Lake Tahoe Summer Travel Guide

Got Lake Tahoe Summer travel on the brain? I’ve got a three-day travel guide to help you have the ultimate summer getaway to this charming mountain town.

Looking for the ULTIMATE Lake Tahoe Summer travel guide for an incredible weekend getaway? You have come to the right place! I recently took a trip up to South Lake Tahoe with my girls in the Babes that Wander. We had an amazing three days exploring this beautiful piece of mountain paradise in Northern California. Whether or love the great outdoors or your idea of being outdoorsy is sipping a beer on a patio, this travel guide has a little something for everyone.

I’ve been to Lake Tahoe several times, but this was my first Tahoe summer vacation. While I love hitting the slopes during the winter and playing in the snow, the Lake Tahoe area is such a different place in the warmer months. From hiking, action water sports, or relaxing and the beach, there are so many things to do and experience!

Please note, this travel guide is oriented to the South Lake Tahoe area, and won’t be covering North Lake Tahoe. If you’re interested in seeing our last ski trip to Palisades and a bit of the Tahoe City area, check out my vlog on that here.

Lake Tahoe Summer Travel Guide: Getting to Lake Tahoe

If you are a Californian like I am, getting to Lake Tahoe could be as simple as a road trip. Of course, this depends on where you are located. My husband and I have done the drive from Los Angeles, which is about 7 hours. If you are not nearby, the nearest airport is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The drive from this airport to South Lake Tahoe is about 45 minutes to one hour.

While you don’t need a car for Lake Tahoe summer travel, I would highly recommend it. Lake Tahoe is a pretty expansive, spread-out area. If you really want to be able to explore it fully, you’ll need a car to do so. That being said, there are a couple of ways to get around if you absolutely can’t rent a car:

1. You can get from the airport to the South Lake Tahoe area via the South Tahoe Airporter. This is a shuttle service that leaves from the Reno-Tahoe Airport about 4 times per day. It costs roughly $60 round trip, or just under $30 for a one-way ticket. The shuttle drops off and picks up at multiple stops, including Edgewood, Hardrock, Harrah’s, Harvey’s, Lakeside, LTRH, and Montbleu.
2. Alternatively, you can request an Uber or Lyft to get you to and from the airport. This is a much more expensive option. On our trip, the cost seemed to range from $88-$140 for a one-way trip.
3. Once in the South Lake area, you can get around using Lake Link. This is a new micro transit shuttle service that is FREE, and will get you around the South Lake area. Make sure to download the app before your trip.
4. If you are in the downtown South Lake area proper, everything is super walkable. There also seemed to be a wealth of e-scooters around if you prefer to get to your destination a little faster.

Where to Stay in South Lake Tahoe

There are quite a few options when visiting Lake Tahoe. You can opt to stay at one of the big casino resorts, such as Harrah’s or Hardrock if you like the feel of a large resort and want to be centrally located. There are also a bunch of smaller boutique hotels to choose from. Or, if you want to be a little more secluded, you can rent a cabin. Here are my Lake Tahoe accommodation recommendations for different price points:

Hotel Becket

Hotel Becket is a great option if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly stay with an excellent location. I love the rustic-chic vibes of the rooms and suites. They have a great pool and sauna as well as a pub on site. This is a great spot if you are coming to South Lake Tahoe without a car. It is very centrally located.

Lake Tahoe Accommodations

On the first leg of our trip, we were hosted by Lake Tahoe Accommodations in one of their vacation rental cabins. They service not only South Lake Tahoe but have vacation rentals all around the lake. This is a great option if you are looking for a more quiet, secluded escape. Its also a great option if you are coming with a larger family or group of friends. The decor of our cabin was just what you’d expect: rustic and cozy.

Desolation Hotel

When I tell you I was absolutely WOW’ed by the Desolation Hotel, it’s almost an understatement. This is a brand-new micro luxury resort in South Lake Tahoe. They call themselves the “modern adventurer’s paradise,” and I’d have to say that is spot on. We got to stay at Desolation Hotel on the second half of our trip in their Alpine Suite, and it was such a treat. The decor feels both luxe but cozy in a sort of Hygee/Scandinavian way. The Alpine Suite comes complete with a spacious master bedroom, outdoor soaking tub, kitchen, bathroom (complete with heated floor), and spacious living room with a queen pullout sleeper bed.

