500+ All-American Family Adventures by Debbie K. Hardin

Author:Debbie K. Hardin [Hardin, Debbie K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-88150-989-2
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2013-03-15T05:00:00+00:00

Hoover Dam

Courtesy Las Vegas News Bureau

300 Lake Tahoe

CONTACT Southwest of Reno, straddling the border of Nevada and California

PRICING Fees vary by attraction

BEST TIME TO VISIT Winter and early spring for winter sports; summer for water sports

AGE RANGE All ages

Lake Tahoe is surrounded by towering mountains and forests and is one of the deepest, purest lakes in the United States. It’s especially well known for its sapphire-blue waters. The lake is more than 20 miles long and 10 miles wide; about a third falls in Nevada and the rest, in California. The lake is further divided into northern and southern portions, the latter of which is generally more crowded and offers more resorts and amenities. The Nevada side, both north and south, is notorious for its abundance of casinos—many of which are literally steps from the California border. Although the Nevada portion of the shoreline offers plenty of glitzy entertainment, gambling, and inexpensive buffet food, there is abundant natural beauty wherever you go on this jewel-like lake.

The region averages 40 feet of snowfall a year, so winter sports like cross-country and downhill skiing are immensely popular throughout Lake Tahoe. Popular family-friendly ski resorts include Diamond Peak (www.diamondpeak.com), Heavenly (www.skiheavenly.com), and Mount Rose (www.mtrose.com). In the warmer months fishing, kayaking, and swimming are popular pastimes. Don’t miss the pretty Sand Harbor Beach on the Nevada side—although it can get crowded on busy weekends, it’s a good place for families to swim and lounge on the sand. Also look for Cave Rock, a 75-foot outcropping that is part of an extinct volcano. Legend has it that Tahoe Tessie (a mythical creature akin to the Loch Ness Monster) lives in a cave at the base of Cave Rock. (Lest your kids be tempted to look for Tessie, be aware that it is forbidden to climb up to the cave, because it is a sacred site for the Native Washoe people.) A fun outing that will get you out on the water is a ride aboard one of two authentic Mississippi paddle wheelers that ply the waters of Lake Tahoe throughout the year—and each visits the spectacular (and aptly named) Emerald Bay, on the California side. Pick up the MS Dixie II at Zephyr Cove Resort, which is 4 miles east of the state line, in the southern portion of the lake; there are two-hour guided tours, as well as dinner and brunch cruises. Hop aboard the Tahoe Queen at Ski Run Marina, off U.S. 50 (also in the southern part of the lake), which offers sunset cruises and narrated tours.

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