If sipping wine under the stars while being serenaded by a small orchestra sounds like the perfect recipe for a romantic Tahoe getaway, well, you're right!

The Mammoth Mountain-based property management group, Cle Hospitality (who operates the boutiquey Avalon Lodge in South Lake Tahoe and the Historian Inn in the Carson Valley town of Gardnerville) is conducting a series of star-gazing tours this fall that combine lodging, guided tours of the night sky (complete laser pointer and telescope), vintage wine, tasty comestibles and the Reno Philharmonic supplying the live soundtrack.

Seven two-hour stargazing outings -- which will be conducted by astronomer/poet Tony Berendsen -- will be held in conjunction with the following astronomical events:

• The Orinoids meteor shower on Sunday, Oct. 21 (in Tahoe), and Monday, Oct. 22 (Carson Valley)
• The Leonids meteor shower on Saturday, Nov. 17 (Tahoe), and Sunday Nov. 18 (Carson Valley) 
• "The Blue Snowball" on Tuesday, Nov. 27 (Tahoe), and the Geminids meteor shower on Thursday, Dec. 13 (Carson Valley), and Friday, Dec. 14 (Tahoe)

Pricing for the tours range from $359 (two nights, single occupancy) to $389 (one night, double occupancy) to $549 (two nights, double occupancy). If you don't need a place to stay but would like to take part in the stargazing outing, the cost is $129 per person.

For further information or to book a tour, call (530) 544-2285 for the Avalon Lodge or (775) 783-1175 for the Historian Inn.