The outdoor fire pits at Fire + Ice are a great spot for après-ski.
If you have wads of cash burning a hole in your pocket, you might as well donate some to the South Shore casinos. There are five to choose from on the Nevada side of the South Shore at Stateline, and all are within shouting range of each other: MontBleu Resort, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Harveys Resort and Casino, Lakeside Inn and Casino, and the brand-new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, opened in 2015. What’s the difference between them? Not a whole lot. Blackjack, craps, keno, bingo, poker, slot machines, roulette wheels, and sports books are available everywhere, and in plentiful supply. Harveys has the largest amount of casino floor space (52,000 square feet) and the most slot machines (more than 2,000), with Harrah’s coming in second.
For people who tire of gambling fairly quickly (or run out of cash), the casinos offer much more than roulette tables and one-armed bandits. Besides a huge selection of restaurants, there’s also music, magic, cabaret, or comedy always happening at one or more of the casinos’ nightclubs. Big-name performers usually appear on weekends only, but lesser-known singers, musicians, and dancers appear every night of the year.
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (50 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 844/578-7625, www.hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com) opened in January 2015, replacing the old Horizon Casino; the 25,000-square-foot space is filled with all the expected gambling opportunities. This Hard Rock, like all the other Hard Rocks, intends to emphasize concerts and parties for the younger set. The casino’s concert venue, Vinyl, can hold just under 500 patrons and will showcase live music year-round. The hotel’s 539 rooms and suites are decorated with music memorabilia and art. In the summer months, outdoor concerts and “beach parties” take place at the Hard Rock’s huge outdoor pool. Five restaurants, including the steakhouse Park Prime and a raw seafood bar, will keep gamblers’ bellies full.
The Lakeside Inn and Casino (168 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-7777 or 800/624-7980, www.lakesideinn.com) is the only independent (non-chain) casino, and it caters more to Tahoe locals. It is located farther east from the larger casinos—it’s the only one that is not quite within easy walking distance of the others, especially for older gamblers—so people who come here usually stay for the evening. Cheap drinks are standard fare at Lakeside, and its restaurant, the Timbers, is well loved for its prime rib dinners and inexpensive breakfasts. Lakeside’s second restaurant, Latin Soul, serves an all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue on weekend nights.
King-of-the-strip Harrah’s (15 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 775/588-6611 or 800/648-3773, www.harrahs.com) is home to the South Shore Room, which has hosted a long line of famous American entertainers since it first opened in the 1950s. A typical weekend night might see performers like Keb Mo’, Los Lobos, or Tower of Power.
For those who want to take part in the action as well as be entertained, Harrah’s Peek Nightclub (775/586-6705, 10:30pm-4am Fri.-Sat.) is the hot spot, where discounted drinks are a common occurrence, the high-energy techno music pumps at deafening volumes, and more than a dozen go-go dancers (female and male) do their hip-swinging acts in a variety of box, pole, and cage contraptions and while suspended above the dance floor on a series of catwalks and bridges. The bikini-clad gals dancing in the “shower boxes” always seem to rev up the crowd. And yes, it’s true, the female dancers go topless on weekend nights. If you’re not a drinker, you can always take a hit at the oxygen bar.
MontBleu Resort Casino (55 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/586-2000, www.montbleuresort.com) has four nightclubs, the most popular being Opal Ultra Lounge (10pm-close Wed.-Sun.), where the drinks are neon colored and the crowd is young, trendy, and usually from out of town. Opal has a seductive lounge ambience, with fire dancers performing at midnight and patrons lounging on overstuffed chairs while they smoke from hookahs (Turkish water pipes used to smoke flavored tobacco) and drink absinthe. Hotel guests receive free admission at MontBleu’s clubs.
Harveys main nightclub is the tequila-obsessed Cabo Wabo Cantina (30 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-2411 or 800/427-8397, www.harrahs.com), owned by none other than the Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar. If you’re a real party animal, ask the bartender for a “body shot.” If you aren’t, order a Cabo Waborita and sip it very, very slowly. Harveys also sponsors an outdoor concert series at its 5,000-seat amphitheater in summer, with aging-but-still-famous headliners like Aerosmith, Loggins and Messina, the Eagles, and, of course, Sammy Hagar. For comedy fans, there’s also The Improv at Harveys, held year-round in the Cabaret Theater.
Fire + Ice (Marriott’s Timber Lodge, 4100 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-6650, www.fire-ice.com, 11:30am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat.), right next to the gondola in Heavenly Village, offers an impressive array of cocktails that are huge, colorful, and generally overpriced. Their gigantic 48-ouncer is best shared with two or three friends. The customers are generally twentysomething out-of-towners, and the music is high-energy. The best seats in the house are the ones outside by the fire pits.
The outdoor fire pits at Fire + Ice are a great spot for après-ski.
If you prefer to get away from the casino part of town but still want to enjoy great entertainment, several other spots around the South Shore offer live music and nightlife. And because these places are located in California, not Nevada, you won’t find yourself choking from cigarette smoke. The young and athletic flock to Divided Sky (3200 Hwy. 50, Meyers, 530/577-0775, www.thedividedsky.com, 2pm-close daily, happy hour 3pm-6pm), located above the Downtown Café in Meyers. This popular hangout for rock climbers and snowboarders looks and feels a lot like a San Francisco South-of-Market dive, but without any suits.
The beer-drinking, pool-playing set heads to Turn 3 Sports Bar (2227 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-3199, noon-2am daily), a place where you can let your hair down, play a few games of pool or darts, and toss your peanut shells on the floor. Karaoke usually happens on Thursday nights; don’t forget your earplugs.
Summertime brings live bands to Whiskey Dick’s (2660 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3425, 1pm-2am daily). The emphasis here is on rock and roll and heavy metal. The crowd is usually wearing leather, and the parking lot is filled with Harleys.
Live music featuring local bands is a common occurrence at several South Lake bar/restaurants: The Beacon (Camp Richardson Resort, 530/541-0630, 11am-9pm daily in summer, winter hours vary), The Fresh Ketch (Tahoe Keys Marina, 2435 Venice Dr., 530/541-5683, www.thefreshketch.com, 11:30am-9:30pm daily), McP’s Taphouse and Grill (4125 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-4435, www.mcpstaphousetahoe.com, daily 10:30am-2am), and the Cold Water Brewery (2540 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-4677, www.tahoecoldwaterbrewery.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat., 9:30am-10pm Sun.).
If your idea of nightlife is snuggling up with your sweetie and a bag of popcorn at the movie theater, head for Heavenly Village Cinema (1021 Heavenly Village Way, 530/544-1110, www.heavenlycinema.com).
A few annual events on the South Shore are worth planning your vacation around. Don’t miss attending some part of the Valhalla Arts and Music Festival (Tahoe Tallac Assoc., 530/541-4975 or 888/632-5859, www.valhallatahoe.com) at the Tallac Historic Site. A series of concerts featuring jazz, bluegrass, New Age, folk, Latin, reggae, and classical artists are held inside the 200-seat Boathouse Theater and the Valhalla Grand Hall. The festival usually begins in late May and runs until late September. Ticket prices for shows range from free to $30. Another wonderful event at the Tallac Historic Site is the Great Gatsby Festival (530/544-7383, www.tahoeheritage.org, mid-Aug., free), a celebration of the roaring 1920s at Lake Tahoe.
If you have a latent lusty Elizabethan peasant hiding inside you, don’t miss the Valhalla Renaissance Faire (Camp Richardson, 415/354-1773, www.valhallafaire.com, $18 adults, $13 teens, $8 children 12 and under), usually held for two weekends in late May or early June. Costumed players offer arts and crafts demonstrations, cook and serve hearty English food, test their skills in games and races at the tournament field, hawk their wares, and generally make merry while speaking words like forsooth.
The city of South Lake Tahoe pulls out all the stops for its annual Fourth of July (Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, 530/544-5050, www.tahoesouth.com) celebration. Each year, extravagant pyrotechnics burst into the air over the surface of Lake Tahoe. Watching the fireworks is free, but the difficult part is making your way through the crowds to a vantage point where you can see them, and then—worse yet—getting back to your lodging after the show’s over. Most people think it’s worth the trouble, though. The fireworks show is amazing, and patriotic spirit runs high among all the partying.
Celebrities show up with their clubs and caddies for their chance at a purse of $600,000 and plenty of network television exposure at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship (Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, Stateline, www.tahoecelebritygolf.com, mid-July). This is the richest celebrity tournament in golf.
As fall approaches, prepare to celebrate the salmon at the annual Kokanee Salmon Festival (Taylor Creek Visitor Center, 530/543-2600 or 530/543-2674, Oct.). The kokanee, a species of landlocked salmon and a popular Tahoe sport fish, performs its annual spawning rites in Taylor Creek, when the adult fish travel upstream to spawn and die. (In spring, their offspring travel downstream back to Lake Tahoe.) From the trail alongside the creek, visitors can watch the female salmon lay her eggs and the male salmon fertilize them. During the course of this free two-day event, usually held on the first weekend in October, there are a wide variety of educational programs, nature walks, and informational tours related to the ecology of Lake Tahoe.
Wintertime isn’t only about skiing and snow sports on the South Shore. Another eagerly awaited event is the Tahoe Adventure Film Festival (MontBleu Casino, 530/318-1688, www.laketahoefilmfestival.com, mid-Dec.), usually held in mid-December and repeated in mid-January in Reno. Films cover adrenaline-pumping subjects like base jumping, white-water kayaking, skateboarding, and rock climbing, but in the most extreme versions you can imagine.
The Village Center (corner of U.S. 50 and Park Ave., Stateline) features a variety of shops anchored by a large Raley’s supermarket, plus standard food stops like Jamba Juice, Baja Fresh, Subway, and Starbucks Coffee. An art gallery, nail salon, ski-and-bike shop (Tahoe Sports Ltd.), hardware store, jewelry store, and a few women’s clothing boutiques fill out the rest of the lineup. Perhaps the nicest thing about this shopping center is that it is an easy walk from the Marriott and Heavenly Village complex next door, including the Heavenly gondola.
Next door at Heavenly Village (1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, www.theshopsatheavenlyvillage.com), 50-plus shops and art galleries and 14 restaurants cater more to tourists than locals. A half-dozen galleries and jewelry stores are mixed in with clothing stores, ski-rental shops, and restaurants. The Heavenly Village center also has a day spa, eight-plex cinema, a wine boutique, and other retail businesses that serve life’s not-so-essential needs. The shopping village was creatively designed and features heated cobblestone sidewalks, covered walkways, open bonfire pits, and a clock tower. In the winter, a diminutive ice-skating rink provides an attraction for the kiddies, and in the summer, that same outdoor space is converted to a miniature golf course.
The shops at Heavenly Village attract summertime strollers and browsers.
Opened in 2015, the Chateau at the Village shopping complex is right across the street from the shops at Heavenly Village with a similar array of shops geared to visiting tourists.
Bargain-hunting shoppers will want to head straight to the Y at South Lake Tahoe, where a half-dozen outlet stores are bunched together for easy browsing, and parking is free and plentiful. The Factory Stores at the Y (junction of U.S. 50 and Hwy. 89) is not a huge outlet mall like you’ll find in big cities, but a few shops are worth perusing, including Big 5, Bass Shoes, Izod, Pearl Izumi, and Van Heusen.
If you want to gamble without a long commute from your bed, you have a half-dozen choices in Stateline. Far and away the best of the casino lodging choices is S Harrah’s (15 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-6611 or 800/786-8208, www.harrahs.com, $119-299), which consistently scores high marks for its customer service. The resort has 525 rooms spread out over 18 stories, and key to enjoying your stay is to get the best lake view you can afford. That way when your wallet has been cleaned out at the casino, you will still be able to look out the window and enjoy the view. The large (500 square feet and up), tastefully decorated rooms have unusual luxuries like two bathrooms and multiple telephones. The intention is to make you feel like you are very rich, and for most people, it works. Sometime during your stay, make sure you have a meal at the Forest Buffet on the 18th floor, where the view will knock your socks off, even if the food is standard casino buffet fare. And if you want to feel like you are still young and restless, stay up late one night and head out to Harrah’s Peek nightclub to see the amazing go-go dancers, both female and male.
