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.
• Need information on vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe or interested buying a vacation property in South Lake Tahoe? Click on the orange “Find Properties” button to comparison-shop for affordable South Lake Tahoe vacation rentals or South Lake Tahoe vacation properties for sale.
• Looking to find good deals on South Lake Tahoe vacation rentals or more information on property sales in South Lake Tahoe? Need help finding South Lake Tahoe foreclosures or resort communities in South Lake Tahoe? Glean market insights from a local real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe by clicking on the “Vacation Rentals” button or “Vacation Sales” button.
Boating, California, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Lake, Mountain, Relaxing, Romantic, Rustic, Sailing, Snow, Snowskiing, Usa, Wedding
Sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs 80 to 90. Light winds becoming west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Hi: 84° F, Low: 51° F.
Tomorrow's forecast
Sunny in the morning...then partly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 87. Light winds becoming west up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Hi: 80° F, Low: 51° F.
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.
Interested in learning more about the South Lake Tahoe vacation rentals market?
We’re sorry. We'd like to provide you market insights, but a property management firm in South Lake Tahoe hasn't stepped up to share their knowledge about vacation home rentals in South Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe lodging, South Lake Tahoe vacations, or South Lake Tahoe beach rentals.
If you are a real estate professional in South Lake Tahoe who has something to say about South Lake Tahoe vacation rentals, please email us at info@viscape.com.
Well, buyers and prospective clients want to know what's going on in the South Lake Tahoe real estate market. This is YOUR way of having a voice and is a way to brand yourself as an expert on South Lake Tahoe vacation homes on Viscape to a global community of travelers and vacation property owners!
Share your market insights and build credibility with our members while showcasing your South Lake Tahoe property management firm and South Lake Tahoe vacation real estate.
Interested in learning more about the South Lake Tahoe real estate market?
We’re sorry. We'd like to provide you market insights, but a real estate company in South Lake Tahoe hasn't stepped up to share their knowledge about property sales in South Lake Tahoe, short sales in South Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe golf communities, or foreclosures in South Lake Tahoe.
If you are a real estate professional in South Lake Tahoe who has something to say about the South Lake Tahoe real estate, please email us at info@viscape.com.
Well, buyers and prospective clients want to know what's going on in the South Lake Tahoe real estate market. This is YOUR way of having a voice and is a way to brand yourself and your South Lake Tahoe vacation properties on Viscape to a global community of travelers and vacation property owners!
Share your market insights and build credibility with our members while showcasing your South Lake Tahoe real estate brokerage and South Lake Tahoe resort properties.
