As someone who has spent the last 10 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite vacation spots. You can enjoy the beaches in the summer or the snowy mountains in the winter - all within a few miles, or in some towns even blocks, away from one another! If you are from out of state, you can fly into Reno, Sacramento, or San Francisco, or include the stop during a road trip through the west! There is great hiking, restaurants, and scenery. I promise, visiting Lake Tahoe will never disappoint!
Since I've been to Lake Tahoe many times and in different seasons, I've organized this blog into a list of my top recommendations, rather than my typical itinerary example style. I've also included my slow-cooker chili recipes inspired by the chili that I love to eat after a long day on the slopes.
My Lake Tahoe Recommendations
South Tahoe
I have visited South Tahoe in both the summer and the winter. The area offers many different types of entertainment on the California/Nevada border. The main attractions are skiing in the winter or the beach in the summer, but there is so much more to do in this area. Walking along Stateline you will hear live music and encounter groups enjoying their vacation at any time of the day. The Nevada side of the street has resorts that offer casinos, hotels, restaurants, and shops. The California side houses Heavenly Village - which includes the Marriott resort, restaurants, shops, nail salons, movie theatres, an ice skating rink, and more! The Heavenly Gondola will give you breathtaking views while you travel up the mountain to the ski resort, where you can ski in both the states of California and Nevada! I love visiting South Tahoe in the summer. The area is on the lake where you can rent kayaks, sit on the beach, or enjoy the town. The lake water is crystal clear and the scenery is stunning. There are also many beautiful hikes in the area.
Lodging:
7 Seas Inn - This hotel has all of the charm and amenities of a bed & breakfast. It is a great spot for a romantic getaway! We have stayed at this hotel many times in both the winter and the summer. The owners are friendly and offer a complimentary wine and appetizer gathering in the evenings. They also have a homemade breakfast for guests each morning. It is centrally located - in any direction you can walk a few blocks to the lake, the casinos, restaurants, or Heavenly Resort (but you'll want to drive to Heavenly if you have all of your ski equipment with you!)
Montbleu Resort - This family friendly indoor resort style hotel has entertainment for the family. There is a fun indoor pool, a casino, and steps away from great restaurants. You are only a few blocks away from Heavenly Resort.
Best Western Station House Inn - I stayed here once in the winter. It was very close to Heavenly Resort. The hotel was quiet, comfortable, and clean. It also had an outdoor hot tub that was still open in the winter, which is nice to use to relax after a long day of skiing!
Restaurants:
Maya's Mexican Grill - delicious tacos!
Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger - the best burgers and drinks!!!
Taste of Europe - hearty Czech, German, and other European cuisine.
Driftwood Cafe - for a casual morning that calls for brunch!
North Tahoe
I have only visited North Tahoe in the winter, although I have heard that there are plenty of things to do there in the summer. (I will update this blog when I get the chance to visit in the summer) North Tahoe has a lot of resort style options, as well as more basic ski mountain options. Crystal Bay, in Incline Village, Nevada, is known for having the best scenic beauty on the lake.
Lodging:
Resorts - I stayed at a ski-in/ski-out condo in Squaw Valley during a large family reunion. If this works for your group, I would definitely recommend doing this at a resort. It was a great experience and everything was very convenient. We never had to get into our car since Squaw Valley had restaurants, shops, bars (I love enjoying an Irish coffee in the winter), and most importantly, skiing!
Rentals - Another great option for staying in North Tahoe would be to rent an AirBnb. You can find the size that you need for your group. During a vacation to Incline Village we rented a townhouse and were able to walk to restaurants, as well as Crystal Bay on the lake. It was also an easy 10-15 minute drive to the nearby mountains of Mount Rose or Diamond Peak, or a 45-minute drive to the resorts of Northstar or Squaw. We also had a kitchen to make breakfast and snacks, and a living space with plenty of room for family game nights!
Chili Recipes
#1 Vegetarian Chili
Total Time: 20 minutes prep | 6 hours in slow cooker
Ingredients: a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 1/2 sweet onion, 2 garlic cloves, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, black beans, white kidney beans, corn, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, tabasco, Greek Yogurt, chopped green onion, avocado
Step 1: Add the can of crushed tomatoes to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Cut the onion, garlic cloves, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Add them to the slow cooker along with the corn.
Step 3: Add the can of black beans and white kidney beans to the slow cooker.
Step 4: Add the lemon juice, and your preferred amount of salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and tabasco to the slow cooker.
Step 5: Slow cook for 6 hours
Step 6: Mix Greek Yogurt with some lemon juice to make my version of sour cream (or use sour cream, if you prefer).
Step 7: Scoop chili into bowl. Top with Greek Yogurt mix, chopped green onion, and avocado.
#2 Beef Chili
Total Time: 20 minutes prep | 6 hours in slow cooker
Ingredients: a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, sweet onion, garlic, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red kidney beans, 1 pound of ground beef, 2-3 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, tabasco, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, chopped green onion, avocado
Step 1: Add the can of crushed tomatoes and beef to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Cut the onion, garlic cloves, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Add them to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add the can of beans to the slow cooker.
Step 4: Add the Worcestershire sauce, and your preferred amount of salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and tabasco to the slow cooker.
Step 5: Slow cook for 6 hours
Step 6: Mix Greek Yogurt with some lemon juice to make my version of sour cream (or use sour cream, if you prefer).
Step 7: Scoop chili into bowl. Top with Greek Yogurt mix, chopped green onion, and avocado.
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