When visiting South Lake Tahoe in the winter, you feel both tucked away in the mountains and open for an adventure. This destination creates the impossible to find vacation balance – managing to feel like a cloister escape while at the same time having tons of great options for dining, activities, and even a wide variety of local artisans.
Growing up in the East, Lake Tahoe was an almost mythic place. A mountain with endless trails, a breathtakingly vibrant lake, and some of the best skiing in the West. As soon as we moved to Southern California, our aspirations for actually visiting became tangible. I’ll never forget the first time I crested the ridge of the Southern road in – a sugar dipped world spread in front of me. I stopped for a picture, even before Instagram – when photos were just for ourselves.
Now, we’ve visited South Lake Tahoe more than nearly any other destination. It’s where we learned we were pregnant with our daughter, it’s where Augustine first saw snow and it’s the spot of our first multi-family vacation. In all the years, we’ve made a list of our favorite spots, so, when you plan your trip, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Planning Your Trip
When to Visit Visiting
Tahoe in the winter and summer are almost two completely different destinations. For this piece, we’re focusing only on Tahoe in Winter. The ski runs and the snow in Tahoe usually stretch from the very end of November to about April. Crowds pile up on weekends and around holidays (especially Spring Break which hits Mid-March). Visit mid-week late January/early February for your best chance to best the crowds.
If you want to visit on the weekend and/or on a holiday, don’t worry – here are some tips for having a great trip even on a busy day.
- Reserve passes and skis in advance.
- Pick Up Your Skis the Night Before.
- Head higher up the mountain or to the further away ski hills.
- Make Dinner and Apres Ski Reservations the day before or the morning of.
- Hike – even when it’s really busy, the winter hiking trails are usually empty.
- Get to Breakfast Early
How Long to Visit
Tahoe has a large weekend draw from the nearby cities, which can sometimes make it feel like a two day getaway. For me, I wouldn’t go to Tahoe for less than four days – that’s two full days with two half travel days.
Getting to Lake Tahoe:
By Air:
The closest and most accessible airport to Tahoe is Reno-Tahoe International Airport. It’s roughly an 1.25 hour drive from the airport to Tahoe. The other options are Sacramento or San Francisco, but, with an approx 3.5 hour drive, we prefer Reno.
There is a small South Lake Tahoe airport, and a airplane taxi service (Gary Air Charter Service) that can get you there. Please let us know if you try it.
Airport Shuttle:
There are a couple of shuttle companies that operate from the Reno-Tahoe Airport, starting around $30 per person. Most group shuttles only directly service the main hotels in South Tahoe, which means that you might need to walk to the non-serviced hotel properties or hire a car for the rest of the trip. I would highly recommend just renting a car at the airport though, especially if more than one person will be make the trip.
By Car:
Tahoe is completely accessible by car, though sometimes the roads get icy. We have driven to Tahoe from Los Angeles three times. There are two routes, into South Lake Tahoe, one dropping down from Reno in the North and a more curvy route coming in from the South. If renting a car, talk to the rental agency about snow tires or 4WD vehicles in case of inclement weather. If driving your own car with out snow tires and 4WD, pack chains in case the roads get icy.
Getting Around:
If you’re staying in a resort or casino, you’ll be within walking distance to nearly all of the central South Tahoe area. However, if you want to explore further out, you’ll need a car. Rentals are available within the city itself. So, if you don’t drive in and just want to explore the surroundings for one day – there’s no need to get a rental for your entire trip.
How Expensive is South Lake Tahoe
Excluding skiing from the bottom line, South Lake Tahoe is a very affordable destination. Away from the central downtown area, there are tons of reasonably priced dining and accommodation options. Even within the more densely populated downtown (around Heavenly Resort), there are happy hour, apres ski, and other specials that make going out very affordable.
As for ski prices, most of the mountain options around Tahoe are priced similar to all other California Mountains. With lift tickets and rental staring around $160 a day. To save money book your lift tickets in advance and rent from an off-site rental house.
The Areas of South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is just a section of Lake Tahoe as a whole. Let me break down the few different areas of South Lake and then describe the vibe of the different mountains accessible while staying here.