If a standard hotel room or suite isn’t big enough, Desolation also offers townhomes. These come complete with their own garage, including an EV charger. I imagine this would totally come in clutch in the winter. No digging or shoveling your car out of the snow! They also have an awesome pool and hot tub area, a gym, and a sauna. Plus, the staff is incredibly warm, welcoming, and made us feel right at home. This is a practice they carry with all their guests and truly made our entire stay there so special.

Do you prefer video? Check out my Lake Tahoe Summer Travel vlog here!

Lake Tahoe Summer Travel Activities

Tahoe Summer Outdoor Activities: Hiking

You can’t come to Tahoe and not head into the mountains! In the winter, that involves sliding down them on whatever your vehicle is of choice. In the summer, its a bit the opposite. There are so many amazing trails worth exploring in South Lake Tahoe. One area that I think offers a great hike, scenic views, and interesting history all in one destination is Emerald Bay.
To get to Emerald Bay, take California State Route 89 west until you reach the Emerald Bay parking area on your right. You’ll know it by this sign:

The parking lot may be full, especially on weekends. If so, there are other parking areas along the road, just be careful and pay attention to the signs to know where you’re allowed to park. In general, the parking lot may be full, but there always seemed to be people coming and going, so if you wait it out for a couple minutes you’re likely to find someone who is leaving.
This is a paid parking lot, and parking costs I believe $10 for the day. Once you have your parking squared away, you’ll begin about a 1 mile descent down to Emerald Bay. The walk down is easy, but the walk back up is tough, so if you aren’t able to climb back up for about a mile at an incline, do not attempt this hike. Personally, I thought the hike was pretty easy since it was just one mile down and one mile up.

Once you reach the bottom, you have arrived in beautiful Emerald Bay! From here, you can keep exploring the trails of the Rubicon trail, or enjoy the other activities in Emerald Bay state park. You can also cool off at the gorgeous beach and take a tour of Vikingsholm.

Now, you might wonder what a Viking Castle is doing in the Sierra Nevadas. This building, which is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States, was built in 1928 by Ms. Lora Josephine Knight as a vacation home. You can take a tour of the inside from late May- late September if you’re interested in checking it out! Just head over to the Visitors Center just past Vikingsholm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students age 7-17, and free for children under age 7.

We opted to venture out to Fannette Island in the middle of Emerald Bay. This is the only island in all of Lake Tahoe. Remember Ms. Knight who I mentioned a second ago? She built a little castle tea room on the top of this island and would ferry her guests out there from time to time. To get there, we rented kayaks right on the beach from a rental company. They offer kayaks and stand up paddle boards for rent by the hour. I believe we paid around $45/hour for a double kayak. The kayak over to the island is short and easy. Its the docking of your kayak on the rocky shore is a little tricky. Be prepared! Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet, bring waterproof bags/cases for your phone, and don’t bring anything with you that you won’t want to get wet.

Once on the island, its a short but rocky hike up to the remains of the tea room at the top. The tea room is basically a shell of its former self without a roof. Its definitely cool to see and the views of Emerald Bay from here are stunning. This is a cool experience that I would say is a must if you are planning a Lake Tahoe Summer Travel adventure!

On a side note, I just have to shout out these Bear Paw hiking boots I wore on this hike. This is my first ever pair of hiking boots. I can’t stress enough how much of a difference it makes on your hike when you have these versus just a pair of sneakers. Its night and day! I felt much more confident in the moments when I had to scramble up and down rocks. Get this pair here!

You also might check out Van Sickle State Park. Here you’ll find easy to moderate hiking trails in the South Lake Tahoe area. Its a short walk from the stateline Nevada casinos, making it one of the most accessible state parks in the Tahoe Basin. From these trails you can see some gorgeous views of the largest alpine lake in America. For more information on this park and its trails, click here!

There are so many popular hiking trails to choose from, so you really can’t go wrong! I highly recommend downloading an app like Alltrails, which is great for finding hiking trails near you. You can see each trail’s difficulty level, duration, and reviews on the trail experience left by past hikers. Plus, the app includes maps so you can make sure you are on the right path while on your hike!

Tahoe Summer Activities: Kayaking

If you’re more into watersports, of course there is plenty of that to be had in the summer in Lake Tahoe. We checked out Clearly Tahoe, which is a clear kayaking tour that is great for all kayaking skill levels. The tour begins in the Tahoe Marina, where you depart on a boat that takes you and your kayak out into the middle of the lake. Once you’ve reached your destination, the tour guides help you get into your clear bottom kayak and your kayaking tour begins.