It’s all about excess at Harveys (18 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-2411 or 800/648-3361, www.harrahs.com, $79-399), which is right across the street from Harrah’s and a great second choice if that property is full or out of your price range. This four-diamond resort hotel has eight restaurants and 10 cocktail lounges. In addition to 24-hour gaming, Harveys also has a health club, heated outdoor pool and hot tub, full-service wedding chapel, and sprawling video arcade. But aside from the 740 nicely appointed rooms, most with excellent lake views, Harveys’s biggest attractions may be the 100-plus tequila varieties at the Cabo Wabo Cantina, the flambé table service at the Sage Room Steak House, and the grand lake views from the 19th floor at 19 Kitchen/Bar. Or maybe it’s the fact that Harveys has a monumental 52,000 square feet of casino floor space. It’s all about the numbers here.
Just a stone’s throw away is the MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa (55 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-3515 or 888/829-7630, www.montbleuresort.com, $89-349). The huge resort boasts 437 rooms and suites, many with desirable perks like jetted spa tubs. Although many guests’ overall impression is that MontBleu is in need of a makeover, the resort’s 40,000 square feet of casino space, two nightlife venues, half-dozen restaurants, and luxurious spa facility keep them coming back. Book a suite if you can afford it—they are far nicer than the “deluxe” rooms.
Opened in January 2015, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (50 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 844/578-7625, www.hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com, $59-199) replaced the old and rather rundown Horizon Casino. Each of the 539 rooms was remodeled and most are decorated with music memorabilia and art. Like most Hard Rock Hotels, this place is designed to appeal to the 18- to 30-year-old set with hip decor and a youthful, energetic vibe. It’s all about the party here, so if you’re just looking for a quiet place to sleep, this isn’t your best choice. The hotel’s rooms and suites are housed in two separate towers (one reaching 15 stories high and the other merely 9). The best bets are the higher-priced rooms and suites located on the top floors of the highest tower; these have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Lake Tahoe. Otherwise, your room might have a view of the casino across the street, or if you are lucky, the swimming pool, which happens to be the largest outdoor heated pool on the South Shore. The best room in the place is the Elvis Suite; book it and you can sleep where “The King” slept in the 1970s when he was a regular performer here, back when it was known as the Sahara Tahoe. Five on-site restaurants make it possible to stay within the confines of the building for several days.
South Shore’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
The Lakeside Inn and Casino (168 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-7777 or 800/624-7980, www.lakesideinn.com, $99-299) is not the most glamorous casino resort at Lake Tahoe, but it’s a good place to stay for easy access to gaming, skiing, and South Shore nightlife, without all the fanfare and crowds of Stateline’s larger casinos. The Lakeside’s 124 rooms are furnished in mountain-style decor (hickory furniture, wood paneling, and local Tahoe artwork) and have convenient amenities like wireless Internet access and in-room ski racks. Famous for the huge portion sizes at its two in-house restaurants, The Timbers and Latin Soul, the Lakeside attracts folks looking for a quick weekend getaway consisting of mindless gambling, wanton overeating, and nonstop drinking. South Shore locals flock to the restaurant here, especially on prime rib nights. Room rates are surprisingly reasonable for the Stateline area, but the casino will get plenty more out of your wallet at the craps table.
If you prefer a condominium stay to a hotel or motel for your vacation, the two Marriott properties in the Stateline/Heavenly/casino area of the South Shore are the premier options.
S Marriott’s Timber Lodge (4100 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-6600 or 800/465-4213, www.marriott.com, $179-799) has a location that can’t be beat—right next to the Heavenly gondola and Harrah’s casino, and an easy walk to shops and restaurants no matter what the weather. As you would expect at an upscale “condotel” resort, the Timber Lodge is loaded with amenities: an impressive fitness facility, two on-site spas providing all the latest treatments, the hip restaurant Fire + Ice (530/542-6650, www.fire-ice.com, 11:30am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat.), a heated outdoor pool and three outdoor Jacuzzis, and plenty of activities for kids. The lobby lounge is a stunner, with a huge rock fireplace, massive timbers, and dark leather and log furniture. The 473 guest rooms and one-, two-, and three-bedroom “villas” also have mountain-style decor, plus all the comforts of home: full kitchens, washers and dryers, jetted tubs, and the like.
On the opposite side of the gondola, the Marriott Grand Residence Club (1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-8400 or 800/627-7468, www.marriott.com, $179-799) offers studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominiums, or “residences,” as they call them. These are arguably the most luxurious condo rentals in South Lake, with spacious living areas, tasteful mountain-style decor, fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and a host of extras, including a health club, ski storage area, valet parking, and a concierge desk. But even if they were run-down shacks people would still flock here, because the Grand Residence is located right at the base of the Heavenly gondola and next to Heavenly Village’s outdoor ice rink, shopping center, restaurants, and movie theater. Once you’re here, you don’t need your car at all.
Families enjoy the nine-story Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel (4130 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5400 or 877/497-8483, www.tahoeresorthotel.com, $179-399), which has all the amenities of a full-service hotel but no casino downstairs to pollute the little ones’ minds. Each of the hotel’s 400 units are two-room suites with one king or two queen beds in the bedroom, plus a pullout couch in the living room for the kiddies, and a convenient kitchenette with a refrigerator, microwave oven, and coffeemaker, but no cooking facilities. Two televisions in separate rooms will keep the family from arguing over what to watch. Those who happen to be in Lake Tahoe on business will appreciate the large desk and work area, free wireless Internet access, and two telephones with voice mail. If you like having room to spread out, the spacious accommodations here will satisfy. The hotel sits right on the California-Nevada state line (but still on the no-gaming California side), so the Heavenly gondola and Village shops are a short walk away and the casinos are right next door. A stay here ensures you can be one of the first to ski on Heavenly’s slopes in the morning. Rates include a full cooked-to-order breakfast in the morning and other nice touches, like a newspaper delivered to your door and an evening wine reception.
Within a few steps of Heavenly Ski Resort’s gondola, the Forest Suites Resort (1 Lake Pkwy., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6655 or 800/822-5950, www.forestsuites.com, $65-150 hotel rooms, $99-399 suites) is a great choice for serious skiers who want to be out on the slopes, not stuck driving the car. In addition to standard hotel rooms, the resort offers one- and two-bedroom suites with a living room, dining area, and kitchen, so you can fix your own coffee and be in the gondola line the moment it opens for business. A continental breakfast is offered daily, and ski rentals and a ski repair shop, a fitness center, heated outdoor pools, hot tubs, a sauna, and a game room with pool and foosball tables are on-site. In summer, the resort offers access to a private stretch of Tahoe beach.
Located a few miles from the bustle of downtown Stateline, high up on Kingsbury Grade and immediately adjacent to Heavenly Ski Resort’s Nevada side, The Ridge Tahoe (400 Ridge Club Dr., Stateline, 775/588-3553 or 800/334-1600, www.ridgetahoeresort.com, $99-265) is a full-amenity condominium resort set on 11 acres, with more than 300 units providing everything you’d expect when you rent a ski condo: health club, indoor/outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool spas and saunas, scheduled activities for kids and adults, the Hungry Bear restaurant and bar, full-service spa, on-site ski shop, and shuttle transportation to the casinos. One- and two-bedroom units are available with living rooms, full kitchens, and gas fireplaces. Hotel rooms and junior suites (without kitchens) are also available. Some of the units have awesome views of Nevada’s Carson Valley, while others overlook the parking lot, so be sure to request what you want.
If you’d prefer something a little more low-key, the two-bedroom condos at Tahoe Summit Village (750 Wells Fargo La., Stateline, 775/588-8571 or 866/265-2041, www.tahoesummitvillage.com, $155-495) provide easy access to skiing, as they are right between the North Boulder and Stagecoach chairlifts on Heavenly’s Nevada side, but you’ll have to leave the condo complex for groceries, restaurants, and the like. The condos have wood-burning fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, fully equipped kitchens, washers and dryers, and plenty of room for 6-8 people.
Of a similar understated ilk is The Lodge at Kingsbury Crossing (133 Deer Run Ct., Stateline, 775/588-6247 or 800/854-2324, www.thelodgeatkc.com, $80-130), which offers one- and two-bedroom suites that sleep 4-6 people. These condos are configured hotel-style, with a long connecting hallway between them. The condos have everything you need for hanging out, including full kitchens for cooking your meals. As with the other condo complexes in the area, you’ll need your car to get around town, as most restaurants and attractions are not within walking distance, although a Red Hut waffle shop is right next door.
If you’re the type who wants to stay busy on your Tahoe vacation and have lots of activities available right at your doorstep, book a stay at one of the 28 lakeside cabins or four lodge rooms at Zephyr Cove Resort (760 Hwy. 50, Zephyr Cove, 775/589-4906 or 800/238-2463, www.zephyrcove.com, $119-349 for accommodations for two; larger cabins higher). This old-style Tahoe resort has been in business since the 1900s, and despite the modern recreation offerings (Jet Skiing, beach volleyball, parasailing, personal watercraft rentals, snowmobiling, and much more), it still manages to retain its historic feel. If you have a big family, some cabins sleep up to 10 people. A few cabins are lakefront, while the others are lake view or no view at all, and, of course, the better the scenery, the higher the price. All your vacation needs can be served on-site. There is a restaurant, bar, coffeehouse, horseback riding, sportfishing, boat rentals, lake cruising on the MS Dixie II, and a sandy beach for swimming and sunning. The Stateline casinos are only five miles away.
Less than 100 yards from Heavenly’s gondola lies an eco-friendly hotel that’s unlike any other lodging property on the South Shore. The 58-room S 968 Park Spa Resort (968 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 877/544-0968, www.968parkhotel.com, $138-218) is the first truly eco-conscious lodging in the Tahoe basin, with “green” bragging rights that include energy-efficient lighting and appliances, trash cans made of recycled plastic, organic bath products, and wall insulation made from recycled blue jeans. Despite 968 Park’s eco-friendly intent, there’s no shortage of luxuries here, from 42-inch plasma televisions in every room to dual-flush toilets with heated seats in every bathroom. Also on the premises are a pool, hot tub, sauna, and a day spa offering a full array of treatments, plus an organic beer and wine bar in the lobby.
Many consider the Park Tahoe Inn (4011 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6000 or 800/560-9800, www.parktahoe.com, $74-134) to be the “grown-up” place to stay in the casino area. The inn has amenities that appeal to adults: Tempur-Pedic beds, quality bath products, concierge service, free wireless Internet, a year-round Jacuzzi and heated pool, free passes to a stretch of Tahoe beach, and discount vouchers to local attractions, restaurants, and nightclubs. It’s pet-friendly, too. A second location, Park Tahoe Aspen Court (4003 Hwy. 50), a few miles west in South Lake Tahoe, offers similar amenities except no pool.
Adjacent to the Stateline casinos are city blocks full of nondescript motels, lined up side by side, one after another. One that stands out (among many that don’t) is the Alpenrose Inn (4074 Pine Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-2985 or 800/370-4049, www.alpenroseinntahoe.com, $79-279), a charming place with only 18 rooms that reflects the European refinement of its owner, Hannelore Conrad. All the rooms at Alpenrose are nonsmoking and immaculately clean. Some have fireplaces, and all share access to an indoor whirlpool Jacuzzi. The inn has access to a small private beach. A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning.
You might be skeptical of a casino-area lodging called the Paradice Motel (953 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6800, www.paradicemoteltahoe.com, $99-315), but only the name is cheesy at this nice motel. The Paradice has tasteful rooms, comfy beds with crisp linens, and a caring management that provides guests with coffee and pastries in the morning and nightly turndown service. Since there are only 14 rooms available, be sure to book early.
Practically next door to the Paradice is the Secrets Inn Lake Tahoe (924 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6767 or 800/441-6610, www.secretsinn.com, $149-229) with modern amenities like Jacuzzi tubs and 32-inch flat-panel televisions. All rooms have king beds and fireplaces, and since children aren’t permitted, this is a great spot for a romantic getaway. Don’t be put off by the bland exterior of this motel; its interior will surely impress, especially for the price. The best bargains are usually midweek, when you can often get your third night free by booking online.
