Lake Tahoe Area Questions

[shadowcat]

I am going to be in the Lake Tahoe area for several days & am looking for input from anyone who has been there. I hear it's really quite beautiful but after reading info online I'm getting confused about whether to stay on the North shore or the South. I'm am going to be alone so it would be nice to be able to get out and walk around at night vs being away from everything or having to drive everywhere. On the other hand I really do want to be near trailheads & as close as possible to keep driving to a minimum. I'd also like to try out some mountain biking. from what I've read there's some great hiking and fun Mtb for all levels I just can't find much info on where all this is in reference to lodging.
If anyone has visited this area and can give me any info on places to stay, the difference between them and where are the trail heads in reference to the towns, etc I sure would appreciate it.

 

[dentonfabrics]

If you're flying into Reno, you should consider staying there. You can get a nice room for $30/night in a casino and Incline Village, NV, (which is the North Lake) is less than an hour away. Hotels around the lake are bound to be much more.

I dont think staying in NV or CA makes much of a difference. It's only a 70 mile around the entire lake so no matter where you want to get to, you can drive there in 30 minutes or less. And you will want to see the entire lake anyway. Both sides are equally beautiful.

Rt's 28 and 50 circle the lake and we noticed many trail signs along those roads. But we were only there for a day, spending most of our time in Yosemite, so I wish I could give you some specific info. The hikes we did were of the short variety.

I'll look around and try to come up with some more info for you.


bob

 

[shadowcat]

To Bob:

Do you think spending a few days in Reno is worth it? The pics make it look so pretty but you never really know until you actually go there. Basically I am just looking for a spot to go, by myself, and spend about 5 days. I need some major stress relief and relaxation. My perfect dream spot would be this beautiful place on a lake surrounded by mountains. All I have to do is walk out my door and I could hike around the lake, swim or hike into the mountains. Oh and some nice mountain bike trails too. Something like Elk Lake planted outside a town like lake Placid would be perfect. Nice dream huh?

 

[RickB.]

The beauty of the lake can't be described. I would stay near it, given your objectives. The north end (CA) tends to be quieter than the gambling areas like South Tahoe but there are nice restaurants and trails nearby. Incline Village is a nice quiet place, usually.

 

[mookie]

tahoe...

cant go wrong anywhere in the entire lake tahoe region. definately devote a day to drive around the lake. i have only been there in the winter(4 times), but the views are amazing!!!!

are you flying into sacramento, san fran or reno?

even reno is a fun little city, but sounds like that is not what you are after. i would suggest south lake, plenty to do and not so far from anything at all. also may want to check out truckee(north lake), awesome little town with some amazing views on the drive.

http://www.truckee.com/visiting.html

 

[shadowcat]

mookie or anyone (re airport)

i never thought about airports. which would u recommend?
also: i am kind of treating myself so i don't mind spending a few more bucks this trip. is there any place that stands out that might be in the up to $200 night range you could recommend? (trust me i deserve it)

 

[dentonfabrics]

Do you think spending a few days in Reno is worth it? ... I need some major stress relief and relaxation. My perfect dream spot would be this beautiful place on a lake surrounded by mountains. All I have to do is walk out my door and I could hike around the lake, swim or hike into the mountains. Oh and some nice mountain bike trails too... Nice dream huh?

If "major stress relief and relaxation" is what you want, you'll love Tahoe. But Reno is an acquired taste. Think of it as Atlantic City without the ocean. I can only recommend it as a good value for lodging.

Yeah, nice dream shadowcat...

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I now live about 4 or 5 hours south of Tahoe, and it's a most beautiful lake. Not inexpensive to stay around the lake, though. It's an upscale area.

For airports - Reno is definitely the closest - maybe an hour away. It's an easy airport to get in/out. Sacramento is next - maybe 3 or 4 hours? Definitely avoid Oakland and SF.

 

[blacknblue]

Tahoe is simply stunning. Pictures can't do it justice, especially with the wonderful weather that comes in July and August.

Reno is the best airport -- 45 minutes to North Shore/Truckee/Incline Village/Squaw Valley, and an hour to South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly. Sacramento is about two hours to north shore.

As has been stated, South Lake Tahoe is where the liveliness is, while north shore is quieter. You can find hiking/biking trails all around the lake. My favorite area is in the southwest corner of the lake, the Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay, Desolation Wilderness, and Mount Tallac region. This would make staying in south shore more convenient. There are plenty of choices, but you might start by checking out Lakeland Village -- right on the water, yet also on "the strip," highway 50 through town. Good breakfast diner right on the premises, too.

I concur that you will want to drive around the whole lake at some point. It will take a few hours minimum, especially since you will want to stop frequently to poke around at a number of places. You might be interested in checking out High Camp at Squaw Valley, too. I'm fairly certain that both Squaw Valley (north shore) and Heavenly (south shore) have mountain biking trails serviced by their respective gondola/cable car.

 

[mookie]

definately fly into reno, i have flown into san fran and sacrmamento, but reno is painless and quick. small airport. san fran can be nightmareish but i had fiends out there to visit.
i think reno has to been experienced for sure. it is pretty funny. definately not glamorous at all, but cheap as HE!!. I actually enjoyed Reno more than i did Vegas, more my style. I would recomend flying to reno and renting a vehicle there. from there its a short drive to anywhere.

As for nice places to stay in tahoe, cant really help you there. i am usually looking for a bargain when i travel.

 

[Jay H]

There's a SierraTradingPost in Reno, NV...

Jay

 

[mookie]

As a matter of fact im dying to get back to tahoe. you are making me jealouse
hopefully this winter/spring.......

 

[TCD]

On our last trip to Yosemite, we went through Reno. It's very convenient. We were camping at Yosemite, and we found it handy and efficient to stay at the hotel right at the airport on our first and last night. It's so close to the airport that I was able to return the rental car on the last night, and just walk back to the hotel in about 5 minutes. It's a nice clean little city to get supplies in, also. In addition to STP, there's a natural food store and a few other handy places in the same area.

On our ski trip to Tahoe a couple years ago, we stayed in Tahoe City (N end of the lake). We made a pilgrimage one day to Heavenly, and went out in South Lake Tahoe, but I was not really impressed with that end of the lake. Heavenly was like a big Killington, and South Lake Tahoe was like a crappy little Vegas.

What we liked was the skiing at Diamond Peak and at Alpine Meadows, and the town and beach at Tahoe City.

Have fun! You can't go wrong out there.

TCD

 

[erugs]

Brian and I are hoping to get out that way in August or September. Depending on the time we'll have there, we're considering adding hiking up Boundary Peak or Matterhorn Peak to our list, in addition to Half Dome and Whitney, all the while realizing our goals won't all be reached because of time constraints. The photos I've seen of the area show it to be amazingly beautiful. Enjoy your time there, Shadowcat.

 

[mookie]

it really is one of my favorite places in north america. just wish the shores of the lake were less built up. also have had some of my best days snowboarding there, squaw,kirkwood,northstar,sierra, even mt. rose was great.

 

[Rob S]

Don't forget to check out Emerald Bay, and Vikingsholm on Fannette Island ....... amazing! When do you plan on going? If you have some flexibility on which week you go, (or even if you don't), let me know here or via PM, I may be able to help you out with accommodations.

Rob

 

[dentonfabrics]

A hilite of the trip for me was that the original house used in the movie Godfather II (the house on the lake) is right on Lake Tahoe, on the California side. They wouldn't let us on the grounds (it's gated) but we were able to sneak off to the side an get some good photos of it.

A real thrill for a Godfather fanatic like me!