South Lake Central – I consider this the more densely packed area that stretches along Lake Tahoe Boulevard from the state line straddling casinos in the North to a quarter mile or so South from Heavenly. This is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for an easy, walkable vacation. From any of the hotels near here, you can walk to plenty of restaurants, ski Heavenly Mountain, and even get in some shopping.
Waterfront – While separating this area out from South Lake Tahoe Central might be splitting hairs, I think it’s important to make the designation because resorts and hotels closer to the water take on a different feel. As opposed to the high-rise corporate feeling found along Lake Tahoe Boulevard, many of the waterfront hotels feel more homely, can be larger, and/or have unique theming. The walkable options tend to shrink to just a handful of restaurants, but these restaurants are usually local favorites or have a more ‘mom and pop’ feel.
Great South Lake Tahoe – Moving away from Central South Lake Tahoe and the Waterfront area usually means heading either further into the woods/mountains or further South. While you will need a car to visit and especially stay in these areas, there are plenty of great local gems tucked away. Some of our favorite include Hansen’s Snow Tube & Saucer Hill, the Himmel House, and the Cascade Lake Hike (totally doable in winter).
Different Mountains, Different Vibes
One of the best parts of visiting Lake Tahoe is how easy it is to ski so many different mountains all in one trip. Each place has it’s own vibe, here are some of our favorites.
Squaw Valley as Best All Around – Not only has Squaw Valley hosted the Olypmics, it has been voted ‘the Best Ski Resort’, ‘Best in California’, and ‘Best Terrain in Tahoe’. While a bit of a drive from Central South Lake Tahoe, this mountain is home to the second-largest ski in California, with 30 chairlifts and 270 trails. Great for all skill levels, this mountain is great for begins because all the green runs are clustered together, opening the day up to a variety of possibility that will keep the session fresh and exciting.
Heavenly for Location – Visiting South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Mountain is clearly the big dog. It’s got a massive ski area – absolutely huge – with a wide range of runs for moderate to advanced skiers. It’s also beautiful, on a clear day you can see from the valley to the lake.
The vibe here is a family, a bit weekend warrior. This resort can get very busy, but there are rarely long lines at the lifts. You’ll experience the most crowding at the on mountain restaurants and cafeterias. Especially if you get off towards the blacks and expert only area, you’ll only see a handful of people all day.
Tip: For beginning skiers, this is one of the best options in the area but does not have a ton of greens. More over, it can be challenging for beginning skiers to get from one area of the map to another. If you’re heading out here, you have two options, the small ski ‘learning’ area off the
Kirkwood for Advanced – Probably my favorite place to ski in the world. This spot is so isolated and distant, it’s hard to believe it’s still consider within Tahoe. Even within the Tahoe ski scene, this mountain is considered king. It’s home to some of the most challenging and expert runs in the area. I’ve spoken with several ex-Kirkwood employees and each of them have horror stories of moderate skiers getting in over the head and ending up hurt. That’s not to say ‘be afraid of this mountain’, but understand your ski level and stick to runs that play to your strong suit
Where to Stay
Just like city, there is a huge variety of accommodations in South Lake Tahoe . When looking to book your hotel in South Lake Tahoe, think about how big your group (couples retreat, multi-family getaway) will be and what your ideal week will include.
Top Sights to See
Emerald Bay State Park – This is a beautiful scenic drive that is about 40 minutes from Heavenly Resort. Bring your camera, warm clothes, and snacks.
Tubing at Heavenly or Sierra-at-Tahoe Resorts – Additionally on the drive out to Emerald Bay viewpoint, you can easily just park the car and tube on any of those hills for free.
Zephyr Cove Snowmobile Center is on the Nevada side of the lake and fun for a half-day snowmobile adventure. Most kids can join too.
Sleigh Rides – Around Christmastime we love to join a horse sleigh ride, and The Borges Family has been giving rides since 1967. You’ll be singing Christmas songs the whole time while jingle bells are ringing.
Ice Skating – There are several ice rinks around the lake, but our favorite is the one in Heavenly Village as it’s easy to stop there and then have dinner at one of the nearby restaurants (parking only once).
