Visit Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Summer Activities
Lake Tahoe is a giant water playground waiting for you. Your day is just starting and already, you have a mountain full of activities for you to enjoy. The sun is bright and shining all over the wonderful smelling pine trees. You’re excited and ready to go, but you don’t know where to start.
Your choose-you-own Tahoe adventure begins now
Planning a vacation can be a task, and to a wonderful and adventurous place like Lake Tahoe, you’ll need all the help you can get. To ease the planning process, here’s a list of things to consider as you make your vacation plans.
Lodging and Dining
Since Lake Tahoe is a major vacation spot, there are hundreds of hotel and motel rooms that can be booked. You can find anything here, from discount economy lodging to luxury hotels, some of which have casinos. No matter what your tastes and budget, you can definitely find it here. There are also specials and deals on lodging that would also ease the pocket.
There are also a ton of food places to try while on your stay. If you prefer comfort foods, try Izzy’s Burger Spa or Taco Taquieria in South Lake Tahoe, or T’s Rotisserie in Incline Village. If you’re looking for fancy dining, be sure to look around the casinos in South Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, or Cristal Bay. Some of the ski resorts have wonderful restaurants as well. One of these is Heavenly Tahoe, which has dining on the mountain slopes that is open year-round and accessible by tram or gondola.
Shopping and Concerts in Tahoe
If you’re not one for the physical trials of the outdoors in Lake Tahoe, there are a number of wonderful shopping centers and gambling in South Lake Tahoe. There are also concerts with headliner musicians and comedians at the casinos on the Nevada half of the lake. Lake Tahoe has some of the best acts in the country, ranging from local musicians, to big time acts. You can also access Reno, Nevada from here. You can find a number of summer concerts available in Wingfield Park (http://www.renoriver.org/events.html) and at Harrah’s. If you’re into Shakespeare, there is also the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival (http://www.laketahoeshakespeare.com/).
Lake Tahoe Summer Adventures
There are lots of adventures to be had in Tahoe, but the two basic types are Land Adventures and Water Adventures.
You can have all kinds of adventures in Tahoe, mostly found on the land and water.
Land Adventures
The summer time opens up a wide range of activities in Lake Tahoe. You can do activities with varying degrees of difficulty for some summer fun. The activities include horseback riding and camping, since the rain is rare during the summer months. The sun is out for many of the days, and the summer temperature lows are approximately at 40, and the highs are in the 80s.
Tahoe Mountain Biking and Hiking
Many say that Lake Tahoe has some of the best mountain bike trails on the west coast. If you’re looking to go mountain biking, head directly to the Tahoe Rim Trail (tahoerimtrail.org) to start your adventure. Here, you will find the best off road biking, hiking and backpacking in the Tahoe Basin. With 150 miles of trail, your adventures rely only on how far you wish to go.
A popular section within the Tahoe Rim Trail is the Flume Trail (theflumetrail.com). It once was a siphon waterway that began in Incline Village, Nevada, that wandered through the Carson Range, down the Truckee Meadows and to Virginia City, Nevada.
You can access the flume at Mt. Rose Pass on HWY, 431 found at Tahoe Meadows. There is another access point at Spooner Summit (http://parks.nv.gov/lt.htm) at Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park on HWY 50. Be sure to grab a map when you rent your bike or shuttle ride at one of the shops. Both finish near Incline Village, where you can cool off at Sand Harbor State Park, or celebrate with food after a long day’s journey.
You can also ride the Heavenly tram or gondola, enjoy the views, or eat at the Adventure Peak Grill, an outdoor restaurant and bar.
Tahoe Road Biking
There are several group bike rides that take you around Lake Tahoe’s smooth roads. The ride is 72 miles long, and is perhaps the most popular in the area. Keep in mind that there is high traffic in certain areas, and strenuous climbs in others. The Death Ride is organized by a local bike club every year, and is held during July. This ride covers 129 and 15,000 feet of climbing. The Tahoe Sierra Century does a supported bike tour around Lake Tahoe during September as well.
Camping and backpacking in Tahoe
Though Tahoe is most known for its hotels, restaurants and casinos, some people prefer to camp on their vacation. And honestly, if you’re looking for a real adventure, you should be sleeping on the ground.
Tahoe is best known for its hotel, restaurants, and casinos. Don’t forget that its mountains make it a beautiful place for camping on vacation. You can camp at Nevada Beach, which is located a few minutes away from Stateline and South Lake Tahoe, along Highway 50. From your camping spot, you can see Mt. Tallac and Desolation Wilderness.
You could also go camping in Desolation Wilderness, but keep in mind that permits are required. Be sure to pick one up at the Ranger Station at Camp Richardson before going to the trailhead. The Tahoe Basin is bordered by the Pacific Crest Trail on its western edge. The Tahoe Rim Trail finished this 150 miles loop, on which you can have a two week backpacking adventure with a resupply stop every few days.
Tahoe Water Adventures
Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States, at 1,637 feet deep. At 22 miles long by 12 miles wide, it is one pretty spacious lake. All this spaces makes it perfect for you to enjoy some water-based activities.
Waterskiing
All kinds of beaches, from public to private, are found on Lake Tahoe’s shore, making it perfect to spend a day on the boat. With the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the background, you will have fun skimming across the lake on your skis, tube, or wakeboard. Water temperatures range from 65 to 70 degrees, so a wet suit may be a good idea.
Tahoe Beaches
If you want to laze around on a boat all day, you can definitely do that on Lake Tahoe. DL Bliss State Park, Pope Beach and Zephyr Cove offer great experiences, as they provide food, beverages and kayak rentals. Hidden Beach in Incline Village has many points around the lake for launching, while giving you the full rustic experience. Tahoe City offers rentals for tubes and rafts, which would allow you to float down the Truckee River. This slow and scenic ride starts at the point in Lake Tahoe where highways 28 and 89 intersect.
If you want to get as far away from shore as possible, you may want to rent a motorboat. You can find rental kiosks around the lake, offers rentals such as kayaks and large cabin cruisers.
Fishing in Tahoe
The deep waters of Lake Tahoe are home to great fishing opportunities. From fly-casting to trolling, you can find trout as big as 10 pounds. Fish found commonly in the lake art mackinaw trout, German Brown and kokanee. There are many streams and lakes around Lake Tahoe, so finding a spot to fish will never be a problem.
Your day of adventures will eventually lead you back to a comfortable bed. Be sure to rest up, as you may be doing it all over again tomorrow, or enjoying a new set of activities. Your vacation won’t last forever, so be sure to take advantage of all Lake Tahoe has to offer.