If you like to travel with your dog, 3 Peaks Resort & Beach Club (931 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 800/331-3951, www.3peakshotel.com, $84-279 plus $25 for dogs) is your kind of place. The sign out front bears a Saint Bernard wearing bathing trunks, and 3 Peaks is indeed dog-friendly. The resort has a great location on Park Avenue a few blocks from Heavenly’s gondola, but far enough off the noisy main drag. It’s also only two blocks from a gated, members-only Tahoe beach, which human guests can use, but unfortunately, not their dogs. The resort has standard hotel rooms, plus one- and two-bedroom “cabin-style” suites with fully equipped kitchens and living rooms with fireplaces. If you and your sweetheart are celebrating a special occasion, book the Honeymoon Suite, with its heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub.
You’ll recognize the Mark Twain Lodge (947 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 888/544-1378 or 530/544-5733, www.marktwainlodge.com, $89-279) by the moose sculpture out front. What does a moose have to do with Lake Tahoe, or with Mark Twain? Nothing. But the lodge is a perennial favorite of budget travelers at South Shore. Some of its 10 guest rooms and four two-bedroom have fireplaces, whirlpools, and/or mini-kitchens. The suites sleep up to eight people, although a maximum of six would be more comfortable. The lodge’s heated outdoor pool is popular with guests in summer, as is the hot tub in winter. Room rates are based on the number of people and time of the year. Everything in Stateline is a short walk away.
The 7 Seas Inn (4145 Manzanita Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-7031 or 800/800-7327, www.sevenseastahoe.com, $89-129) wins the prize for “Most Ridiculous Tahoe Motel Name.” Nothing about its moniker or its ocean-blue exterior tells you you’re in the mountains, but that doesn’t seem to bother the legions of repeat customers who love this no-nonsense, low-budget motel. The 7 Seas is only two blocks from the Heavenly gondola, but if you are too lazy to walk, you can catch the shuttle. A free continental breakfast is served in the morning, and the owner, Carolyn, loves pets and will welcome yours with open arms.
If you want the convenience and no frills of a motel but don’t like staying at the big chains, you’ll like the Ambassador Motor Lodge (4130 Manzanita Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6461, www.laketahoeambassadorlodge.com, $99-249). Harveys and the Hard Rock casinos are just a stone’s throw away, but the motel is far enough off busy U.S. 50 to be quiet at night. The 57 units have all the basics, and a few even have kitchens. A large heated pool will keep the kids happy in summer. Dogs are permitted in some rooms with advance reservations.
From the outside, the Avalon Lodge (4075 Manzanita Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-2285 or 888/544-7829, www.avalonlodge.com, $149-199) looks like a typical South Shore motel. But inside, its rooms are more hotel-like than motel-like, with tasteful furnishings like canopy and four-poster beds, plush bedding, oversize bath towels, gas fireplaces, refrigerators, coffeemakers, and microwaves. It’s worth the extra money to get a spa room if one is available. Heavenly’s gondola and the Stateline casinos are just two blocks away, but it is peaceful and quiet here on Manzanita Avenue. A complimentary breakfast is served each morning, and pets are welcome here.
For those who want a budget-priced, pet-friendly motel near the casinos, the Big Pines Mountain House (4083 Cedar Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5155 or 800/288-4083, www.thebigpines.com, $111-209) is a suitable option. Previously known as the Viking Motor Lodge, Big Pines Mountain House has 76 guest rooms, some with kitchenettes and/or electric fireplaces, which are comfortable enough without having the cookie-cutter feel of a Motel 6 or Super 8. A free continental breakfast is served (doughnuts, fruit, and coffee), and the swimming pool is popular with families on summer afternoons. The motel is within walking distance of the casinos and the Heavenly gondola, but its biggest draw is its short stretch of private Lake Tahoe beach, a few blocks away. One drawback: The walls are thin. If you’re a light sleeper, book somewhere else.
A little farther from the casinos but just across the street from the Heavenly gondola is the Stardust Lodge (4061 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5211 or 800/262-5077, www.stardust-tahoe.com, $116-251). This is the place with the 1950s-era neon sign right on U.S. 50—you can’t miss it. The Stardust and the associated Americana Vacation Club (3845 Pioneer Tr., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-8022 or 800/822-5920, www.americana-tahoe.com, $107-233) are self-titled “resort motels”—lodgings that were converted from motels to time-share resorts 25-plus years ago. If you want to ski or ride at Heavenly and not pay an arm and a leg for lodging, the Stardust is a good bet. The suites are on the small side (288 square feet), but they are roomy enough for two and come equipped with a furnished kitchenette. The two outdoor hot tubs are a welcome sight after a long day on the slopes, and the two swimming pools see plenty of action in summer. Doughnuts and fruit are served in the morning. Guests receive passes to a private Tahoe beach located a few blocks away. If you want a slightly larger suite that would better suit a small family, book a stay at the Americana.
The Best Western Station House Inn (901 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-1101 or 800/822-5953, www.stationhouseinn.com, $109-249) is located near the gondola and the casinos and is a solid choice for those who want to be close to the action. It’s also a few blocks off U.S. 50 (better for peace and quiet) and a short walk from a private beach (great for summer fun). Most of its 98 rooms have one queen or king bed; larger suites with king beds and sofa-sleepers are also available. The inn offers summer and winter packages that include lake cruises, ski-lift tickets, and dinner coupons for the in-house restaurant, LewMarNel’s Steaks and Spirits (5:30pm-9pm daily, $17-40). If you really want to save money, visit during the low-season months of April, May, and November, when rates drop 30-40 percent.
The privately operated Zephyr Cove RV Park and Campground (760 Hwy. 50, Zephyr Cove, 775/589-4907, www.zephyrcove.com, $29-40 tents, $39-79 RVs) is part of the huge Zephyr Cove Resort complex, which includes cabins, a restaurant, general store, marina, horse stables, and a host of vacation-oriented activities that make it a zoo on most summer days. Camping at Zephyr Cove is camping in style, with full hookup sites, a coin-operated laundry, showers, flush toilets, and the like. Set across the highway from the lake, the camp has 93 RV sites (some with lake views), 10 drive-in campsites, and 47 walk-in campsites. The walk-in sites are the farthest from the busy highway and by far the best bet.
Operated by the U.S. Forest Service, lovely Nevada Beach Campground (off U.S. 50 at Elk Point Rd., 775/588-5562, 877/444-6777 for reservations, www.recreation.gov, $32-38) is located just two miles northeast of the California-Nevada state line. Nevada Beach is a popular day-use site with a long and wide stretch of precious sandy shoreline, which is perfect for sunbathers and swimmers. The adjacent campground is bare-bones (no showers or dump station), but it’s well loved due to its lakeside location. Some of the 54 sites have lovely lake views; all have some shade from big Jeffrey pines. A short walk of about 100 yards gets you to the water’s edge, and Nevada Beach is a spectacular spot for sunsets. RVs up to 45 feet long are permitted. Firewood is sold on-site; gas, groceries, and laundry are 0.5 mile away at the Round Hill Shopping Center on U.S. 50.
Not every Tahoe traveler wants to be within walking distance of the casinos and/or the Heavenly Ski Resort gondola. If you’re the type who is seeking lodging a little farther from the South Shore action, the following hotels, motels, condos, and bed-and-breakfasts serve that purpose. All are within the city limits of South Lake Tahoe, and many are within walking distance of restaurants and other businesses, but all are relatively isolated from the notorious casino/Heavenly/Stateline congestion. Nonetheless, everything on the South Shore is fairly close together, so if you feel like heading to the casinos for an evening out, you can still be there in about 10 minutes of driving.
If you have wads of cash burning a hole in your pocket, book a stay at one of five rooms or three cabins at the S Black Bear Inn Bed & Breakfast (1202 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-4451 or 877/232-7466, www.tahoeblackbear.com, $210-335, larger cabins $330-470), a luxurious B&B that was built in the 1990s but has an old-style Tahoe look. The place was constructed to take advantage of Tahoe’s beauty, with huge picture windows, river-rock fireplaces, exposed wood beams, and tasteful mountain-style decor and landscaping. The owners, Jerry and Kevin, are the most accommodating people you’d ever hope to meet; they take good care of their guests. Wine and cheese are served at sunset. Lavish breakfasts, served in the common dining room, are included in the room rate. If you stay in one of the cabins, breakfast is brought to your door each morning.
For a more budget-minded B&B stay, it’s hard to top the S Alder Inn (1072 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-4485, www.thealderinn.com, $129-159) with its 24 artfully decorated rooms and friendly, people-pleasing owners, Chad and Layni Davis. The building’s exterior is modest (this was once a 1950s motel), but set foot in a guest room and you find yourself pampered by hundreds of small details, from cozy bathrobes to luxurious bedding to a large flat-screen television. Try to score one of the upstairs rooms with their ornate ceiling fans. On weekends, a complimentary breakfast of breads, spreads, oatmeal, fruits, pastries, coffee, and juice is served. Each room also has its own refrigerator and microwave. For chilly winter evenings, there’s an outdoor hot tub and fire pits. In summer, you can walk to the restaurants and activities at Ski Run Marina or swim in the inn’s outdoor pool.
If you love updated mountain-style decor (river rock, knotty pine, gas fireplaces, quilts), you’ll love the 11 rooms at Heavenly Valley Lodge (1261 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/564-1500 or 855/697-5478, www.heavenlyvalleylodge.com, $185-255). A cross between a really nice motel and a bed-and-breakfast, the Heavenly Valley Lodge has a motel-like configuration (room doors open out to the parking lot) but all the luxuries of a B&B, including plush linens, a full hot breakfast each morning, afternoon wine and snacks, and gracious innkeepers who live on-site.
The Inn by the Lake (3300 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-0330 or 800/877-1466, www.innbythelake.com, $140-320 hotel rooms, from $420 suites and townhomes) is not right on the lakeshore, nor does it have any fabulous lake views, but what they do here, they do well enough. This 100-unit resort sits on six acres across U.S. 50 from Lake Tahoe and is well suited for vacations on the South Shore. Each room has its own private balcony, plus a small refrigerator and microwave; the deluxe suites have fully equipped kitchens. A continental breakfast is served each morning, and the inn boasts a state-of-the-art fitness center, 2,000-square-foot event or meeting space, and year-round heated pool and bi-level spa (the two levels are connected by a small waterfall). If you want to borrow a bicycle or a pair of snowshoes, they’ll happily loan them to you. If you are traveling with your dog, Fido is welcome here for an extra $25 charge per night, and he or she will be treated like royalty with a silver bowl and doggy blanket.
One of the nicest lakefront condo resorts, Lakeland Village Beach and Mountain Resort (3535 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-1685 or 800/822-5969, www.lakeland-village.com, $129-295 for studios and one-bedroom units) allows visitors the Tahoe vacation home experience at hotel prices. Set on 19 wooded acres including a quarter-mile stretch of sandy beach, each of the condos here has a fireplace, private balcony, and kitchen or kitchenette. The 210 units come in various configurations as small as studios and as large as five bedrooms. In summer, guests have use of two tennis courts, a small pier, a sand volleyball court, and two swimming pools and hot tubs. In winter, free shuttles run to Heavenly’s gondola and all the South Lake Tahoe action.
Adjacent to Ski Run Marina is the Sunterra-owned Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort (901 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6122 or 800/438-2929, www.laketahoevacationresort.com, $169-299). Although many of the units are owner-occupied time-shares, dozens of studios and one-and two-bedroom condos are available for nightly or weekly rental. The six-story resort is right next to the marina, so summer visitors can rent boats or kayaks, and year-round visitors can go for a lake tour aboard the paddle wheeler Tahoe Queen. All the typical resort amenities are available: indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools and sauna, lounge, and organized children’s activities. All units have fully equipped kitchens, so you can cook your own meals if you so desire. If you don’t, several restaurants are within walking distance.
Across from Heavenly Resort lies Tahoe Seasons Resort (3901 Saddle Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6700 or 800/540-4874, www.tahoeseasons.com, $170-290), a full-service resort offering one-bedroom suites with private whirlpool tubs, wet bars, fireplaces, coffeemakers, microwaves, and cable television. Not every unit has a fireplace; make sure you get one that does. In winter, you can rent or buy skis at the sports shop, eat at the Needles Restaurant, buy stuff at the general store, hang out at the fireside lounge and pub, and generally not leave the premises except to go skiing. In addition to a year-round pool and hot tub, the resort also has summer-season sport offerings, like rooftop tennis and volleyball courts.
