 12 miles wide. In May, the mountains that surround it on all sides were still snow-capped. A unique geological wonder, the lake is fed by 63 streams and drains from only one outlet; the Truckee River at Tahoe City on the northwest side. Skirting the east side of the lake we took our time, stopping for a snack (our usual PBJ) and taking a few hikes from roadside trailheads down to the lake shore. Despite a sign, high on a tree, warning that nude sunbathers may be present, we kept going down the steep trail. Huge pine cones littered the ground. There was a cool breeze blowing, which probably deterred sunbathing. Especially the unclothed kind. One could spend many hours walking along these forested trails in the pine-scented air. The lake is clear enough to see objects almost 70 feet below the surface (so we were told) and one finger prod confirms it is cold. There are plenty of skiers who can write about winter activities but, for us, another summer visit is definitely on the cards. We get enough snow in Colorado.
My dad has a timeshare in Tahoe that he swaps out with one in Hawaii. We used to go up there during the summer months and spend our days biking around the lake. One of my favorite memories was as we were strolling along the lake and admiring the reflection of the pines in the water. A three-legged dog ran up to us with a ball in his mouth. Then we got a lecture as to why even tripods can persevere. lol I remember the air being incredibly clean and crisp, and everywhere you looked there was somewhere to rent a bike or a boat.
Tahoe is great winter or summer but both can get pretty busy, especially on the weekends.
In the winter, you can ski or snowboard at many mountains in the area. I've had a winter ski lease with friends in Truckee in the past which is a great way to go if you go up often.
In the summer, the mtn biking is great. Check out the Flume Trail or Mr Toad's Wild Ride if you want something on the epic side.
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