Bust out the travel-planning spreadsheet and start Venmo-requesting your pals, we’re bringing back our road trip series — Hit the Road — with a trip to Lake Tahoe. With crystal blue water and soaring mountaintops, this area is a great destination to explore no matter the season.
Before you start packing your bags, here’s everything you need to know about the area, along with our insider recommendations.
- Drive time: ~2 hours
- Est. population: 21,000 in South Lake Tahoe
- Avg. high in June: 50°
Carve out some time for yourself on the slopes.
Photo by Jeff Engerbretson
🥾Things to do
Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks
, Various locations
Swing by this rope course park that’s open through rain, sun, or snow for zip lines, bridges, tightropes, swinging logs, climbing walls, and more.
Heavenly Mountain Resort
, 3860 Saddle Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA
This resort offers easy access to shopping, dining, or popping by a casino thanks to its location just off Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
Palisades Tahoe
, 1960 Squaw Valley Rd., Olympic Valley, CA
Known for its aerial tram, this two-in-one resort also offers disco tubing — which looks as fun as it sounds — and a snowshoe adventure.
With the year only having just begun, it’s a great time to take advantage of the local resorts — or get a jump on the summer by planning ahead for local concert series and other special summer events .
🍽️ Fuel up
The Soule Domain
, 9983 Cove St., Kings Beach, CA
This top-ranked fine dining spot serves free range and organic meats, plus seasonal produce in its rustic + romantic dining room.
Chambers Landing
, 6300 Chambers Lodge, Homewood, CA
This summertime waterfront bar and grill is the oldest in Tahoe — but keeps its menu contemporary with seafood-forward dishes and its famous slushee cocktail: the Chambers Punch.
North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail
, various locations
Start your day with a unique outdoor activity and drink your way across Tahoe’s gorgeous vistas — just be sure to stay hydrated as well.
Tahoe is a delight on the eyes regardless of the season.
Photo by @itonceexisted
🏕️ Cozy campsites + cabins
Luxury Cabin
, Pioneer Trail, CA
Traveling with kids or friends? This 2,500-sqft, 4 BD/2.5 BA cabin is the perfect home-away-from-home with its chef kitchen, hot tub, arcade set-up, and pool table.
Camp Richardson Historic Resort & Marina
, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA
Whether you’re looking for a a place to park your RV or rent a vacation home, this resort offers a comprehensive range of accommodations.
Tahoe State Recreation Area
, Various sites
While not yet open for 2024, campsites are still an option and they’re great for the budget-conscious — it’s a good idea to reserve
your campsite six months in advance as well.
Want more travel guides? Check out our guides to Napa , San Francisco , and Humboldt County — or let us know where we should go next.