Long ago at Lake Tahoe, there were lots of places like Hansen’s Resort (1360 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3361, www.hansensresort.com, $125-199 for one- and two-bedroom units, $325 for four-bedroom cabin), family-run cabin resorts that offered hospitality first and foremost without all the “bling.” Now places like Hansen’s are few, but many families will be happier here than at a noisy casino resort. Hansen’s has nine old-style green-and-white cabins located about a half mile from U.S. 50, near Heavenly Ski Resort. The cabins are modest and simply furnished; all have cable television, and some have kitchens and fireplaces. In winter, guests can walk over to Hansen’s Tube and Saucer Hill for some old-fashioned sledding fun. If your kids aren’t old enough to ski, tubing or sledding will get them hooked on snow.
A relative newcomer on the South Shore, S The Landing Resort and Spa (4104 Lakeshore Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5263 or 855/700-5263, www.thelandingtahoe.com, $230-330) has been open only since January 2014, but has earned kudos from several major travel magazines for its five-star décor, service, and amenities. It was about time that the South Shore got a luxury boutique hotel, and The Landing delivers. Located just three blocks from the Heavenly gondola, its 88 guest rooms and suites have fireplaces and decks; some rooms have stunning lake views. Whether you book the least expensive or most expensive room, you’ll enjoy some decadent details, like heated toilet seats that double as night lights. Guests have private beach access at Lakeside Beach and can avail themselves of the resort’s heated pool, giant-sized hot tub, and The Landing’s on-site spa. The resort’s restaurant, Jimmy’s, serves wood-fired Greek seafood and California cuisine and has received major accolades of its own.
The S Beach Retreat and Lodge at Tahoe (3411 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6722 or 800/972-8558, www.tahoebeachretreat.com, $99-199) enjoys a prime lakefront location a couple miles west of Stateline. A stay here in summer means you are just a few steps from Timber Cove’s sandy beach and shallow, warm swimming area. (That’s warm by Tahoe standards, not by normal standards.) In summer, lots of weddings take place on this beach. A 1,000-foot-long pier is located on its east end, perfect for sunset strolls over the lake. The lodge is divided into town-house-style clusters of buildings; when you reserve, it’s worth paying the extra money for a unit right on the lakeshore. A concession rents kayaks and pedal boats and offers sportfishing, parasailing, and Emerald Bay tours. The Beach Retreat has two first-rate restaurants, the Tavern and the Boathouse on the Pier (formerly the Blue Water Bistro). If your dog is traveling with you, he or she is welcome in some rooms for a $20 fee.
There’s only a narrow strip of sandy beach between the lodge rooms and the lake at the Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge and Spa (930 Bal Bijou Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-2180 or 800/448-4577, www.tahoelakeshorelodge.com, $119-139 lodge rooms, $179-239 one-and two-bedroom condos), so every room boasts a fine lake view. The lodge’s offerings include 46 rooms with queen beds and gas fireplaces, plus 26 one- and two-bedroom condominiums with full kitchens and fireplaces. A year-round heated pool is right next to a 500-foot stretch of private Tahoe beach, so you can swim in warm or cold water. In addition, the lodge is home to Elements, a full-service day spa, which offers an intriguing assortment of massage therapies, body wraps, facials, and the like.
The best thing about the Howard Johnson Express Inn (3489 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-4000 or 800/221-5801, www.hojolaketahoe.com, $89-139) is that a stay here won’t break the bank. If you’ve stayed at a Howard Johnson’s anywhere else in the United States, you’ll know what to expect at the one in South Lake: clean but unremarkable rooms, cable television, in-room coffeemakers and refrigerators, a complimentary continental breakfast that will make your blood sugar soar, and a heated pool and spa.
For the price alone, you gotta love a place like the Quality Inn and Suites (3838 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5400 or 877/424-6423, www.qualityinn.com, $49-159), which often has rooms available on weekends when the fancier places are filled up. Sure, the 120 queen- and king-bed rooms have the all-too-familiar vanilla flavor of a chain motel, but at least you know what you are getting. A few suites with kitchenettes are available, and for skiers and riders on a budget, the motel is located only one mile from Heavenly’s gondola. A high-sugar, high-carbohydrate continental breakfast is included in the rate. And if you happen to crave tandoori during your stay, you’re in luck: The Taj Majal Indian restaurant is on-site and serves lunch and dinner.
Budget travelers will also be pleased with a stay at The Trailhead Lodge (3892 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3642, www.trailheadtahoe.com, $109-129), with 36 rooms in the heart of South Lake Tahoe. A few of the higher-priced rooms have fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. Muffins, juice, and coffee are provided in the morning, and dogs are allowed for $20 per night.
A unit of the Days Inn chain thrives in South Lake Tahoe, with a convenient location close to Heavenly (3530 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3445 or 800/329-7466, www.daysinn.com, $49-199). The motel offers a heated outdoor pool in summer and a year-round hot tub. If you’ve stayed at a Days Inn elsewhere in America, you won’t find too many surprises here.
Ask for a room in the back, away from U.S. 50, to ensure a good night’s sleep at the Motel 6 South Lake Tahoe (2375 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-1400 or 800/466-8356, www.motel6.com, $49-99). This ultrabasic motel has 143 rooms, a guest laundry, a small swimming pool, and budget rates year-round. And as most dog lovers know, all Motel 6 locations welcome dogs (one per room) at no extra charge, but you are not supposed to leave him or her unattended in your room. At this particular Motel 6, walking Rover is a snap, because the Upper Truckee River is only about 50 yards to the east. A paved trail that runs behind the motel heads right to it.
A perennial favorite, the Holiday Inn Express (3961 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5900 or 800/544-5288, www.hiexpress.com, $134-232) is set back far enough from U.S. 50 to make it blissfully quiet at night, but still close enough to all the South Shore action to make it convenient for skiing, restaurants, nightlife, and the like. The Heavenly gondola and casinos are within walking distance; the Heavenly Village shops and restaurants are right across the street. A pool and hot tub await you at the end of the day, and like at all Holiday Inns, wireless Internet and a continental breakfast are included in the rate. The 89 rooms are clean and comfortable, and the decor is a huge step up from similarly priced motels.
Operated by the City of South Lake Tahoe, the 170-site Campground by the Lake (1150 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-6096, www.cityofslt.us, Apr.-Oct., $49-51) has almost everything a camper could ask for: space for RVs and trailers up to 45 feet long (but no hookups), water, restrooms, showers, a boat ramp, and access to Lake Tahoe for swimming and fishing. The camp’s name is just a bit misleading: Lake Tahoe is across U.S. 50 from the camp, so your tent will not be right on the lakeshore. All sites are set amid a forest of pines; to reduce the noise level, get one as far away from the highway as possible. If you don’t have your own tent or RV, try to reserve one of the campground’s half-dozen sleeping cabins or tent cabins ($50 per night), which sleep 4-6 people comfortably.
The pet-friendly S Fireside Lodge (515 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5515, www.tahoefiresidelodge.com, $149-220) is an ideal choice for dogs and their people. The lodge looks like a motel, but it’s a whole lot nicer and offers amenities you’d expect at a bed-and-breakfast inn: a large continental breakfast, wine and cheese in the afternoon, and river-rock gas fireplaces and kitchenettes in each of the nine rooms. There is a small additional charge for pets. In winter, you can snowshoe around the large field right behind the inn or roast marshmallows around the outdoor fire pit. The lodge owners are happy to provide their guests with free snowshoes in winter and bikes and kayaks in summer. A paved bike trail runs right by the lodge.
It isn’t easy to get summer reservations, but S Camp Richardson Resort (1900 Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-1801 or 800/544-1801, www.camprichardson.com) is a great place for a taste of the “old” Lake Tahoe. Built in the 1920s, the family-style resort on 150 acres of private land has cozy cabins under the pines, plus a great restaurant and bar, The Beacon (530/541-0630, 11am-9pm daily in summer, winter hours may vary, $11-30), alongside the beach. Some cabins are lakefront; most have kitchens and woodstoves, fireplaces, or gas stoves. The cabins range in size from studios for two to larger units that will sleep up to eight people. In summer, they are rented by the week only ($1,160-2,650). In winter, you can rent them by the night ($135-265). The resort also has hotel rooms and beachside inn rooms for rent by the night year-round ($100-180). The Pope-Baldwin Bike Path runs right by the resort, a full-service marina is on-site, and horse stables are right across the highway. In winter, Camp Richardson has groomed cross-country ski trails. You’ll never run out of activities here.
Less than a half mile from the Pope-Baldwin Bike Path on Emerald Bay Road lies the Lazy S Lodge (609 Hwy. 89, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-0230 or 800/862-8881, www.lazyslodge.com, $69-199), a 20-unit cottage-style motel. Many of the studios and two-room accommodations come with fully equipped kitchenettes and fireplaces. All units share use of a large heated pool, hot tub, picnic tables, and barbecues. The Lazy S is just far enough from the hubbub of South Lake Tahoe to feel like a relaxed getaway, but it’s still within five miles of Heavenly and the casinos. If you want to attend a musical event at Valhalla or the Renaissance Faire, it’s practically right next door.
A favorite of tent campers who want to hike right from their tent door, tiny Bayview Campground (530/544-5994, $17) has only 13 sites for tents and mini-RVs (up to 20 feet), and no reservations are accepted. Located at Highway 89 at Emerald Bay, right across the highway from Inspiration Point, the Forest Service-managed camp is the site of a major trailhead into the Desolation Wilderness. The camp has water and chemical toilets.
The Eagle Point Campground at Emerald Bay State Park (Hwy. 89 at Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-3030 or 530/525-7277, 800/444-7275 or www.reserveamerica.com for reservations, $35) is perched on a high point above Emerald Bay, and yes, many of the 100 tent-only sites have remarkable lake views. At this book’s press time, the camp is undergoing major renovations and will remain closed through summer 2015. When it reopens (with new showers and restrooms), it will once again be the most coveted campground at Lake Tahoe. You just can’t beat this location, so plan to reserve far in advance.
If you have your own boat or kayak, you can stay at one of 22 sites at Emerald Bay Boat-in Camp (530/541-3030 or 530/525-7277, 800/444-7275 for reservations, www.reserveamerica.com, Memorial Day-Labor Day, $35), on the northern shore of Emerald Bay. Each campsite has a mooring buoy. Boaters can either sleep on board their boat (a fine idea if you have a yacht but a bad idea if you have a kayak) or camp in a designated site on shore. Each campsite has a table, storage locker, and fire ring. Water is available in the campground, and there are chemical toilets.
A whopping 332 campsites for tents and RVs up to 35 feet long are found at Camp Richardson Resort (1900 Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-1801 or 800/544-1801, www.camprichardson.com, $35-55 tents and RVs), in addition to its cabin rentals, general store, ice-cream shop, restaurant and bar, horse rentals, bike rentals, cross-country ski trails, and so much more. With all this going on, you won’t feel like you are alone in nature when you camp here, but for many people, that’s just fine. The camp has all the full-service amenities: full RV hookups, a disposal site, water, showers, restrooms, and a boat ramp. One downer: No pets are allowed. Tent campers should be sure to reserve a site at Badger’s Den Campground, which is on the lake side of the resort. The other sites are across the highway. Try to score one as far away from the road as possible.
The ice cream stand at Camp Richardson Resort does a brisk business.
The Forest Service-run Fallen Leaf Lake Campground (2165 Fallen Leaf Lake Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-0426, 877/444-6777 for reservations, www.recreation.gov, May 15-Oct. 15, $32-34) has 206 sites for tents or RVs up to 40 feet long and a great location just a few hundred yards from Fallen Leaf Lake, three miles north of the Y intersection of U.S. 50 and Highway 89. The campground also has six yurts ($84 per night); these circular, tent-like structures can sleep five or six people, and are equipped with sleeping platforms, an electric light, and a space heater. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag. The campground has water, flush toilets, and showers (bring quarters if you want hot water), but no RV hookups. An easy trail leads from the campground to the lake, and a paved bike trail leads to the highway and the beaches across the highway.
The KOA Kampground of South Lake Tahoe (760 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/577-3693 or 800/562-3477, www.laketahoekoa.com, tent sites $45-55, RV sites $55-85, log cabins $205-265, Apr.-Oct.) has what all KOAs have: spaces for RVs and trailers up to 40 feet long, full hookups (even cable TV hookups), a disposal station, restrooms, showers, laundry, a heated swimming pool, playground, and lots of things that should be spelled with a C but are spelled with a K, like the rental Kottages, which are small, cozy cabins. There are 60 sites in all, and this particular KOA has wireless Internet. The tent sites have picnic tables, campfire rings (or kampfire rings, if you prefer), and barbecue grills. If you forgot the ingredients for s’mores, you can buy them at the general store. Fishing in the Truckee River is possible just 100 yards from the door of your tent or RV.
