For many Bay Area snow sport junkies, the winter months mean just one thing: Tahoe.
But there's more to the region than just shredding on-slope: ‘Tis the season for Nordic treks, snow tubing, fat biking, hot tubbing, après, and lazing fireside. Here are 50 of our favorite things to do in Lake Tahoe this winter.
(Courtesy of @tahoesleighride)
1. Book a rural getaway at the mountain-chic Rainbow Tavern & Lodge, built in 1869, on the Yuba River in Soda Springs. // therainbowlodge.com
2. Go dashing through the snow with Borges Sleigh & Carriage Rides at Sand Harbor Visitor's Center. // sleighride.com
3. Are you a first-time downhill skier? Reserve a lesson at Tahoe Donner. Kids can start lessons at age three. // tahoedonner.com
4. Unwind with a Journey Through the Forest spa treatment—including native essential oils, full-body massage and exfoliation, and a private soaking tub—at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe. // ritzcarlton.com
5. Start your Sunday with a Bloody Mary from Rosie’s Café in Tahoe City. // rosiescafe.com
6. Get your Epic Pass to ski at Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood. // epicpass.com
7. Experience foraged ingredient “forest beers” at the Good Wolf Brewing’s cozy taproom. // goodwolfbrewing.com
8. Want to impress? Dine privately at a lavish historic estate on the lake. // thunderbirdtahoe.org
9. Do après at the Tram Car Bar, housed in a—surprise!—refurbished 1970s tram car. // palisadestahoe.com
10. Ski like a local at smaller, uncrowded resorts like Homewood, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Mt. Rose, and Diamond Peak.
(Courtesy of @hangglidingtahoe)
11. Go on a powered hang-gliding adventure (heated flight suit and footwear included) that includes a lesson and opportunity to take over the controls. // hangglidingtahoe.com
12. Take your four-legged friend skijoring at one of the dog-friendly trails at Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center. // tahoedonner.com
13. Snowshoe the Donner Summit Canyon Trail. // truckeedonnerlandtrust.org
14. Grab your GPS and explore the Tahoe Rim Trail by snowshoe or cross-country. // tahoerimtrail.org
15. Catch the sunset at Hidden Beach; don’t forget your thermos‚and pack out what you bring in. // tahoepublicbeaches.org
16. Toast one another on a dinner cruise aboard a paddle wheeler; the M.S. Dixie II departs Zephyr Cove at sunset. //zephyrcove.com
17. Enjoy a romantic, memorable dinner at Moody’s Bistro, then stumble upstairs to bed in the historic Truckee Hotel. // truckeehotel.com
18. Rough it (kind of) at Camp Richardson, where year-round tent and RV camping is less than 30 minutes from South Shore ski resorts. // camprichardson.com
19. Take a fat bike adventure tour with Tahoe Jack’s. // tahoejacks.com
20. Grab the kids and head to Soda Springs' Tube Town. // skisodasprings.com
(Courtesy of @skisodasprings)
21. Catch a flick at the Tahoe Film Festival. // tahoefilmfest.com
22. Go glamping (or camping) in style at Desolation Hotel in Hope Valley. Choose from a yurt, cabin, Airstream, or campsite. // desolationhotel.com
23. Celebrate a winter wedding with valley views at Tannenbaum Event Center or farther afield at Portola’s exquisite Chalet View Lodge.
24. Take an avalanche safety or rescue course through Tahoe Mountain School. // tahoemountainschool.com
25. Practice your pirouette at the Lake Tahoe Ice Arena. // tahoeicearena.com
26. Revel in Bavarian style at Himmel Haus, Tahoe’s tastiest and rowdiest German restaurant and bierhaus. // himmelhaus.com
27. Don your red cowboy hat for Christmas on the Comstock, in Virginia City. // visitvirginiacitynv.com
28. Swim in the heated outdoor pool at Edgewood Tahoe Resort. // edgewoodtahoe.com
29. Check out First Thursday in Reno’s buzzy MidTown arts district. // renomidtown.com
30. Bring the whole family: Kids under 17 are free at South Tahoe’s tasteful Hotel Azure. // hotelazuretahoe.com
(Courtesy of @sierrahotsprings)
31. Turn up the tranquility with a stay at Sierra Hot Springs Resort & Retreat Center. // sierrahotsprings.org
32. Support local makers and snag some apothecary goods, home décor, or jewelry from Truckee’s Bespoke Atelier. // bespoketruckee.com
33. Bunk at one of the four Clair Tappan Backcountry Huts, accessible only by skis or snowshoes; be sure to reserve ahead. //clairtappanlodge.com
34. Earn your multi-course chalet dinner after a guided snowshoe trek. // palisadestahoe.com
35. Airbnbing it? Pick up a chicken pot pie from Crazy Good Bakery in South Lake Tahoe. // crazygoodbakery.com
36. Warm up après ski with a steamy bowl of pho from Reno’s Phở Kietzke. // facebook.com
37. Feel the need for speed on a Hope Valley snowmobile tour. // laketahoeadventures.com
38. Die-hard alpine aficionados will fall in love with the Museum of Sierra Ski History. // sierraskimuseum.com
39. Remember movie theaters? Catch a blockbuster or foreign release at Tahoe Art Haus, Tahoe City’s single-screen indie cinema. // tahoearthauscinema.com
40. Lake Tahoe’s depth means it doesn’t freeze, so rent a kayak or outrigger and get paddling. // watermanslanding.com
(Courtesy of @heidispancakehouse)
41. Carbo-load at South Shore’s most beloved breakfast spots: Red Hut Waffle Shop and Heidi’s Pancake House.
42. Shop for turquoise and Tahoe-themed pendants from Lala Jewelry. // lalajewelry.com
43. Channel Charles Dickens during the Nevada City Victorian Christmas. // nevadacitychamber.com
44. Let the kids loose at Hope Valley or Meiss Meadow Sno-Parks. Get your gear from Alpenglow Sports.
45. Do as the locals do and get your après on at “The Chammy,” aka Le Chamois & The Loft Bar. // squawchamois.com
46. Get off the beaten track and ski out-of-bounds terrain accessible by snowcat with Homewood Snowcat Adventures.
47. Support small-town arts and culture by attending a production at Truckee Community Theater. // truckeecommunitytheater.com
48. DIY your dinner at Incline Village’s charming La Fondue. // la-fondue.business
49. Sip on a Dirty Snowman by the ice at Northstar's Rink Bar. // northstarcalifornia.com
50. Ring in 2024 by watching the fireworks over Heavenly Valley. // visitlaketahoe.com
(Courtesy of Palisades Tahoe)
