Must-see attractions in Lake Tahoe

  • Sugar Pine Point State park

    Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park

    Lake Tahoe

    The largest, and arguably most luxurious of the state parks at Lake Tahoe, Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine State Park (formerly known as Sugar Pine State Park), sits…

  • Tallac Historic Site

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Three 1920s-era estates – Baldwin, Pope and Valhalla – sprawl across this 150-acre site on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Free, self-guided tours wind…

  • Emerald Bay State Park

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved Emerald Bay, a teardrop cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most…

  • Fannette Island

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    This uninhabited granite speck in Emerald Bay State Park is Lake Tahoe’s only island. It holds the vandalized remains of a tiny 1920s teahouse belonging…

  • Tahoma, CA, USA - March 4, 2014: Vikingsholm is a preserved historic building at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. It is an excellent example of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere.
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    Vikingsholm Castle

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Heiress Lora Knight's quirky mansion on the bay, Vikingsholm Castle is the focal point of Emerald Bay State Park, and a rare example of ancient…

  • Donner Lake Playground

    Donner Lake

    Lake Tahoe

    West of Truckee, 3-mile-long Donner Lake is a busy recreational hub. The Donner Party camped nearby during the fateful winter of 1846. Donner Summit,…

  • Keri Oberly follows the wooden path leading to the trail, while out for her evening exercise in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
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Tahoe Meadows Ophir Creek Trailhead

    Tahoe Meadows

    Lake Tahoe

    Good for hikes in summer and skiing and snowshoeing in winter; there's also a sledding hill.

  • DL Bliss State Park

    Lake Tahoe

    DL Bliss State Park has the western shore's nicest beaches at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. A short nature trail leads to the Balancing Rock, a giant…

  • Thunderbird Lodge

    Lake Tahoe

    During summer, you can tour the eccentric Thunderbird Lodge, a neo-Gothic 1930s mansion. The only way to get to the lodge is by shuttle bus, leaving from…

  • Heavenly Gondola

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Soar to the top of the world as you ride this gondola, which sweeps you from Heavenly Village to some 2.4 miles up the mountain in just 12 minutes. From…

  • Kings Beach State Recreation Area

    Lake Tahoe

    In summer much of the action focuses on Kings Beach State Recreation Area, a 700ft-long beach that often gets deluged with sun-seekers and water rats. You…

  • Fanny Bridge

    Lake Tahoe

    Just south of the always-jammed Hwy 89/28 traffic stoplight junction, the Truckee River flows through dam floodgates and passes beneath this bridge,…

  • Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park

    Lake Tahoe

    Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park is the east shore's biggest draw with beaches and hiking for all. Summer crowds splash in the turquoise waters of Sand Harbor…

  • Meeks Bay

    Lake Tahoe

    With a wide sweep of shoreline, sleek and shallow Meeks Bay has warm water by Tahoe standards and is fringed by a beautiful, but busy, sandy beach. West…

  • Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    This small but interesting museum displays artifacts from Tahoe’s pioneer past, including Washoe tribal baskets, vintage black-and-white films, hoary…

  • Old Jail

    Lake Tahoe

    Continuously in use until the 1960s, this 1875 redbrick building is filled with relics from the wild days of yore. George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly was…

  • Sand Harbor

    Lake Tahoe

    Two sand spits have formed a shallow bay here, with brilliant, warm turquoise water and white, boulder-strewn beaches. It gets very busy, especially…

  • Granite Chief Wilderness

    Lake Tahoe

    Wonderful trails loop into the wild granite landscape, including a section of the 2659-mile Pacific Crest route. The area is notable for its dramatic…

  • Commons Beach

    Lake Tahoe

    Commons Beach is a small, attractive park with sandy and grassy areas, picnic tables, barbecue grills, a climbing rock and playground, as well as free…

  • Watson Cabin

    Lake Tahoe

    A few blocks east of the bridge over the Truckee River, this well-preserved 1908 settlers’ cabin made from hand-hewn logs is one of the town’s oldest…

  • Spooner Lake

    Lake Tahoe

    Spooner Lake is popular for catch-and-release fishing, picnicking, nature walks, backcountry camping and cross-country skiing. It's also the start of the…

  • Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

    Lake Tahoe

    This elegant 1903 Queen Anne–style mansion on the lakefront is also known as Pine Lodge. Guided tours take in the richly detailed interior, including…

  • Crystal Bay Casino

    Lake Tahoe

    Crossing into Nevada, the neon starts to flash and old-school gambling palaces appear. You can try your luck at the gambling tables or catch a live-music…

  • North Tahoe Regional Park

    Lake Tahoe

    North Tahoe Regional Park, at the northern end of National Ave, has hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails, a disc-golf course and nice…

  • Mt Rose Wilderness

    Lake Tahoe

    This wild, dramatic and mostly treeless mountain sits just northeast of Lake Tahoe. The protected wilderness area is a popular destination for hikers and…

  • El Dorado National Park

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    West of Lake Tahoe, this mountainous park contains the formidably named Desolation Wilderness within its boundaries.

  • Olympic Museum

    Lake Tahoe

    A fun retro exploration of the 1960 Olympics, featuring a film and much memorabilia. Located at High Camp.

  • Inspiration Point

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Swoon-worthy views of Emerald Bay, as the camera-wielding crowds testify.

  • Tahoe National Forest

    Lake Tahoe

    This forest can be accessed from Truckee; it features some great hikes leading you around Donner Summit.