Huge, private Tahoe Valley Campground (1175 Melba Dr., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-2222, $30-70) boasts a staggering 415 sites and can accommodate supersize RVs up to 60 feet long. It has all the standard RV-park amenities: full hookups, a disposal station, restrooms, and showers, plus some luxuries you might not expect—a swimming pool, tennis courts, a small store, and laundry. The camp is open year-round, a rarity around Lake Tahoe.
Wrights Lake Campground (off U.S. 50, 17 miles west of South Lake Tahoe, 877/444-6777 for reservations, www.recreation.gov, $20-36) may be a long way from the shores of Lake Tahoe, but it is situated right on the southwest edge of the Desolation Wilderness at 7,000 feet in elevation. For day hikers and backpackers, this is an ideal location; a multitude of trails lead right from camp. For rock climbers, the spectacular Phantom Spires are nearby. For everybody else, there is easy access to swimming and fishing in Wrights Lake (great for fly-fishing in float tubes). The 76-site camp has water and vault toilets and is suitable for RVs or tents.
South Lake’s original Red Hut Café is so popular that the owners opened a second location at 229 Kingsbury Grade in Stateline (775/588-7488) and a third location at U.S. 50 and Ski Run Boulevard, not far from the Heavenly gondola. The third Red Hut Café (3660 Hwy. 50, 530/544-1595, www.redhutcafe.com, 6am-8pm daily, $7-12) is much larger than the others, and stays open for dinner as well as breakfast and lunch. Waffles are a hot ticket, usually served with fresh or frozen fruit (depending on the season) and heaps of whipped cream.
Odd as it is for a ski resort town, there’s a nautical theme to the decor at the Driftwood Café (1001 Heavenly Village Pkwy., 530/544-6545, www.driftwoodtahoe.com, 7am-3pm daily, $8-12). Instead of antique skis and snowshoes adorning the walls, you’ll find ocean-related items, but that doesn’t stop hordes of snow lovers from eating here on their way to or from the Heavenly gondola. Located in the Heavenly Village shopping center, the café serves an array of omelets (made with whole eggs or eggs whites, your choice), scrambles, and old-school breakfast fare like biscuits and gravy and eggs Benedict. Lunch consists of salads, soups, and sandwiches. Nothing is particularly fancy or gourmet, but it’s a serious step up from Denny’s, and the prices are very reasonable considering the Heavenly Village location. Weekend mornings can be packed, but weekdays are usually pretty quiet.
Located near Heavenly’s California Lodge, the Blue Angel Café (1132 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6544, www.theblueangelcafe.com, 11am-9pm daily, $10-19) is a dependable choice for gourmet food to go or to eat in. This stylish little café looks like something you might find in San Francisco’s Marina District, with big arrangements of fresh flowers, pale yellow walls, and comfy couches around the fireplace. The menu changes often, but expect to find creative and international dishes such as pulled-pork tacos, Thai curry, and a roasted vegetable napoleon. Sandwiches include veggie burgers, a salmon BLT, and the crowd-pleasing bacon cheeseburger. There’s free Wi-Fi access for those who need to check email.
A great choice for casual dining is the restaurant at the historic Zephyr Cove Resort (760 Hwy. 50, Zephyr Cove, 775/589-4968, www.zephyrcove.com, 7am-3pm Mon.-Wed., 7am-9pm Thurs.-Sun., $10-25). Housed in an 1860s-era building, the wood-paneled dining room and its menu have an “old Tahoe” slant: trout and eggs for breakfast, thick burgers for lunch, and an array of large-portioned entrées for dinner, like rainbow trout, New York strip steak, and Rubicon short ribs. The restaurant’s milk shakes are legendary (try the banana chocolate). Their malt shake is “so thick it holds the straw up.”
The Stateline Brewery and Restaurant (4118 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-9000, www.statelinebrewery.com, 11am-11pm daily, $13-37) is literally right at the state line, just barely on the California side. The main restaurant is located in a basement, so in winter, there’s nothing over-the-top about a meal here, but in summer, patrons sit outside at the sidewalk picnic tables and watch the world go by on U.S. 50. The Stateline Brewery’s menu is huge and runs the gamut from salads and fish tacos to pizzas, Alaskan crab legs, ribs, filet mignon, and prime rib.
In summer, dine at sidewalk tables at the Stateline Brewery and Restaurant.
If you enjoy the Mongolian barbecue concept of dining, you might like Fire + Ice (Marriott Timber Lodge at Heavenly, 4100 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-6650, www.fire-ice.com, 11:30am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $12-30). This is how a meal here works: You go to the food bar and select a bunch of raw items (chicken, fish, tofu, veggies, pasta, potatoes, etc.) and a choice of sauces. You hand over all your food to the “chef,” and he or she proceeds to cook it in front of you on a huge grill while doing some tricks with knives and/or other utensils. Then you eat your concoction, and depending on how well your chosen items go together, you will either like it or you won’t. If you don’t, no matter, because this is an all-you-can-eat deal, so you can go back and try again. If you’re over 25 years old, you’ll probably find this place a bit overhyped, but because Fire + Ice is located right at the Heavenly gondola, it’s always packed. Far and away the best part of eating here is getting a seat by the outdoor fire pits on a sunny winter day.
The restaurant at S Edgewood Tahoe (180 Lake Pkwy., South Lake Tahoe, 775/588-2787, www.edgewoodtahoe.com, 5:30pm-9pm daily, $28-40) has an eye-candy view that will knock your socks off. The restaurant’s high, vaulted ceiling and big windows overlooking the lake will make it hard to focus your eyes on the upscale continental-style menu. Most golf courses serve up basic fare for hungry golfers, but since it costs about 200 bucks to golf at Edgewood, the quality of the food is on par with the green fees. Appetizers include crab cakes, sautéed scallops, and ostrich medallions. Entrées are a variety of fresh seafood, plus elk chops, osso bucco, filet mignon, and aged rib eye. Whatever you do, time your reservation so that you won’t miss the sunset. In the summer months, Edgewood’s outdoor deck is open, with a lower-priced, more casual menu served at a collection of tables and chairs overlooking the lake. Year-round, the Brooks Bar is open adjacent to the restaurant.
Despite its strip-mall location, Mirabelle (290 Kingsbury Grade, Stateline, 775/586-1007, www.mirabelletahoe.com, 5:30pm-9:30pm Tues.-Sun., $21-32) will make you feel like you’re in a small café alongside the Seine. Chef/owner Camille Schwartz brings authentic cuisine français to the South Shore at this small dining room in a business park off Kingsbury Grade. All the classics are served, from lobster bisque and an escargots appetizer to a Grand Marnier dessert soufflé. In between are a multitude of entrées, from bouillabaisse to venison. Don’t miss the onion tart if it’s on the menu when you visit.
Maybe Hawaiian isn’t the type of food that comes to mind after a day of skiing at Heavenly, but sometimes it’s worth thinking outside the box. Kalani’s (shop #26 at Heavenly Village, 1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6100, www.kalanis.com, 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $31-60) Pacific Rim fusion cuisine will put you in an aloha state of mind as fast as you can say “opakapaka.” This award-winning restaurant features fresh fish flown in daily from Hawaii, a full-service sushi bar with a litany of signature rolls that change daily, and memorable Hawaiian-influenced entrées like blue crab-crusted onaga fillet or lomi lomi salmon-and-watercress platter laced with papaya-seed dressing. The restaurant is chic and stylish but still comfortable, and the food is elegantly presented. In addition to the hours listed above, Kalani’s also has a happy hour (4pm-6pm daily).
McP’s Pub has been in South Lake Tahoe since 1992, but as of 2015 it has a new name, a new location, and a whole lot more real estate. McP’s Taphouse and Grill (4125 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-4435, www.mcpstaphousetahoe.com, 10:30am-2am daily, $15-20) is the anchor restaurant of the Chateau at the Village shopping center right across the street from the gondola, occupying 6,000 square feet with a state-of-the-art kitchen, 20 big-screen televisions, space for live bands, and a private banquet room. If you like beer choices, this is your place, with 40 beers on draft. The menu is Irish pub food, just like its predecessor restaurant, including corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, mulligan stew, and bangers and mash. Diners craving American food can order burgers or a buffalo chicken sandwich. But really, the emphasis here is on the beer, not the food.
There’s something about pizza and skiing that just seems to go together. Not surprisingly, you’ll find a pizza place at almost every major intersection on U.S. 50, but unfortunately, most of them are nothing to write home about. One winning entry is Blue Dog Pizza (next to Raley’s in the Village Center, 4000 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-0813 www.bluedogpizzatahoe.com, 11:30am-10pm daily). All the usual topping combinations are available here, including a few specialties like the “Walk the Dog” with white sauce, chicken, spinach, and bacon; and “Hair of the Dog” with jalapeños, pepperoni, sausage, and green chilies ($22 large, $13 small). Calzones and oven-toasted sandwiches are good, too. Blue Dog even sells its own T-shirts, and yes, local people wear them. Order your pizza online to save yourself a wait. A second successful location is in midtown South Lake (2556 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-0123).
At the Heavenly gondola shopping center, Base Camp Pizza (1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-2273, www.basecamppizzaco.com, 11:30am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10:30pm Fri.-Sat.) makes pizza that is a far cry from run-of-the-mill (think Thai chicken curry, or Bosc pear and gorgonzola), and serves unexpected dishes like beer-battered garlic fries and macaroni and cheese. The food portions are customizable for the size of your party: pizzas come in three sizes from personal ($13) to large ($26); salads come in two sizes ($6-13). The Mediterranean pizza with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, arugula, and feta is the vegetarian’s favorite; meat lovers go with the Big Mountain, loaded with sausage, bacon, pepperoni, and Canadian bacon. A gluten-free crust is available.
Capisce (178 Hwy. 50, Zephyr Cove, 775/580-7500, www.capiscelaketahoe.com, 5pm-10pm daily, $17-40) woos Italian-food lovers to make the 15-minute drive from South Lake and Stateline. Homemade raviolis are a big draw here, but there are plenty of other first-rate choices on the menu, including risotto, shrimp scampi, and flank steak. This family-run restaurant is all about service and about making each customer feel welcome. Don’t be surprised if the owners come to your table to introduce themselves; even Grandma likes to say hello. Nobody leaves here unhappy.
S Jimmy’s Restaurant (The Landing Resort and Spa, 4104 Lakeshore Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5263, www.thelandingtahoe.com, 7am-9:30pm daily, small plates $9-12, large plates $26-46) is the place to go for an elegant dinner of small or large plates. Jimmy’s serves wood-fired Greek seafood and meats, including grilled octopus, squid, and seared ahi; a pulled duck burger and wood-grilled lamb loin will change the way you think about eating duck and lamb. If it’s your first visit, try the five small plates ($45); the large plates ($26-46) are meant to be shared. Seating options include private dining alcoves with fireplaces and an outdoor lakeview patio with fire pits. A glass-enclosed wine cellar features a selection of 250 labels from around the world.
New to Stateline in 2014, Azul Latin Kitchen (1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-2985, www.azullatinkitchen.com, 11:30am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $6-18) serves creative Latin fusion cuisine. Reading the menu with its complex concoctions can take a while; everything seems to have at least a dozen intriguing ingredients. Must-order items include the coconut pork tacos, fried calamari tacos, chorizo empanadas, quinoa kale salad, a roasted cauliflower quesadilla, and an achiote pork bowl crowned with a soft-boiled egg. The decor meets the food in terms of its hipness, a good match for this Heavenly gondola location. The fresh-squeezed margaritas keep everybody happy. Outdoor fire pits make it possible to sit outside year-round.
Located at the Best Western Station House Inn, LewMarNel’s (901 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-1101, www.stationhouseinn.com, 7am-9:30am and 4:30pm-9pm daily, $17-40) caters to big eaters whose appetite is more discriminating than that of the average casino buffet diner. If you are tired of having to order à la carte everywhere you go, you’ll be happy here. Dinner begins with complimentary cheese fondue and fresh-baked sourdough bread, and all entrées come with soup or salad and potatoes or rice. Steaks are the main event here, but seafood, pasta, and poultry dishes are served as well. Amazingly, some diners save enough room to order apple pie à la mode for dessert. Wine lovers will be pleased with the extensive wine list, rated as “one of the greatest wine lists in the world” by Wine Spectator magazine. Many first-time diners are surprised to see that the waiters are wearing tuxedos, and yes, that’s real silverware on the table, not stainless steel.