When we went it was September. While the weather was nice in the sun, it was a bit chilly when you were in the shade or on the boat going to and from the kayaking point. I’d recommend wearing activewear that you don’t mind getting wet, a tank top or a tee, and bring a light jacket. This way, you can take layers off and on as needed. Don’t forget your sunscreen either! Because you are so much closer to the sun in Lake Tahoe, the sun is more intense…don’t get sunburnt!

Lake Tahoe summer travel must have #1 is sunscreen…try this one from Supergoop…its literally my favorite face sunscreen and makes a great makeup primer as well.

Tahoe Summer Activities: Heavenly Village, Gondola and Mountain Coaster

One place that is sure to offer all kinds of outdoor fun all year long is Heavenly. This Lake Tahoe resort offers amazing skiing in the winter and a whole plethora of fun in the summer. If you want to take in the view from the top of the mountain, catch a ride on the Heavenly mountain gondola ride. You can do this year round, but in the summer you definitely have more opportunity to get out, walk around, and enjoy the mountain than you could in the winter….assuming you’re not there to ski!

If you want a little bit of adrenaline, check out the mountain coaster. This coaster runs through the summer months, but unfortunately was done with the season by the time we visited in late September. That being said, I’ve been on a similar mountain coaster in Copper Mountain, Colorado, and I can tell you from experience that they are a blast. These coasters have brakes on them, so you can control the speed of the coaster as you descend. Whether you want to go full speed, or go at a leisurely pace and enjoy the view, its totally up to you.

While you’re up at the top of Heavenly Mountain, you can also enjoy all the fun at their ropes course. This wasn’t something we did but if I’d had more time up there, I totally would’ve wanted to give it a try.

Lake Tahoe Summer Travel Activities: Yoga on the Beach

Maybe you like to get a little zen while you travel. I couldn’t think of a better way to do that then a yoga class on the beach with Lake Tahoe Yoga. They offer group and private yoga classes led by highly experienced guides. You can do a beach session, or if you want to get out on the water, they also offer paddle board yoga classes. It was so relaxing to take in a quiet practice by the beautiful waters of Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe Summer Activities: Tahoe Tastings Wine Cruise

I am a girl who loves going wine tasting, so when you combine that activity with a relaxing cruise out on to Lake Tahoe, I am all in. Tahoe Tastings is a wine tasting cruise that departs from the Tahoe Keys Marina multiple times a day. They offer a Midday, Afternoon, and Sunset cruise daily from May through October.

I loved the whole experience, from beginning to end. You step aboard the Golden Rose, which is a vintage, one of a kind 1953 Chris Craft Venetian Water Taxi. I definitely felt like I had stepped into another era while we were sailing along the lake on this boat. The tasting includes 6 different wines. At the end of the tasting, you have the opportunity to buy a glass of wine or bottle from the tasting to enjoy for the duration of the cruise.

Tahoe Summer Activities: South Lake Tahoe Beer Trail

If you’re more of a beer person, you can stay on dry land and taste all the incredible breweries that are around South Lake Tahoe. There are so many great local breweries to try out. This handy map shows you the 6 breweries on the South Lake Tahoe Beer trail so you can plan your beer adventure through town.

We actually tried one that wasn’t on this map, South of North. It was walking distance from the Desolation Hotel, and offered a really cute outdoor patio area to enjoy the gorgeous weather. I could also imagine it would be a great Apres spot to hit after you’ve enjoyed one of the ski resorts in winter as well!

Where to Eat + Drink in South Lake Tahoe

No trip is complete without great food, am I right or am I right? Here’s some of our favorite spots we checked out in South Lake that I highly recommend!

Sprouts Cafe: Perfect for a quick and healthy lunch

If you’re looking for a spot that is quick, affordable, and on the healthy side, Sprouts a must! We grabbed lunch here and loved it. They have plenty of indoor seating, as well as a great patio for those beautiful summer days, definitely a must for a Lake Tahoe summer travel itinerary when you’re on the go.

Base Camp Pizza

I’ve had Base Camp Pizza a couple times before on past trips, and I can confirm it is so so delicious! They serve up gourmet Italian style pizza that is sure to satisfy those cravings. Be aware, they do not take reservations, and wait times can be up to two hours during peak seasons in summer and winter. Avoid waiting forever by checking in early and putting your name on the list. They will text you when your table is ready. You can also order take out and avoid the waitlist altogether.

