Lake Tahoe, California
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Northeast California
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Visit during Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer!
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Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous vacation spot for fun on the water and in the surrounding forest! It’s right on the border of California and Nevada and gets visitors all year long as it’s a hotspot for snow sports. Paddleboard or rent a clear-bottom kayak to fully enjoy the crystal clear water, hike one of the many trails, check out the Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks for ziplining, bike on the miles of paved road around the lake (or mountain biking, if that’s your thing), enjoy stargazing, or catch a performance from the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival! Sand Harbor is easily the most beautiful spot on the lake but be warned – the parking lot fills up FAST. Get there early if you want an easy spot. There’s tons to do, and it really is the perfect place for nature & adventure lovers. Note that there aren’t a ~ton~ of other Black folk in this area but people tend to be nice and welcoming, for the most part. Pro tip: stay in Reno for more affordable accommodation – it’s a beautiful ~45 min drive up the mountain to get to Tahoe and is sure to beat lakefront resort/Airbnb prices. Plus, Reno offers its own gems, including a lively arts scene and foodie events.
I’ve always wanted to visit Lake Tahoe, as that’s all I heard as a child growing up. We had the opportunity to visit in the summer during COVID. We were mesmerized by the Azul waters and the incredible temperature. We toured the North and the South Side and found the North Side to be better. Depending on where you stay, you can literally walk from one state to the other.
There is a really nice ice cream shop ( can’t remember the name). It’s located in the strip where all the other shops are.
We went to the beach and enjoyed the water sports. The scenery is amazing. However, we’ll have to go in the winter to compare the two seasons!
Lake Tahoe has been a favorite place of mine since childhood. I grew up camping & even though we didn’t do tents when visiting, the cabin life and/or resorts here are wonderful. I’ve been to lakes in California, Nevada, Oregon & Alaska – Lake Tahoe is the most beautiful by far!
Plenty to do during the summer & winter – I prefer the summer so I can enjoy laying out in the sun on one of the beaches. Casino life is a great addition to this destination.
Horse back riding, hiking (you will see bears more than likely) – just stay far back when & if so.
Reno is an hours drive, I usually fly into Reno & drive up to the lake. This is a recommended destination if you’re looking for the mountain life experiences.
It doesn’t matter what season it is, Lake Tahoe has an adventure for every season for every outdoor explorer. I visited South Lake Tahoe in October 2019. This was just a day trip to go hiking at a location that offered one of the most peaceful locations to just relax and take in nature. I hiked to Eagle Lake in South Lake Tahoe. You can park in the Emerald Bay parking lot for $5 and start at the Eagle Falls trail head. The hike is only about 3-4 miles round trip, with the beginning 0.5 miles or so being stone stairs cut right into the rock. The lake and view at the end of the hike was worth the 2hr drive from Sacramento. I would highly suggest trying this trail out if you are ever in the South Lake Tahoe area. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do in Lake Tahoe in general. Golfing, camping, hiking, water sports, “nightlife”, shopping fishing, biking, spas, beaches, horseback riding, literally everything. I would love to come back and visit Lake Tahoe when I have more time.
There a variety of great eats you can experience while in Lake Tahoe. Here are a few:
Azul Latin Kitchen (http://www.azullatinkitchen.com/) – This is margarita heaven!! They have quite an assortment of margaritas so you can’t go wrong. Whether you come to Lake Tahoe in the late Fall like I did or even during the winter, this should definitely be a stop on the list. I didn’t eat here so can’t necessarily speak to that but it sure did smell good!
Outpost Brewing – (https://www.outpostbeer.com/) This place is less than a year old but has an amazing vibe. It really feels like a beer garden with a ping pong table, corn hole, a fire pit and a variety of benches for you sit back and enjoy a brewskie. They have an awesome selection that include sour beers, ciders, stouts, IPA’s, and even Kombucha on tap!! They have a variety of happy hour specials and you also can get a tasting for just $2 each. That could be dangerous lol..pace yourself.
The Bistro Edgewood (https://edgewoodtahoe.com/lodge) – This hotel restaurant is absolutely beautiful!! We had an amazing seat overlooking the water and I kid you not, I thought I was in Bora Bora. The food is absolutely amazing and it was one of my top favorite meals while I was in Lake Tahoe. I had the charbroiled octopus for an appetizer and the seared elk chop for my main (yes I said elk). It was to die for..so good! Also, do not forget to order dessert!! Trust me you will not regret it!!
I loved Lake Tahoe! I actually went to South Lake Tahoe and stayed on the border. The California side was almost doubled the amount in hotel cost, compared to the Nevada side. And believe it or not, they were 5-10 minutes apart! (Edgewood was by far the best hotel I’ve seen, I LOVE wooden yet modern architect) It was everything and more when I went on vacation. From the mountains, to the trails, to late night camp fire & jet skis, this place had it all if you’re looking for romance, thrills, and/or adventure. I was there for 5 days and I still felt like it wasn’t enough time. There’s literally so much to do. My favorite was definitely visiting the local bars/restaurants (I’m a foodie) and visiting the top of the mountain where you were smack dead in between the state line over looking one of the oldest lakes in The UNITED STATES. I definitely recommend this trip to anyone that’s just searching for a serene place but also an adventure. When I gotten back home I felt like I did a hard reset for my body. It’s definitely a place I will visit again.