Casinos and steakhouses go together like blackjack and an empty wallet. The three biggest casinos on the South Shore—Harrah’s, Harveys, and MontBleu—all have their own version. Arguably the best of the lot is Ciera Steak and Chophouse at MontBleu (55 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 800/648-3353, www.montbleuresort.com, 5:30pm-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 5:30pm-10:30pm Fri.-Sat., $30-90). With a AAA four-star rating, Ciera’s setting is classy and sophisticated—moody lighting, white tablecloths, candlelight, cushy booths lined with red velvet (politely demand a booth when you make reservations; a mere table simply won’t do). The choice of steaks includes the popular 14-ounce New York strip, the diminutive 10-ounce filet mignon, and the humungous 32-ounce rib eye, which is aged for 28 days. Plenty of fish and seafood options keep the no-red-meat club happy, including an amazing macaroni and cheese dish. Side dishes are typical steakhouse fare—creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, scalloped potatoes, and the like. For dessert, your waiter will bring you a complimentary dish of chocolate-covered strawberries presented in a swirling fog of dry ice, or you can order something you’ll have to pay for from the dessert menu. One more temptation: The wine list consists of more than 300 bottles, so bring your reading glasses.
The Sage Room Steak House (Harveys, 18 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-2411, www.harrahs.com, 6pm-9pm Thurs. and Sun., 5:30pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $40-89) wins hands-down for longevity—it’s been serving up steaks since 1947, in a wood-paneled dining room lined with the original art of Western painters Russell and Remington. Tableside service is the signature here, whether your waiter is tossing a Caesar salad for two or setting bananas Foster aflame. Sure, it’s a little kitschy, but it’s all part of the tradition. A wide range of steaks and seafood dominate the menu (filet mignon is a specialty), and there are also a few old-school entrées like veal scaloppine and leg of lamb. Save up your money and take your mom or your grandma here; she’ll love it.
On the 19th floor of Harveys, 19 Kitchen/Bar (30 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/586-6777, www.harrahs.com, 5:30pm-9:30pm Tues.-Sat., $30-60) offers what has to be one of the best sunset dinner seats on the lake. More than a few marriage proposals have taken place here, and when you gaze out the windows on a clear day, you, too, might be inspired to action. The menu is heavy with seafood selections, but with some eclectic, and maybe even eccentric, touches, like the lobster mashed potatoes side dish or the cotton candy for dessert. Be adventurous and order lump crab cakes with green papaya salad, sea bass in a baby shrimp lobster broth, or “The Forks” (smoked salmon and caviar poppers, served on the tines of upright forks). Be careful not to poke your eye out with that one. If you get the chance, check out the men’s bathroom, which features some interesting artwork above the urinals (can’t reveal more without spoiling).
Hearty appetites will achieve satisfaction—perhaps even heavenly delight—at the Timbers Restaurant (168 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/588-7777 or 800/624-7980, www.lakesideinn.com, open 24 hours daily, $11-29). A favorite of locals and visitors alike, this restaurant at the Lakeside Inn and Casino caters to big eaters, especially red-meat eaters. The Timbers’ $4.99 breakfast has filled the bellies of more than a few hungry skiers and riders; at dinner, its Angus prime rib comes in four different sizes. If you’ve eaten here in the past, you will find that dinner is less casual and more of a fine-dining experience now. Lakeside’s second restaurant, Latin Soul (same location and phone, 4pm-9pm Fri.-Sun., $30) serves an all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue.
Yes, the Chart House (392 Kingsbury Grade, Stateline, 775/588-6276, www.chart-house.com, 5pm-9pm Sun.-Fri., 5pm-10pm Sat., $25-42) is a chain restaurant, but the views from this top-of-the-hill dining room on Kingsbury Grade make it feel anything but ordinary. The food is basically the same as at all Chart Houses in resort towns across the United States—well-prepared seafood, prime rib, and steaks, and a salad bar that fills the length of the dining room—but it is the stunning lake view, framed by majestic pine trees and visible from almost every table, that keeps locals and visitors coming back for more. Sunsets are unforgettable.
For nostalgia lovers who cherish 1950s-style diners, a meal at the Red Hut Café (2723 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-9024, www.redhutcafe.com, 6am-2pm daily, $7-12) will put you in your happy place. This 1950s-era diner has been wildly popular since, well, the 1950s. Locals and visitors alike head here for breakfast, where they usually have to fight for one of the dozen or so booths or settle for a counter stool. Pancakes, eggs, and four-egg omelets are popular, as well as old-school biscuits and gravy, but waffles still rule the breakfast menu. Lunch consists of burgers and grilled sandwiches. Portions are large, and the cholesterol factor is generally very high.
You don’t have to be a health-food nut to love the nutritious fare at Sprouts (3123 Harrison Ave. at U.S. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6969, www.sproutscafetahoe.com, 8am-9pm daily, $7-10). The food is so tasty that even junk-food devotees won’t mind eating stuff that is good for them. Sprouts is run by a husband-and-wife team who have a creative flair with wholesome food. Try the breakfast bowl (brown rice, beans, steamed eggs, salsa, and avocado), “killer nachos,” tempeh burgers, salads, or one of several choices of fresh-squeezed juices: carrot, orange, wheatgrass, beet, and so on. You will feel healthier just perusing the menu. Don’t forget to bring cash—they don’t take credit cards here.
For a creative sandwich or inventive salad at lunch, or a breakfast burrito, smoothie, or super-healthy acai bowl at breakfast, stop in at the Tahoe Keys Café (2279 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-3800, www.tahoekeyscafe.com, 7am-4pm daily, $6-10). Free wireless Internet access and a friendly Tahoe vibe make this place a must-stop whether you are a local or a visitor. Whether you eat here or take your order to go, the sandwich choices are far from the ordinary. Try the one with baked sweet potato, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and marinated onions, or the wildly popular grilled cheese made with swiss, mozzarella, and homemade pesto. Breakfast burritos made with organic, free-range eggs are just the ticket if you are racing off for a hike in summer or a day on the slopes in winter. The place is a little hard to find; it’s the little log cabin behind the Enterprise rental car building.
Those who believe breakfast should be composed of a well-crafted sticky bun or a chunk of crusty baguette should check out Sugar Pine Bakery (3564 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-7000, www.sugar-pine-bakery.com, 7am-6pm Tues.-Sat.). Husband-and-wife chefs, both graduates from the Culinary Institute of America, run this upscale bakery boutique. Don’t ask for doughnuts here. Instead, choose from a range of breads (ciabatta, focaccia, fougasse, challah, sourdough, baguette, nine-grain) or sweets (almond-filled croissants, cinnamon rolls, éclairs, chocolate chip cookies, red velvet cupcakes). Coffee and sandwiches are available, too.
The South Shore loves its burgers. Old-school burger joints—the kind where you order at the window and then eat at a picnic table or in your car—are alive and well in South Lake Tahoe. A perennial favorite for burgers is Izzy’s Burger Spa (2591 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5030, www.izzysburgerspatahoe.com, 11am-8pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-9pm Fri.-Sat., $5-10). Despite the unusual name, you won’t find massages or facials on the menu, just honest burgers with a variety of toppings, from plain old cheese and bacon to a teriyaki glaze with a pineapple ring. Pass on the fries and order the world-class onion rings instead. There’s not much appeal to sitting inside this place, so head for one of the picnic tables under the pines.
Sure, the burgers are good enough at the Sno-Flake Drive-In (3059 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-6377, 11am-8pm daily, $5-10), but the real reasons people come here repeatedly are for the milk shakes and sweet potato fries. Plus when you eat here, you feel like you’re reliving the 1960s, and there is something undeniably cool about that. If you aren’t a fan of red meat, get the yummy turkey burger. In the summer, the Sno-Flake dispenses hundreds of soft-serve cones per day, and not just to little kids. Seasoned customers order the vanilla cone dipped in chocolate. Craving a peanut butter shake? The drive-in has been making them since 1962.
The Beacon (Camp Richardson Resort, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-0630, www.camprichardson.com, 11am-9pm daily, winter hours may vary, $12-38) is a Tahoe institution—the only “beach house”-style restaurant on the lake. In the warm months, diners covet the umbrella-shaded tables on the huge outdoor deck, which opens onto a sandy lakeshore beach. Summer lunches can be a bit of a zoo because of the multitudes of kids playing on the beach, but sunset dinners are a great experience. The fried calamari is wildly popular, as is the Rum Runner, the restaurant’s signature rum-laced well drink. Entrées include everything from hamburgers to fancy seafood dishes. Live music is offered on summer weekends.
If you’ve just pulled into South Lake Tahoe from points west on U.S. 50, Orchid’s (2180 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5541, www.orchidstahoe.com, 11am-10pm daily, $10-18) is the first restaurant you reach driving east of the Y. It’s worth a stop here for a Thai dinner before heading downtown. Don’t be discouraged by the restaurant’s unappealing strip-mall location. Once you’re inside, you’ll be instantly transported to Southeast Asia. You can order all your favorites—lemongrass soup, pad Thai, basil chicken, papaya salad, and the chef’s special Similan Island red curry—and tell the chef how spicy to make them. The menu includes more than 70 items.
Another excellent Thai restaurant is just a few blocks away. My Thai (2108 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3232, www.thairestaurantsouthlaketahoe.com, 11am-10pm daily, $10-25) is beloved for its lettuce wraps, hangover noodles, spicy basil duck, and tom yum soup. The restaurant’s ambience is more “Tahoe cabin” than Thai, but hey, this is Tahoe.
Midtown South Lake Tahoe is slowly being revitalized, and a new star in the neighborhood is the Cold Water Brewery (2540 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-4677, www.tahoecoldwaterbrewery.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat., 9:30am-10pm Sun., $13-28), located in the building that housed the Swiss Chalet for the last half-century. This casual, upbeat brewery and bistro looks nothing like the old Chalet: It’s bright, cheerful, noisy, and thrumming with a local vibe, partly because it’s owned by longtime local Debbie Brown. Friends meet friends here to listen to live music, watch sports on a half-dozen screens, and eat basic comfort food: burgers, salads, fish and chips, and of course, beer. The brewery mills its own grains and offers about a half-dozen house beers on any given day (order the flight to try them all), plus a wide range of microbrews from other Western breweries. Brunch is served on Sunday mornings, complete with a Bloody Mary buffet bar.
The Brewery Lake Tahoe (3542 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-2739, www.brewerylaketahoe.com, 11am-11pm daily, $12-28) is housed in a redbrick cottage right on U.S. 50. Serving handcrafted beers and tasty pub food since 1992, the Brewery has an extensive menu that ensures everyone will find something they want to eat. There’s a wide array of salads, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, paninis, pastas, and pizzas. Best bet? Stick with the pizza, which has a delectable thin crust. Beer lovers will also appreciate the extensive list of microbrews that are brewed on-site, from the Bad Ass Ale (their signature brew, which has a higher-than-usual alcohol content) to the Paramount Porter. An extended happy hour is offered most weekdays (11am-5pm), with discounted beer, wine, and food.
Casual lakefront restaurants on the South Shore aren’t easy to find, but the S Boathouse on the Pier (3411 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6722, 11:30am-9pm daily, $10-25) takes up the slack in fine style. Situated on a boardwalk pier built over the water at Timber Cove, this small restaurant provides big views of the azure waters of Lake Tahoe as the sun sinks over the western mountains. Pick a seat inside in the upstairs dining room, outside on the small upper deck, or at a picnic table on the pier. The food is classic California cuisine, with several creative fish, chicken, and beef dishes on the often-changing menu. For lunch, you can choose from gourmet sandwiches, salads, or a variety of small plates ($10-16). The only tricky part is finding this place. It’s located behind the Beach Retreat and Lodge at Tahoe (across from the Safeway on U.S. 50), so pull into their driveway and drive behind their buildings to reach the pier.
The picnic tables at Boathouse on the Pier are perched above the water.
