South Lake Tahoe, CA
Where to Stay:
If you are skiing or snowboarding or doing any of the other extracurricular activities mentioned in this blog, I’m convinced the best place to stay is at the Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort South.
Location:
This hotel is located right at the base of the mountain. If you’re trying to get on the mountain, walk right outside the hotel and get picked up by the lodging route shuttle which will take you directly to California. From here, you can easily take the tram or lift up the mountain to access the runs. The convience to go skiing or snowboarding from this hotel is as close to staying in a ski-in-ski-out chalet as you can get it without paying the prices.
If you want to check out the casinos on the Nevada side instead, you’re only a short mile to the border. The hotel is also right on the coast of Lake Tahoe with accessible beaches right behind the resort. I definitely recommend an evening stroll or hopping on the boat tour that runs off the docks behind the resort (see below for more details).
Quality and Price:
The quality of our stay was also top tier. Our suite had a cozy living room with a fireplace, a view of Heavenly resort from our deck, and a bathtub to relax in after a long day of skiing. The staff was also super accommodating and even moved our room when we complained about our noisy neighbors. They also offered us a lot of discounts at nearby restaurants and ski rental shops (see below for details). For 3 nights, we paid under $600 total, which is one of the most affordable Hilton resort stays you’ll come across.
Book at the link below:
Best things to do in South Lake Tahoe:
1. Heavenly
Skiing or snowboarding of course! We ended up doing half days as we wanted to spend time in town as well. As I said, it was super easy to get on and off the mountain with the lodging route shuttle taking us directly to California lodge. Heavenly Ski resort has some of the best views of the lake.
* If you are staying at the Hilton, they offer a discount for rentals at the Powder House Ski & Board: Express Ski Store.
* If you are not staying at the Hilton, one of the cheapest options we’ve found for rentals are Snowshoe Thompson's Ski and Snowboard Rentals.
2. Spirit of Tahoe Lake Cruise
Best views of the lake and emerald cove with unlimited champagne for 2 hours. Worth every penny.
If this cruise is all booked, don’t worry! Book this sailing yacht excursion instead for a more private experience unlike other tour boats which take 50+ passengers. The cruise includes complementary local beer and wine, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.
3. Visit Hot Springs
Travertine Hot Springs- While this is between 1.5-2 hours away, it’s a nice way to mix up the trip and see a different side of Northern California. As this place can get pretty crowded, I recommend going during the weekdays or during sunrise or sunset. There are also camping options available here.
Carson Hot Springs- for a slightly closer option, you could easily hit these hot springs after a half day of skiing or boarding. These hot springs are definitely more commercialized and not just part of nature like the Travertine Hot Springs. However, I suggest booking a private indoor pool which gives you a two-hour soak and includes the use of outdoor pools, patio and sauna. Eclectic food at Sassafras and great beer at Shoe Tree Brewing are a few steps away from the springs as well.
4. Visit Genoa
5. Go on a hike!
So many to choose from, just go on all trails and peruse your options. While we haven’t personally done any hiking in the area yet, Eagle Lake Trail is on the top of my list to try. This hike is completely doable in the winter too.
If you aren’t comfortable hiking in the winter or it’s super snowy, one of the best things to do is snowshoe. Book the tour below:
6. Watch bears feed in Taylor Creek during October
7. Day trip to Yosemite
If you want to get super adventurous, consider taking a day trip or a couple day trip to Yosemite.
Eating and Drinking:
1. Idle Hour:
Just look at the pictures. Best place on the lake.
2. Boathouse on the Pier:
Second only to Idle Hour, I also love this spot on the lake. Perfect vibes for grabbing a drink or going for dinner.
3. Visit the Breweries:
4. Noel's Coffee & Apothecary:
People say this bar serves up delicious espresso martinis, guava caipirinhas, and Diablo Shrimp scampi, and they praise the live music and speakeasy vibe. They also highlight the friendly staff, exceptional service, and the overall cool and fun atmosphere.
5. Where to get Coffee:
- Cuppa Tahoe: Where book store meets coffee shop. Oh and they have the BEST breakfast sandwiches. My boyfriend and I came back two days in a row because we couldn’t get enough.
- Three Pines Coffee Company: Super good coffee, option to add a superfood mushroom shot to your cup of Joe, would suggest ordering their gf and df purple ube waffles
- Paddle House Brews: Really good coffee, close to the water if you want to take a nice stroll, or sit in their super cute backyard while enjoying your drink.
- Gathered and Grown Home: Decor store/coffee shop combo. They had the cutest pillow with a map of Heavenly ski resort on it.
6. Where to eat:
- Freshies Ohana: Asian fusion, seafood restaurant. Kinda tucked away, but soo many yummy options and celiac friendly!
- Sprouts Cafe: Yummy healthy breakfast/lunch food
- MacDuff’s Pub: Get their bread pudding; as described by locals, this is essentially French toast on crack. This is also the only place you can get scotch ale made by lost coast brewing. If you go fishing, bring your freshly caught fish here and they’ll take care of it for you.
- Heidi’s pancake house: It’s a pancake house, need I say more? Gluten-free pancakes here!
- Cold Water Brewery and Grill: Go for a dinner and a beer. Also accommodating for celiacs.
- Three Pines Coffee Co: See above for my purple ube waffles.
7. The Classic Cue:
Our favorite dive bar to play pool at. This bar never feels touristy and stays open late.
Getting Around:
1. Lake Link- Download this app to book a ride with this free, on-demand microtransit shuttle system on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. It operates from 7 AM–9 PM every day, and until 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Access trails, beaches, entertainment, nightlife, commute, or run errands on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe with this service.
2. Rent a car- The Hilton resort is a valet only resort which is honestly pretty nice in the cold winters. As soon as we were ready for our car, we texted the front desk to retrieve our car and were handed the keys right outside the front doors.
3. Uber and Lyft also work great here and we’ve never had a problem calling one even late after a night out at the bars.
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