When you arrive at South Lake Tahoe, be prepared... prepare to be stunned by the amazing beauty of the area’s stellar landscape. From the crystal clear waters of the largest alpine lake in North America at an elevation of 6,229 feet, to the mountains’ highest peaks registering at more than 11,000 feet, you will witness an amazing panorama.
South Lake Tahoe, nestled in the High Sierras, awakens all of your senses. The blue never ends as the sky kisses the waters of the lake. Descriptors such as Emerald Bay, Crystal Bay, Diamond Peak, and Heavenly are all appropriate indicators, reflecting the glory of these visuals. Poets and authors constantly wax eloquent about this blessed region, and for good reason. Whether you are here for the summer, or enjoying the Indian summer’s blazing fall colors, you will never forget South Lake Tahoe.
Crisp morning temperatures range upwards from the 30s and may continue into the low 80s by day’s end, as you watch the sun set in a pink and orange sky. The sun shines in Lake Tahoe an average of 274 days each year, so you can enjoy many sunrises and sunsets. Extreme temperatures, extreme beauty, extreme pleasures, extreme everything – this is Tahoe.
Whatever you choose to do, everything or nothing at all, this is where you’ll find your desire. Outdoor activities include golf at the area’s award-winning courses, powerboat, sail or kayak, hike or climb the mountains’ steep faces, swim, shop, parasail, participate in bike and race marathons, go to museums and attend concerts. Or perhaps you would like to take a ride on the Heavenly Aerial Tram that delivers you to the top of Heavenly Ski Resort. Here you can enjoy lunch or dinner in a casual atmosphere.
While some may choose to ride, your preference may be for more action. At Heavenly Ski Resort you can scream down the Heavenly Flyer zip line, racing at more than 50 mph, skimming over treetops and taking in the view of Lake Tahoe. The 3,300-foot line is the longest in the continental United States, with a 525-foot vertical drop.
If you are here for the Fourth of July, you can enjoy a delightful dining experience and watch the fireworks aboard the Tahoe Queen. Or if you prefer to stay on land, celebrate a mellow day at the beach, and at dusk lie back and watch the glorious fireworks overhead. Happy Birthday, America!
Time to catch your breath? Indoor activities include lots of nightlife, shows, casinos and an abundance of restaurants. South Lake Tahoe is a lively place, and six 24-hour casinos means the doors never close and the lights never go off.
With more than 72 miles of shoreline, you will travel in both California and Nevada, with each state’s borders dividing the lake. As you enjoy a ride around this jeweled wonder you’ll find a unique Scandinavian structure: Vikingsholm Castle at Emerald Bay, built in 1929 by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. You are welcome to tour the castle which is a part of Emerald Bay State Park. You’ll also see the famous stone Tea House high atop Fannette Island, which is the only island in Lake Tahoe.
The Washoe Tribe was the first to inhabit the region. Theirs is a tribal history that dates back thousands of years in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and adjacent east and west slopes and valleys of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. They considered Lake Tahoe a spiritual place. Rightly so, and once you are here, you will understand and agree. |