When a restaurant has been written up by magazines like Bon Appétit and Wine Spectator and newspapers like the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, diners should expect great things. S Nepheles (1169 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-8130, www.nepheles.com, 5pm-close daily, $23-38) will exceed your expectations. The restaurant has been serving California cuisine near Heavenly Ski Resort since 1977, before most chefs knew what California cuisine was. Memorable appetizers include the swordfish egg rolls and seafood cheesecake. Entrées comprise traditional fare like rack of lamb and filet mignon and nontraditional fare like broiled elk, all prepared in fresh, creative ways. (Nephele was the Greek goddess of epicurean delights.) As an unusual sideline, the restaurant also has three private hot tubs for rent by the hour, so you can finish out your meal with a soothing soak.
German food is making a comeback and Himmel Haus (3819 Saddle Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/314-7665, www.himmelhaustahoe.com, 4pm-midnight Mon.-Fri., noon-midnight Sat.-Sun., $10-28) does it in fine style. Located across from Heavenly California’s base lodge (not the gondola), the Himmel Haus sign declares “We have the best wurst in town!” Yes, there are plenty of bratwursts and sausages on the menu, as well as traditional German schnitzels and pretzels served with dipping sauces. Diners sit at big wooden tables and dine with their neighbors. The beer is served in sizes all the way up to one liter; watch out for the big ones if you’re driving. Portions are also huge, so make sure you ski at Heavenly all day before you come here.
Located inside a 1960s-era strip mall, Freshie’s (3330 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-3630, 11:30am-9pm daily Dec.-Oct., $12-28) wins the award for “most uninspiring restaurant location,” but the owners have made the most out of what they had to work with. Beloved throughout the South Shore, Freshie’s has a fun, casual atmosphere (a Hawaiian surfing theme) and outstanding Pacific Rim-style dishes, Hawaiian-style ribs, inventive salads, and a great selection of microbrews. The fish tacos are delectable. In the summer months, you can forgo the strip mall altogether and eat outside on the rooftop deck.
If your stomach is set on classic Italian food, midtown’s S Scusa (2543 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-0100, www.scusalaketahoe.com, 5pm-9pm daily, $15-29) is the place on the South Shore. Since 1992, the restaurant has been doling out its famous cream of roasted garlic soup, plus pasta dishes served with a choice of 10 different sauces. The atmosphere is casual but classy; it’s fine to show up in your ski parka, but you’ll dine on white linen tablecloths. If you aren’t in a pasta mood, the menu also includes fresh fish, veal, shrimp, chicken, and vegetarian entrées. The lobster ravioli appetizer is legendary, and a saxophonist plays on weekend evenings.
For celebrating a special occasion with your sweetie, the intimate S Café Fiore (1169 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-2908, www.cafefiore.com, 5:30pm-10pm daily, $17-35) is the spot, with its fabulous Italian/continental cuisine and meager seven tables. Don’t imagine you will get in without reservations. The food at Café Fiore is miles away from the typical cannelloni and ravioli served at so many American Italian restaurants. Entrées include grilled lamb chops with shiitake mushrooms and pine nuts, grilled eggplant crepes stuffed with smoked salmon, and seafood linguine in a cognac, caper, and lemon butter sauce. Vegetarians always have a few interesting choices, and the garlic bread is to die for. The restaurant is located in a diminutive cottage behind Nepheles off Ski Run Boulevard and is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.
You can be transported to the Greek isles with just one meal at Artemis Mediterranean Grill (2229 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-2500, www.artemismediterraneangrill.com, 11am-10pm daily, $8-24). Despite its unpromising location on U.S. 50 in the King’s Trading Post shopping center, this small restaurant is surprisingly cozy inside and serves decidedly un-Tahoe-like fare. Authentic Mediterranean gyros and pita sandwiches come in a variety of meats (lamb, chicken, venison, roast duck, etc.). The Artemis burger, made with ground venison, pomegranate barbecue sauce, and crumbled gorgonzola, will blow your mind. Vegetarians have a choice of some spectacular soups and salads as well as several vegetarian entrées, and Greek traditionalists can order the eggplant and lamb moussaka for dinner and house-made baklava for dessert. In 2014, Artemis opened a second location at Ski Run Marina (530/542-3332), and that location serves breakfast, too.
If you like your Mexican food on the authentic side, and if to you that means a place with a cracked linoleum floor, multiple TVs blaring soccer matches, an awesome salsa bar, and gigantic burritos, then make tracks for Taqueria Jalisco (3097 Harrison Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-6516, 11am-8pm daily, $5-8). Be forewarned that this is not the place for people who like to eat at Chevy’s or Baja Fresh. Also, know in advance that South Shore locals claim this as their own special place—mostly because it’s darn near impossible for anybody else to find the front door. Here’s the secret: Taqueria Jalisco is directly behind Rojo’s and the veterinarian’s office in the strip mall near the junction of San Francisco Street and U.S. 50. Jalisco’s does not face the street; its door opens out to the back of the parking lot. Once inside, order a quesadilla or a super burrito, and you won’t need to eat again for about 12 hours. Never, ever skip the salsa bar. That’s like going to Disneyland and not seeing Mickey Mouse.
The same Taqueria Jalisco folks run a second taqueria with an easier-to-find location. Jalisco’s Grill (2660 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/600-1775, 11am-8pm daily, $7) is in the small shopping center that houses Whiskey Dick’s and Off the Hook Sushi. The food is as tasty and cheap as at the other location. Fill your belly and feel thrifty at the same time.
When Tahoe locals want a seafood lunch or dinner, The Fresh Ketch (2435 Venice Dr., Tahoe Keys Marina, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5683, www.thefreshketch.com, 11:30am-9:30pm daily, $12-38) is where they go. It’s far enough off the beaten U.S. 50 track (tucked into Tahoe’s only inland marina, Tahoe Keys) that most casual tourists would never find it. The Fresh Ketch prides itself on a wide selection of fresh fish, from ahi tuna to smoked trout. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday they serve sushi as well. Two separate dining areas are available: The upstairs is more formal; the downstairs opens earlier (at 11:30am) and is more casual and less expensive. Both have views of the boats in the Tahoe Keys Marina. Live music plays downstairs several nights a week. In summer, even the kids will be comfortable dining here at the patio tables outside on the grass.
Owned and operated by the same folks who run Gar Woods on the North Shore, Riva Grill (900 Ski Run Blvd., Ski Run Marina, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-2600, www.rivagrill.com, noon-9:30pm Mon.-Thurs., noon-10pm Fri.-Sat., $29-43) offers fine dining at the Ski Run Marina. Just like at Gar Woods, Riva Grill is known for its long list of well drinks with provocative, “wink-wink” names. The Wet Woody, a rum-and-fruit concoction, is their trademark elixir. Dinner may be a little expensive, but at least you don’t have to add in the cost of valet parking; it’s free. The menu includes several seafood dishes, plus free-range chicken, braised lamb shank, and filet mignon. The dining room is decorated with lots of stylish, polished mahogany, just like those fast wooden boats of days gone by. The outside deck has only a so-so view of the lake; the upstairs windows offer a more expansive view.
For high-quality food from the British Isles, pay a visit to MacDuff’s Pub (1041 Fremont Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-8777, www.macduffspub.com, noon-11pm daily, $12-29), tucked away on a quiet street in the Bijou neighborhood, two blocks off U.S. 50 (near the bowling alley). The pub has a Scottish bent, but its menu is surprisingly international: Moroccan lamb burger, truffle macaroni and cheese, French onion soup, veggie burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and, of course, shepherd’s pie. The upstairs bar is usually a bustling, noisy place; the downstairs dining room is more sedate. Save room for MacDuff’s bread pudding; it’s the kind of dessert experience you think about for days afterward.
One of the best things about a vacation in Tahoe is that in terms of dining, it’s not that different from a vacation in San Francisco. Think you can’t get good sushi in the mountains? Think again. The Naked Fish (3940 Hwy. 50 #3, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-3474, www.thenakedfish.com, 5pm-9:30pm Mon.-Fri., noon-3pm and 5pm-10pm Sat.-Sun., $7-15) is located right on the main drag in South Lake Tahoe. From the outside, the setting doesn’t look altogether promising. But step inside and you’re in a blue-green world that shifts your mindset, and your appetite, to ocean-fresh fish in no time at all. Sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, tempura—they do it all here, and they do it well. Order a Big Kahuna roll and you’ll be in heaven. An additional space, called the Naked Fish Lounge, offers cocktail specials and sushi appetizers —a good thing on Saturday nights when the wait for a table can be long.
South Lake is blessed with two more excellent sushi restaurants. Off The Hook (2660 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5599, www.offthehooksushi.com, 11:30am-2:30pm and 4:30pm-9pm Mon.-Fri., 2pm-10pm Sat.-Sun., $7-15) can also satisfy your cravings for wasabi and pickled ginger. A diverse menu includes more than 60 rolls, including some creative choices with macadamia nuts and other unusual ingredients. If you want something cooked, not raw, order the Dragon Balls, which are spicy tuna with shrimp and crab in an inari pocket, deep fried and topped with eel sauce. Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty of options here.
Samurai (2588 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-0300, www.sushitahoe.com, 5pm-close daily, $7-20) has been serving sushi at the lake since 1984. They were the first sushi bar in South Lake Tahoe. Have a seat around the 1960s-era circular fireplace or pull up a stool at the sushi bar and look forward to well-prepared fresh fish, an Asian-bistro menu of cooked fare, and a huge variety of chilled and warm sake. If you aren’t well-versed in sake, order one of the four sake samplers and learn the finer points. Large groups (up to 12 people) can reserve the private Tatami room. Happy hour on weekdays (5pm-6:45pm) offers a selection of discounted hand rolls and half-price beer or hot sake.
A favored coffee shop for those who disdain the Starbucks conglomerate is Alpina Coffee Café (822 Emerald Bay Rd./Hwy. 89, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-7449, 7am-3pm daily), contained in a charming cottage on the road to Emerald Bay. In the summer, coffee drinkers and their dogs sit out in the small garden. There isn’t a whole lot on the menu here (although the upside-down bran muffins are a sellout every day), but that’s just fine with the loyal patrons, who are more than satisfied with a bagel, a latte, and a chance to read the newspaper among friends, or get connected with free Internet service. The coffee is roasted locally by Alpen Sierra Roasters. Tea drinkers: You’ll find more than two dozen choices here.
At the head of the class of old-school burger joints is the Burger Lounge (717 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-2010, www.burgerloungeintahoe.com, 11am-8pm daily June-Sept., Tues.-Sun. Oct.-May, $9-12), where everyone can find a burger to suit their taste, even if that means it’s a veggie burger or a turkey burger or a hamburger smothered in peanut butter (it tastes as weird as it sounds, but people order it anyway). All their burgers are half-pounders, so you won’t be wondering where the meat is. Onion rings and french fries are a big deal here (get a half order unless you have the appetite of a sumo wrestler). Especially popular are the pesto fries and Cajun fries. Sure, they are greasy, but isn’t that the point? The inside seating is minimal, but in the summer everyone wants a table outside anyway.
If you’re cruising up Emerald Bay Road, you can’t miss Sonney’s BBQ Shack (787 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-7427, 11am-11pm daily, $11-30), about a half-mile north of the Y. Sonney Bruning has been making his own mouth-watering barbecue sauce for more than 20 years, and now he has a restaurant in which to serve it. The Shack fits the bill after a day of skiing, when all you want is a half-rack of protein, or some meat on a bun slathered in spicy-sweet sauce. It’s also a great place in summer, when you can sit outside at the outdoor patio. Order anything on the menu and you’ll be happy.
From the outside, this intimate fine-dining restaurant looks like somebody’s cozy cottage in the pines. But S Evan’s (536 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-1990, www.evanstahoe.com, 5:30pm-close daily, $26-38) is a long-standing success story on Tahoe’s southwest shore, serving up classic continental cuisine just at the edge of the city limits. It’s far from the madding crowds of downtown, but close enough to be an easy drive from anywhere in South Lake. Entrées include roast venison with wild-rice cakes, veal sweetbreads, rack of lamb, and fresh seafood. The seared foie gras is a standout appetizer. Zagat gives it 27 points out of 30, and Bon Appétit magazine called this 11-table restaurant “a jewel.” Its size is both an asset and a liability: The intimacy is lovely, but the dining room gets noisy when every table is filled.
