Difference between revisions of "Lake Tahoe"

Revision as of 23:55, 1 March 2005

Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation and recreation region straddling the border between California and Nevada. The closest large city is Reno, Nevada.

Cities

• Tahoe City - A touristy, hippy, town situated along lake Tahoe.
• Truckee - Historic western town.
• South Lake Tahoe - Located on the border between California and Nevada, you can sleep in Cali and gamble in Nevada.
• Stateline is next to South Lake Tahoe and also spans both states.

Understand

Lake Tahoe is a beautiful, crystal-clear blue lake nestled among mountain peaks. During the summer, boating, camping, and hiking are popular activities. Winter sports are popular during the colder months (December-April).

Lake Tahoe has been a tourist destination since the turn of the 20th century, when steam trains and improving roads made it possible to visit with ease. The 1960 Winter Olympics, held at Squaw Valley, popularized winter sports at Tahoe.

Get in

By plane

Fly to Reno airport, about an hour drive to Tahoe on highway 80 West. Major airports are also located in the San Francisco Bay Area, about 4 hours away, and Sacramento, about 2 hours away.

By car

From the Bay Area or Sacramento, take highway 80 East.

By train

Amtrak operates the California Zephyr Train, which goes from Emeryville, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area to Chicago, IL and makes a stop in Truckee.

Do

Ski Resorts

North Shore

• Alpine
• Homewood - Small resort located directly on the lake south of Tahoe City.
• Northstar
• Squaw Valley - Skier's paradise, a former Olympic village.

South Shore

• Heavenly
• Kirkwood
• Sierra at Tahoe

Nevada

• Diamond Peak - Family-friendly resort with slopes for all ski levels.
• Mount Rose - Highest base elevation in the Tahoe Basin.

Beyond Donner Pass

If you are heading east from the Bay Area, you have some skiing choices. These resorts are all on Highway 80 going East, before you hit Donner Pass.

• Boreal
• Royal Gorge
• Sugar Bowl

Hiking

There are several state parks along the shore and nearby, including '''Bliss State Park'''.

Beaches

[Sand Harbor], northeast shore.

Boat trips

Several charter services offer boat tours to the mansions that dot the lake shore.

Year-Round Activities

Gambling is a popular activity year-round. There are also bicycle and boat rentals (both canoes and power boats) available in South Lake Tahoe.

Buy

You can rent skiing or snowboarding equipment directly at the mountain. However, to save money and increase your available choices, you might want to rent from one of the many Ski Shops in the Tahoe Area. You can also rent from REI, Any Mountain, and Marmot Mountain Works in the Bay Area (and probably other places too).

Sleep

Hotels are, of course, an option. Book in advance, especially in the winter or summer seasons. You can get a room for as cheap as $30/night in South Lake Tahoe, or spend several hundred dollars a night for a large cabin that can hold a dozen people.

Homeowners in the area do a brisk business renting/leasing out their cabins for the winter and summer seasons. They vary in price from $800/mo for a 1-room condo, to $3,000/mo and up for 4 bedroom houses with hot tubs and other amenities. Leases are advertised with real estate agencies as well as in the local papers.

External links

• http://ceres.ca.gov/tcsf/tahoe-local/ - All-purpose index page maintained by the Tahoe Center for a Sustainable Future
• http://www.gotahoe.com/ - Incline Village/North Shore Chamber of Commerce
• Map of lake