Things to Do in Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe straddles the California-Nevada border at 6,225 feet elevation — a 22-mile-long alpine lake surrounded by granite peaks, pine forests, and ski resorts. It’s a year-round destination: skiing and snowboarding in winter, beaches and hiking in summer.

The lake itself is the main attraction. The water is 99.994% pure and so clear you can see 70+ feet down in places.

Winter: Skiing & Snow

Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) — Host of the 1960 Winter Olympics. 6,000 acres of terrain with 270+ trails. Connected to Alpine Meadows by the Base-to-Base Gondola.

Heavenly — Straddles the state line with views of both the lake and the Nevada desert from the summit. The gondola from South Lake Tahoe village takes you up to 10,067 feet.

Northstar — Family-friendly resort with a pedestrian village at the base. Good intermediate terrain.

Kirkwood — Steeper, more advanced terrain with the heaviest snowfall in the Tahoe region.

Summer: Beach & Lake

Emerald Bay State Park — The most photographed spot at Tahoe. A small island (Fannette Island) sits in a turquoise bay surrounded by granite cliffs. Hike down to Vikingsholm, a 38-room Scandinavian-style castle built in 1929.

Sand Harbor — Clear water, granite boulders, and a beach that could pass for the Caribbean (except it’s 6,200 feet in the Sierra Nevada). The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival performs here in summer.

Kayaking — Paddle the east shore to see the famous Bonsai Rock (a tree growing from a boulder in the lake) and the underwater boulders visible through the clear water.

Hiking — Rubicon Trail (Emerald Bay to D.L. Bliss State Park, 4.5 miles), Eagle Falls (short hike to a waterfall overlooking Emerald Bay), and the Tahoe Rim Trail (165-mile loop for the ambitious).

South Lake Tahoe & Casinos

The south shore has the casino-hotel cluster — Harrah’s, Harveys, Hard Rock, and Bally’s — right on the Nevada state line. Restaurants, nightlife, and gambling within walking distance of the Heavenly gondola.

Stateline is the neon end of Tahoe; the north shore (Tahoe City, Truckee) is quieter and more locals-oriented.

Lake Tahoe Resort Properties

Lake Tahoe has 5 timeshare resort properties:

• Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort — South shore, near Heavenly
• Hilton Vacation Club Tahoe — Additional Hilton property
• Stardust Tahoe — Independent resort with lake access
• Tahoe Beach & Ski Club — Lakefront with private beach
• Americana Village — Near the south shore casino strip

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Call (888) 988-2256 for availability.

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