Ahhh where do I start? I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on Lake Tahoe. I had heard about its beauty, but no description or pictures could do it justice. It’s simply magical and I was at a loss for words. A giant lake of crystal clear blue water meets white sand beaches at the edge of the pine tree covered Sierra Nevada mountains. Tahoe is cut in half by the border of California and Nevada. We went for the first time with my family about six years ago and I’ve been back almost every year since. It is my happy place and if I could visit all the time, I would.

Enjoying an evening in Incline Village in North Tahoe

First of all, disclaimer: I’ve only been to Tahoe in the summer (would love to go for ski season!), and although I’ve spent a couple days in South Tahoe, I’ve spent more time in North and West Tahoe, so I’ll share more about North in this post. But, no matter where you stay around the lake, it’s beautiful. {Also, this isn’t a sponsored post and we’ve never received anything in exchange for posting.}

The easiest way to get there is to fly to Reno and then it’s about an hour drive depending where you stay on the lake. I believe there’s a bus that runs from Reno, but you definitely want to have a car while there to drive to different parts of the lake. You can be just about as active as you want, or not, in Tahoe. There are hikes with beautiful lake views at different challenge levels, great bike paths, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. You can rent boats or go on a sunset cruise. The beaches are beautiful and honestly rival what I’ve seen in the Caribbean. The water is turquoise blue and crystal clear (cold, but clear). Some beaches are a little rocky and require water shoes, but others have soft, almost white sand. I could sit at the beach there for hours, enjoying the view and perfect weather. During the summer months, highs are usually in the 70s and 80s with lows in the 40s and 50s. It’s very family friendly and we’ve been taking Run there since he was a baby (actually, since he was in my belly!).

Hike in South Tahoe near the CA/NV border

We’ve mostly stayed in Tahoe City and Incline Village in North Tahoe. We’ve rented homes in Dollar Point which is a great subdivision for families with access to a pool and tennis courts and a small private beach. Plus, it’s only a 5 min drive into Tahoe City where there are shops and restaurants, a grocery store, etc. In the summer time there’s live music at Common’s Beach on Sunday evenings. People pack picnics along with chairs and a blanket and post up to listen to music as the sun sets. Incline Village is further north on the Nevada side. The beach is beautiful, but you can only go there if you’re staying at a home or hotel in Incline Village. We love the Hyatt in Incline Village. It’s great for families with a pool and small game room and s’mores at night.

Enjoying s’mores by the lake.Photo by Ashlyn Savannah — Enjoying s’mores by the lake.
Photo by Ashlyn Savannah

In addition to Incline Beach, we really like King’s Beach which is pretty big and you can rent kayaks or SUPs. We also love Sand Harbor in North Tahoe which is beautiful with lots of big rocks. It’s really popular, so make sure to go early for parking. We also love Meeks Bay on the West Shore which is gorgeous on a sunny day. Make sure to bring cash to pay for parking.

Of course, I’ve also got a list of restaurant recommendations. Here are our favorites in the area:

•Wolfdale’s— in Tahoe City really good American/Asian fusion cuisine, on the nicer side, Bocce Ball Court great for a game before dinner

•Gar Woods— about 15 mins north of Tahoe City, on the water, good food, fun tiki cocktails. On the pricier side, make reservation & go early for sunset

•Sunnyside— about 15 mins south of Tahoe City, (West Tahoe) on the water, fun for lunch

•Chambers Bar— another fun’s spot in West Tahoe on a beautiful beach, known for their Chambers Punch

•Lone Eagle Grill—at The Hyatt in Incline Village, pricey, but great for date night or happy hour/apps in the bar area. Also, there’s a bar on a floating dock in the water that’s fun for happy hour

•Squaw Valley— ski resort about 20 mins from Tahoe City. The village is has little shops & restaurants. There is live music once a week during the summer. Great little pizza spot near the music.

Enjoying a glass of wine and the cool evening temps

I can’t recommend a trip to Lake Tahoe enough. It is truly a magical place and I can’t wait for my next visit!

Lake Tahoe. Favorite place on Earth.

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