On weekend nights, The Cantina (765 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-1233, www.cantinatahoe.com, 11:30am-9pm daily, $12-28) always has a packed parking lot. This “nontraditional” Mexican restaurant serves up smoked chicken polenta, Texas crab cakes, and a calamari relleno, as well as the more typical burritos, tacos, and fajitas. Wash it all down with one of the Cantina’s salt-rimmed margaritas or one of their 30 different beer varieties. Drinks are a lot cheaper during the weekday happy hour (3pm-6pm). Salsa and chips come to your table the moment you sit down.
South of the Y in South Lake Tahoe are two great breakfast places situated right across the street from each other. On the west side of U.S. 50 is Bert’s (1146 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-3434, 7am-2pm daily, $7-14). On the east side is Ernie’s (1207 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-2161, www.erniescoffeeshop.com, 6am-2pm daily, $8-16). It’s only fair to mention them together because they are related so closely in geography, menu, and quality. Both restaurants serve dependably good food and offer all the standard coffee-shop fare: eggs, omelets, pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, and huevos rancheros. Ernie’s has a few vegan choices, plus a health-oriented dish called Cassie’s protein pancakes. Bert’s also serves an outstanding corned beef hash, eggs Benedict, and a California breakfast burrito. So how do you choose between the two? If you are eating with a large family or group, you’ll do better at Ernie’s, which is the larger of the two and has big booths that can accommodate a crowd. Tahoe locals tend to prefer Bert’s because of its more intimate space and old-style-coffee-shop atmosphere. But really, you can’t go wrong at either one.
Good Chinese food is hard to find in South Lake Tahoe, but your best bet is Hunan Garden (900 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5868, www.hunangardentahoe.com, 11am-9:30pm daily, lunch $8, dinner $13). If you’re a fan of chicken with black bean sauce, mu shu pork, Szechuan chicken, or kung pao seafood, you’ll find it here. Most people go for the bargain-priced buffet that is usually offered at lunch and dinner, but you can also order from an extensive menu.
For simple Italian food that the whole family will enjoy (nothing too cutting-edge), Passaretti’s (1181 Hwy. 89, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-3433, www.passarettis.com, 11am-9pm daily, $14-26) serves up steaming plates of pasta, pasta, and more pasta in a wide variety of shapes and flavors. Lasagna, manicotti, ravioli—all the carb-loading basics are done well here. A few seafood, steak, and veal dishes will satisfy high-protein dieters. All meals begin with a trip to the hearty salad-and-soup bar—a great start when you are starving after a day on the slopes.
South of the Y, Lake Tahoe Pizza Company (1168 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-1919, www.laketahoepizzaco.com, 4pm-9:30pm daily) also serves a decent version of the dough, cheese, and tomato sauce gambit. Several gourmet-style toppings are available in addition to the classics like pepperoni and mushrooms. The restaurant’s friendly atmosphere, large salad bar, and affordable prices attract a loyal following. For about $40, four people could eat well here.
In Meyers, just off the main artery from Echo Pass and South Lake, Verde Mexican Rotisserie (3141 Hwy. 50, Meyers, 530/573-0700, www.verdemexicanrotisserie.com, 11am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-4pm Sun., $7-15) serves rotisserie chicken, mahi-mahi, pork, and beef, either as full plates with side dishes and corn tortillas, or shredded for tacos, salads, and quesadillas. Many of the meats are free-range and antibiotic-free. Even though plenty of tri-tip plates leave the kitchen, vegan and vegetarian diners have good choices here, too, including veggie tacos and burritos and a couple of huge salads.
The South Lake Tahoe Airport (1841 Airport Rd., 530/541-2110, www.mountainwestaviation.com) is not operational for commercial flights, although plenty of private pilots enjoy the privilege of landing here. Those of us without private planes can fly into Reno-Tahoe International Airport (2001 E. Plumb La., Reno, 775/328-6400, www.renoairport.com) and then rent a car or take bus, shuttle, or limousine service to the South Shore. South Tahoe Express (866/898-2463, www.southtahoeexpress.com, $29.75 adult one-way, $53 round-trip; children under 12 $16.75 one-way, $30.25 round-trip) runs a shuttle service several times each day between Reno-Tahoe International Airport and the South Shore’s casinos and hotels.
For a more private (and pricier) ride, on-demand limousine service is offered by Bell Limousine (775/786-3700 or 800/235-5466, www.bell-limo.com), Executive Limousine (775/333-3300, www.exlimo.com), and No Stress Express (775/885-9832, www.nostressexpress.com).
Visitors can also fly into the Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, or San Jose airports, then rent a car to drive to Lake Tahoe. Sacramento Airport is 2 hours from the South Shore; the three other airports are about 3.5 hours away.
There are many possible driving routes to the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. From the San Francisco Bay Area or Sacramento, the primary route is to take U.S. 50 east through Placerville and over Echo Summit to South Lake Tahoe (about 2 hours or 100 miles from Sacramento and 3.5 hours or 200 miles from San Francisco).
From Reno-Tahoe International Airport, take U.S. 395 south through Carson City, then take U.S. 50 west to South Lake Tahoe (about one hour or 60 miles).
Visitors can reach South Lake Tahoe by two major bus lines: Greyhound Bus Lines (800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com) or Amtrak Bus (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com). The bus depot is located at the South Y Transit Center (1000 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe). The Amtrak bus is the most convenient, as it travels daily to and from South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento, with a stop in Placerville.
The nearest Amtrak train depots are in Truckee or Reno; both cities are a little more than an hour’s drive from South Lake Tahoe. Amtrak buses and/or other bus services travel between Truckee and Reno and South Lake. The Amtrak Thruway Station (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) is located at the South Y Transit Center (1000 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe).
Public transportation services are easy to come by in South Lake Tahoe. Many casinos and ski resorts provide free shuttle service; low-cost buses, trolleys, and taxis are widely available. And with all the traffic in the downtown area, public transportation is a much better way to go than driving your own car.
Public transportation is available by bus year-round from BlueGo (530/541-7149, www.bluego.org). Fixed bus routes between Stateline and the Y run 5:15am-12:45am daily. Additional fixed-route buses travel in winter only to the ski resorts. Tickets are $2 per person one-way or $5 for an all-day pass. You can also “order” door-to-door service on BlueGo through their on-demand shuttle service. Self-service touch-screen kiosks and phones are located at various locations throughout the South Shore from Meyers to Zephyr Cove, including Zephyr Cove Resort, Hard Rock Casino, South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, Super 8 Motel, the McDonald’s at Ski Run and at the Y, Embassy Suites, Camp Richardson Resort, and many other spots. Order service by kiosk or phone, or on the Internet at www.bluego.org. Advance reservations are advised. If you order service and wish to get a ride as soon as possible, the reservation system will inform you of your estimated wait time.
The Nifty Fifty Trolley, operated by BlueGo, offers narrated tours combined with shuttle service (9:15am-7:15pm summer only) throughout the length of the South Shore. The trolleys are open-sided buses—replicas of 19th-century streetcars with polished oak seats and brass poles—that allow riders to enjoy the fresh mountain air while they travel. Trolley drivers provide passengers with tips on things to see and do, and give out information on Tahoe’s history, flora, and fauna. (Some drivers are talkative and enthusiastic; others behave like they barely tolerate living at Lake Tahoe.) Two routes are available on the Nifty Fifty Trolley—one heading north from the South Y Transit Center to Emerald Bay and D. L. Bliss State Park, the other heading east to the casinos and Stateline (Kingsbury Transit Station). Riders can get on and off as often as they like with a $5 all-day pass, or ride one-way for $2. The Nifty Fifty pass is also good on BlueGo’s fixed bus routes.
Cruise guests on the Tahoe Queen or MS Dixie II can take advantage of free shuttle service from the South Shore area to the boats’ respective marinas at Zephyr Cove and Ski Run. In the winter months, Heavenly Resort and Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort offer free ski shuttles from various locations along U.S. 50 and the South Shore to the slopes. Contact the resorts for more information.
If you’d like to get from the South Shore to the North Shore in the summer months, the Emerald Bay Shuttle (775/323-3727, www.laketahoetransit.com) travels from Emerald Bay northward to Tahoe City. The service usually runs late June-Labor Day only.
And if you need to go to or from Reno-Tahoe International Airport and the South Shore, your best bet is the South Tahoe Express (866/898-2463, www.southtahoeexpress.com), which offers 11 daily departures between the airport and the South Shore’s major casinos and resorts. The cost is $29.75 per adult one-way or $53 round-trip. The fee for children under 12 riding with their parents is $16.75 one-way or $30.25 round-trip.
To get current updates on road conditions on the California side of the South Shore, phone 800/427-7623 or visit www.dot.ca.gov. To get current updates on Nevada road conditions, phone 877/687-6237 or visit www.nvroads.com.
For car rentals in South Lake Tahoe, try Enterprise Rent-a-Car (2281 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-8844, www.enterprise.com) at U.S. 50 and Tahoe Keys Boulevard. Avis Rent-a-Car (775/588-4450) is located inside Harrah’s casino, and Hertz Rent-a-Car (775/586-0041 or 800/654-3131) is located inside Harveys casino. All the major car-rental agencies are also available at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
Yellow Cab Company (530/544-5555 or 775/588-1234) offers taxi service in South Lake Tahoe and Stateline.
Several visitors centers are located in and around the South Shore. At Heavenly Village, the Explore Tahoe: An Urban Trailhead (4114 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-2908, www.cityofslt.us, call for hours) is a joint project between the City of South Lake Tahoe, the U.S. Forest Service, and the California Tahoe Conservancy. There’s plenty to interest kids and adults here, including a large plasma-screen television displaying continuous video about the Lake Tahoe basin, and a children’s table with a wildlife guessing game. Forest Service personnel are on hand to answer all your questions about where to hike, bike, ski, and sightsee. The center is located at the Heavenly Village Transit Center, so you can easily ride the Nifty Fifty Trolley or BlueGo bus here.
Across the street from Lakeside Inn and Casino near Kahle Community Park is the Lake Tahoe Visitor Authority’s Nevada office (169 Hwy. 50, 3rd Fl., Stateline, 775/588-5900, www.tahoesouth.com). The California office of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (3066 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5050 or 530/541-5255, www.tahoesouth.com) is next door to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum near El Dorado Beach. These visitors centers are particularly helpful if you are looking for lodging, restaurants, tours, or businesses of any kind. The visitors centers on the South Shore keep fairly standard summer hours, usually 10am-5pm daily, but winter hours vary, so call ahead.
The U.S. Forest Service has two visitors centers in South Lake Tahoe. At the main U.S. Forest Service office (35 College Dr., South Lake Tahoe, 530/543-2600, www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri.), you will find tons of information on hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities on Forest Service land. Books on Tahoe’s natural history are for sale, as well as hiking maps and guides. The much smaller Taylor Creek Forest Service visitors center (Hwy. 89, 530/543-2674, 8am-5:30pm daily mid-June-Sept., 8am-4:30pm daily Oct.), three miles north of the Y, is by the parking lot near the Stream Profile Chamber.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe, a nonprofit organization, has an interpretive center and bookstore located in downtown South Lake Tahoe (2608 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-5388, www.keeptahoeblue.org, 9am-5pm daily June-Aug., weekdays only Sept.-May).
Need to check your email or surf the Web? Do so at the South Shore’s two public libraries: the El Dorado County Library (1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530/573-3185) or the Douglas County Library (233 Warrior Way, Zephyr Cove, 775/588-6411). Or buy a cup of java at one of a handful of local coffeehouses that allow free wireless Internet use for their customers: Alpina Coffee Café (822 Hwy. 89, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-7449) or Tahoe Keys Café (2279 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/542-3800). You’ll be supporting local businesses and also getting a taste of the homey South Shore vibe. Wireless users can also head to any of five Starbucks locations or two McDonald’s locations on the South Shore to access Wi-Fi hot spots, but you won’t find any homey vibes there.
If you’re driving around town, you may find that much of the South Lake Tahoe/Stateline area has wireless access. The BlueGo public transportation system, with on-demand kiosks at locations throughout the South Shore, has created more than 30 Wi-Fi hot spots.
South Lake Tahoe is served by Barton Memorial Hospital (2170 South Ave., South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-3420, www.bartonhealth.org) as well as two 24-hour emergency care centers: Tahoe Urgent Care (2130 Hwy. 50, South Lake Tahoe, 530/541-3277) and Stateline Medical Center (150 Hwy. 50, Stateline, 775/589-8900).