California Travel Guide

South Lake Tahoe

Mark Twain thought this the 'most perfect landscape in the world' and it is easy to see why. It is a deep blue, inland sea surrounded by craggy peaks and trees. The lake is over 20 miles long, 12 miles across and over 1500 feet deep, it is also very cold. Positioned to the east of San Francisco between the Sierra Nevada and Carson mountain ranges it is one of the most popular attractions in the west.

In the winter the snowy peaks are a Mecca for skiers and snowboarders whilst in the summer the water attracts the sailing fraternity, the shoreline pulls in sunbathers and the mountains draw hikers.

A year round attraction (for those who are so inclined) are the casinos.

Surrounding Area

Skiing is huge here in the winter; the Squaw Valley resort hosted the winter Olympics of 1960. Ideally suited for weekending San Franciscans the many resorts get busy between November and April.

The Emerald Bay State Park is centred on the lakes only island. The icy, clear water makes this one of the most popular spots on the lakeside.

On the northern fringes of the lake lies Tahoe City, a more sedate spot than its neighbour on the south shore; this is a major activity centre all year round. Apart from skiing and hiking there is also white water rafting on the nearby Truckee River.

On the north-eastern shore is the Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park another activity centre with casinos. The chief attraction is the Ponderosa Ranch Western Theme Park (I can here you saying Oh - My - God) yes that's right this is a reconstruction of the Cartwright Ranch from the TV series Bonanza. Tacky is not strong enough a word.

South Lake Tahoe - the Town

This is the largest town on the lakeside; bizarrely it sits astride the California/Nevada state line. This means that in certain areas, one side of the street is pleasant small motels and shops (California) whilst on the other side are huge shiny hotels and cash guzzling casinos (Nevada). As with the other resorts on the lakeside South Lake Tahoe is a good base for exploring the surrounding countryside or engaging in the year round outdoor pursuits on offer.

Eating, Drinking and Sleeping

South Lake Tahoe offers the best choice of budget priced accommodation and many of the casinos seek to lure punters in with their 'all you can eat' buffets, doesn't that sound yummy? Hotel prices go through the roof in the summer but deals are to be had at any time of the year so it is worth shopping around.

Tahoe City is quieter but with some decent bars and restaurants may be more to many people's tastes.

Thu 4th Dec 2008