South Lake Tahoe Travel Forum

Hi everyone..

Tahoe looks lovely and I wanna go (it will be late August).. but I need some help ;)

First of all - can I visit without a car? I know there is a trolley that goes around so it seems like public transport is OK. (I am from England and not confident enough to drive).

Secondly - where should I stay? I'm not even sure what town to visit but here's what I'm looking for:
- I'm not into skiing even if there was snow that time of year
- I love beautiful scenery
- Not really much of a gambler, plus I'm happy to walk/ride a bus to those gambling places if need be
- I'd like to try some lake activities like water skiing, or swimming
- Not into the party lifestyle.. some quiet and serene would be perfect

I'd be coming from San Francisco - how can I get there? I think there is a greyhound bus that goes to Truckee, but if I decide not to stay in Truckee, how far away are the other towns?

Finally.. I've seen a map with 2 airports on it: Tahoe and Reno. Tahoe is not on any of the website's I've looked at, so I'm guessing its either closed or the map maker was mistaken. So.. how do I get from Truckee to Reno? How long would that take? Is Reno the best airport to go to, to get to Las Vegas (my next destination?)

Thank you for your time.. I realise its a tonne of questions and I really appreciate it!

Annie

Lake Tahoe airport has no scheduled services, only general aviation, corporate aviation and on-demand air services.

Hey!

You should really rent a car, it's easier than it seems driving on the other side of the road. Greyhound is the cheapest method to get to Lake Tahoe from San Francisco, but it's cheap for a reason. HORRIBLE expierence, nothing went wrong, I just hated it. There are many nice hikes and areas to explore around San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, but a car is basically needed. Oakland or San Francisco would have the cheapest flights to Las Vegas, even though Reno is closer. If you decide to rent a car, be sure to hike Mount. Tamalpais, it's only a 20 minute drive from San Francisco. While in Tahoe, look into jet-skis and white water rafting.

Hi, Annie! Tahoe is spectacular and will probably be the highlight of your trip if you love beautiful scenery. 1st--getting there--maybe check out the Amtrak California Zephyr train--it runs from San Francisco (Emeryville) to Truckee and on to Chicago. Google Amtrak or California Zephyr. I've heard that it's a great trip. I have not taken it or the bus to Tahoe so I can't recommend it but perhaps other VT's can. Once there, you can get around very easily with the Truckee/Tahoe trolley. Truckee is about 20 minutes from the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Where to stay--what's your price range? The South Shore is far busier because most of the casinos are there along with the tourists. I'd suggest Tahoe City or the west shore but I'm not sure what kind of place you are looking for--cabin, condo, hotel, hostel? My favorite city is Incline Village but it's rather pricey. There are absolutely wonderful water sports around the Lake...Kings' Beach (North Shore)has parasailing, jet-ski rentals, kayak rentals, waterski lessons, etc.(many other locations around the lake do as well). For really awesome scenery take the Heavenly (ski resort) Gondola ride to the top, have lunch up there, and take a hike--there are trails for all levels of difficulty. You can also do the same at Squaw Valley--also magnificent views. If you have someone to go with, raft the Truckee River or kayak it yourself. Take one of the steamboat trips over to Emerald Bay--the MS Dixie out of Zephyr Cove or the Tahoe Queen at the South Shore. There is also a wonderful moderate hike above Emerald Bay with spectacular views. One really peaceful and serene thing to do is sail on the Sierra Cloud--it's out of the Hyatt in Incline Village but open to anyone, not just hotel guests. I'm not sure if it will still be running because it closes mid-August, but see if you can catch the Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor--the most beautiful beach on the Lake. There's nothing better than sitting on the beach at sunset, sipping wine and nibbling gourmet food (sold right there) as Shakespeare is being performed. You will love it! There are a lot of free materials in every hotel and shopping area which are full of ideas (and Coupons!) for things to do. Finally--the closest major airports with flights to Las Vegas are Reno (35 mins from North Shore) or Sacramento (2 hours). There are two small private regional airports which won't help you. You can take the bus from Truckee to Reno--about 45 minutes. Enjoy Tahoe!

Hi, we spent 3 nights in South Lake Tahoe the beginning of last month, we stayed at the Timber Lodge, it is a Marriott property. I highly recommend it, great location, walking distance to Harvey's and Harrah's where we had great meals. There is a nice pool area and jacuzzi there and walking distance to Heavenly Village where there are cool shops and a movie theater.

We enjoyed driving around the lake and stopped at Incline Village at the Hyatt for lunch and a spa treatment at the Stillwater Spa there, very nice place with beautiful views and a pier to walk out on. We enjoyed great meals at Evan's, Cafe Fiore and a nice breakfast at the Red Hut Waffle Shop.

Our ride on the MS Dixie II was really fun, we did the scenic 2 hour cruise around Emerald Bay. I have information on my South Lake Tahoe travel page with photos if you're interested. Enjoy Tahoe, it's so pretty there! :)

Hi,
just returned from 4 weeks business trip to San Franciscos Bay Area. I think you should take a car there, but you can really relax as driving over there is much more relaxed as in Europe. With a car you will have perfect access also to remote areas and you will save time.
I will have to return there beginning of July and almost sure to be there still in August. If any help is needed, let me know!
Christian.