Lakeview Social

If you’re looking for a casual spot to enjoy a beautiful night outdoors with live music, Lakeview Social is perfect. Their menu mostly consists of bar style food: thing burgers, wings etc. They also have local beer on tap as well as a great wine list to choose from. We got cozy next to one of the firepits and settled into our rocking chairs and enjoyed the music while we watched a gorgeous sunset. I am definitely pinning this place to come back for apres ski in the winter.

Toulouse

Another great spot that is casual and great for brunch, lunch, or dinner is Toulouse. Their menu featuers local, sustainable ingredients that put a Tahoe spin on New Orleans style fare. I have to recommend their gumbo as well as the salmon…both dishes were incredible! We got to meet the owner and get the lowdown on the remodel they have planned for this space….its going to be so cool when its done, I can’t wait to come back and see it!

Jimmy’s at the Landing

For brunch, we checked out Jimmy’s at the Landing. The food on their brunch menu was top notch. We ordered a bunch of stuff and ate family style so we got to try a bit of everything. In true millennial fashion, the avocado toast was my favorite, followed by the smoked salmon benedict, but you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.

Maggie’s at Desolation Hotel

Not only is Desolation Hotel a badass hotel, they also have a really great new restaurant to add to the South Lake Tahoe dining scene. Maggie’s is located on the rooftop of the Desolation Hotel and offers an elevated dining experience that is both casual and elegant and feels local but also worldly. They have a small indoor space and bar as well as a small outdoor patio, so I would recommend grabbing a reservation just to make sure you can get in and savor their wonderful menu.

The Bistro at Edgewood

Now, if you’re looking for a truly luxe, upscale dining experience, The Bistro at Edgewood is where it is at. Their menu offers New American Seasonal Fare in a breathtaking setting. We opted for a table outside on the patio, which offered a gorgeous view of the lake and the sunset. Definitely make sure to try a cocktail on their drink menu, each one is such an interesting combination of ingredients. I got the lamb chops and they were pure delight.

Community Speakeasy

I can’t make a travel guide and not throw in a fun bar to check out. I do love a good speakeasy, they just have so much more of a fun vibe than just any old bar. Community Speakeasy is located inside Social House Craft Sandwiches in Heavenly Village. We asked the bartender where we might find the speakeasy, and he directed us toward what appeared to be a large walk-in refridgerator door. Once we walked through we were transported to a cozy, dark, and very vibey speakeasy. The cocktails on their list are all very inventive and interesting. The bartenders and servers are there to help guide you to the best choice based on your liquor and flavor preferences. Note that it is a small space, so when you visit is possible that they will have a waitlist to enter. Again, make sure if you visit during peak season to get your name on the list early so you can be sure to get in and check it out.

I hope you enjoyed these travel tips for Lake Tahoe Summer travel! Feel free to drop your favorite South Lake Tahoe spots in the comments so I can check them out next time!

South Lake Tahoe FAQ’s

What is South Lake Tahoe known for?

South Lake Tahoe is known for gorgeous mountain views, the stunningly blue and clear Lake Tahoe, gorgeous beaches, and of course, their world renowned ski resorts. South Lake Tahoe is also known for its casinos, as the Nevada-California state line runs through the town. During the summer, you can enjoy the great outdoors to the fullest by walking or biking along the beach, enjoying a hike, or going out on the lake.

Is North or South Lake Tahoe better?

I have been to both, and I would say South Lake Tahoe is better if you are looking for a more vibrant night life scene with lots of different dining options. South Lake seems to have much more of a city feel, where as North Lake Tahoe is a bit more quiet in comparison and feels more rugged. If you want both a relaxing getaway with the opportunity to explore some great dining and nightlife experiences, then South Lake Tahoe is for you! For Lake Tahoe summer travel, I would most definitely recommend South Lake.

Is Lake Tahoe Worth Visiting?

Absolutely! I would recommend coming here both in the summer and the winter, as both season offer such a different experience from each other. I love to ski, but I really loved coming during summer and getting to experience the beauty of the lake and the gorgeous weather and fresh air. No matter what time of year you find yourself here, it is sure to be a recharging stay because you just feel so much more connected to nature here.

If you enjoyed this Lake Tahoe summer travel guide, you might love my guide to Big Sky, Montana!