Can you answer Driss R’s question about Lake Tahoe?:

Please be specific, Where, What and When (Winter Vs Summer)
Thanx

Lake Tahoe Outdoor Weddings

If you’re looking for a summer vacation with mountain fresh air and mild temperatures, then Lake Tahoe is the place for you.  The average summer temperatures are in the 70s and 80s.  Tahoe is known for its clear blue water and beautiful mountains surrounding the alpine lake some 4,500 miles above sea level.  The lake’s western shore in California offers several activities for summer vacationers.  From Tahoe City down to Emerald Bay, the west side has lodging, restaurants, boating, kayaking, boat cruises, swimming, hiking, rafting and tours of historic sites.

Tahoe City, the largest city on the western side, offers several options for your summer vacation.  The city has many places to stay and eat with plenty of lake side dinning choices.  The Sunnyside Lodge offers the mountain grill on their large deck overlooking the lake.  The grill has a casual atmosphere where kids are welcome.  The menu consists of appetizers, sandwiches, seafood dishes and salads.  The Calamari steak sandwich is my favorite menu item. Sunnyside is also a lodge that has been a landmark on Lake Tahoe since the 1950s. Their location is right on the lakefront with 23 guestrooms and suites.

Rafting and boat cruises are also popular activities in Tahoe City.  You can take a leisurely, self guided raft down the Truckee River.  The trip is a five mile float down the river ending up at the River Run restaurant. About half way down the river along the shore is an ice cream vendor.  This stop is a nice break and provides a cool treat on a summer afternoon.  You can also enjoy a nice meal along the river at the restaurant at the end of your trip.  From the restaurant you can take a bus back to your car on highway 89.  There are two different rafting companies on highway 89 offering rentals.

Departing from Tahoe City, the North Tahoe Cruises offer sightseeing boat cruises on the Tahoe Gal.  They offer four different daily cruises; a shoreline brunch cruise, a lunch cruise to Emerald Bay, a cocktail cruise and sunset dinner cruise.  We took the sunset dinner cruise that goes along the northern shore.  This cruise features views of some of the luxury lakefront homes and beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Further down the shore on Tahoe’s west side, between Homewood and Meeks Bay, is Sugar Pine Point State Park.  The park has many miles of inland hiking trails and a variety of trees including the park’s namesake, the sugar pine.  The park also has two miles of lakefront, but the beaches are too rocky for many beach activities.  Another attraction here is the rustic three-story Ehrman Mansion which was built in the early 1900s and is open for guided tours.

In Meek Bays at the Meeks Bay Resort and Marina, you have several summer activities to choose from.  Boat, canoe and kayak rentals are available along with access to beautiful white sand beaches, barbeques and designated swimming areas.  Meeks Bay also offers fishing, hiking and the Washoe Cultural Art Festival.  The Meeks Bay Resort offers a variety of lodging choices.  You can stay in log cabins along the lakefront or stay in a historic mansion.  The Kehlet Mansion rests on the bay’s north point and offers impressive views of the lake.

Emerald Bay is located in the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe and is home to a unique Vikingsholm mansion built in 1868 and features Scandinavian architecture.  The bay also has a small island, Fannette Island, where a Tea House was built.  This is the only island to be found on Lake Tahoe.  You can get to the Vikingholm by boat or by hiking down the trail from the parking lot on Highway 89.  The hike is about one mile and drops 500 feet to the base of the bay where the house is located.

Down the road from the Vikingshom parking lot, you will come to the Eagle Falls Picnic Area parking lot on highway 89.  From here you can hike the trail that leads to the Upper Eagle Falls which is about a one-third a mile away.  The hike is very rocky and has steep areas that drop off suddenly.  The trail offers several breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe.  If you keep climbing further up the trail you’ll reach Eagle Lake.  The hike is two miles round trip if you go all the way to the lake.

The west side of Lake Tahoe has plenty to offer summer vacationers.  From Tahoe City in the northwest down to Sugar Pine Point, Meeks Bay and Emerald Bay in the southwest, the western side of Lake Tahoe is a great choice during the summer months to enjoy all that Lake Tahoe has to offer.



Thanks to Rick Keel for contributing this article to our Lake Tahoe blog:

Embassy Suites South Lake Tahoe

Those looking for a good value in an all-inclusive conference center will find it here in the mountains of Northern California. Stanford Sierra Conference Center has attracted a wide variety of educational, scientific, social and corporate groups to the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake since 1905, when the facility served as a family camp for Stanford professors and alumni. The Old Lodge was built in 1932, and with its charming hardwood floor, high ceiling and stone fireplace, it is still in use. Set in the beautiful wilderness near South Lake Tahoe, California, the center still retains the serene natural splendor that has drawn groups here for generations.

If California were an independent nation it would have the world’s 7th largest economy. What better place to hold your next conference than the state that has so much to offer, from leading universities and business to natural beauty and a supremely talented work force? Just as California means business, so do we. Today, you’ll find an amazing facility offering 5 state of the art conference rooms with full audio/visual setups. The Angora Room and the Cathedral Room are approximately 2,000 square feet, boasting 9-foot ceilings and offering plenty of natural light. The Cathedral Room even has a fireplace. The Dinning Room has a beautifully crafted cathedral ceiling with open beams and chandeliers; it is our largest space at 3,667 square feet. In contrast, the Tallac Room is our smallest space at 350 square feet. Finally, we have the cozy Old Lodge Room at 720 square feet with great views and an attractive fireplace. Our conference, dinning and lodging facilities can comfortably accommodate up to 180 people.

Stanford Sierra Conference Center is an all-inclusive facility. Prices include three sumptuous meals daily, prepared under the supervision of our California Culinary Academy trained Chef Dave Dennis. You establish the schedule and Dave creates the menus from the very simple to elegant gourmet dinning. We make it our mission to see to every detail, from shuttle service, dining, to in-room massages, in order to make sure you and your group are free to focus on what’s important. However, with a boat dock, facilitated ropes course, great Mackinaw, Brown, Rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon fishing in the lake, miles of hiking trails and high-speed wireless, we have resources necessary to enrich and enhance your group’s experience. The center also has basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, a playground for the kids, and complimentary sailboats, kayaks and canoes available at our boat dock. You can also find a plethora of fun activities nearby, like horseback riding, mountain bike riding, and great golfing.

With all-inclusive accommodation packages starting at $142 per person, per day, Stanford Sierra Conference Center presents an unbeatable value. The center is available from late April to mid-June and early September to late November, with 52 cabins plus twelve single rooms. Furthermore, we’re able to offer exclusive use of the conference center to groups of 100 or more in the fall and 80 or more in the spring. Stanford Sierra’s relaxed atmosphere promotes inspiration and a focus on your meeting content. It’s the perfect setting for valuable networking and idea sharing opportunities among meeting attendees. Our dedicated staff, amazing facility and great value make it a must for you to have your next conference in California.



Thanks to Mike Jukov for contributing this article to our Lake Tahoe blog:

Things To Do In Lake Tahoe