There is a lot You Can Do Other Than Skiing to Enjoy a Lake Tahoe Vacation

A lot of people come to Lake Tahoe during the winter because it is considered to be a skiing paradise. But during the summer, there are also activities you can enjoy which means you can consider spending a Lake Tahoe vacation when school is over.

One adventure you can try out is horse back riding. There are ranches within the area so you can visit one and borrow a horse from the stable. Once you are on the saddle, you can gallop along the trail and see the lake as well as the snow capped mountains.

There are also trails for those who want to ride a bike or take a hike. Some are long while others are short so you can choose between those that are 2 miles long or longer. This is part of the 150 mile Tahoe Rim Trail that encircles the lake.

When you see Lake Tahoe, you will feel the blue water inviting you to go for a swim. If you go a few yards out, you will even see fish and a few other objects 70 feet below by using a snorkel and pair of goggles. Once you get out of the water, you can lie down in the sand and get a tan.

If you want to work up an appetite, you can do some kayaking or parasailing that you can rent from nearby stores.

One of the key attractions in Lake Tahoe is the cruise. There are two vessels to choose from namely the M.S. Dixie II and the Tahoe Queen. Both of these go on a 2 hour scenic cruise daily with a dinner cruise offered once a week.

While in town, you might as well do some sightseeing. Given its strategic location between California and Nevada, you can try your luck at the nearby casinos, shop for souvenirs at the local gift shop and visit the Ponderosa Ranch which is a theme park inspired by Bonanza, a television show which was quite a hit in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Another attraction in Lake Tahoe is Vikingsholm castle. It is a 38 room estate that resembles an actual 1,200 year old Viking castle.

You shouldn’t miss the sunset in Lake Tahoe and the best place to get the view is to up the mountain. There are trams or cable cars and gondolas which can take you all the way up. There are shops, sports facilities and restaurants so there are other things you can do instead of just walking through the woods.

If you want to see the Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area much better, there is no other way but to get a good view by air. There is a hot air balloon tour and a helicopter ride. These tours are only open subject to the weather conditions so if it is too windy, you will have to reschedule your little trip.

A vacation in Lake Tahoe is just the thing you need if you want to spend time with nature. There are properties you can rent along the lake as well as those secluded in the forests which is far different than staying in a hotel. So the next time you are planning a family adventure, consider a Lake Tahoe vacation.

There Are Many Activities You Can Enjoy During Your Lake Tahoe Vacation

Lake Tahoe has a lot to offer to tourists. You have to remember that the winter Olympics was once done here and this was the setting of some television shows and movies. Given its ideal location, you can enjoy a Lake Tahoe vacation regardless of when you decide to come here.

Since it is already December, one thing that a lot of people will be doing is skiing. Right now, there are over a dozen ski resorts in Lake Tahoe. A majority if these just opened in the last week of November and these will open until April or May of next year.

You can learn how to ski and go down the slopes if you are an experienced skier. Another option is to replace those skis with a snowboard or tube which could be just as fun when you are in the snow.

If you decide to come here next summer, most resorts there have equipment you can borrow. These include a water ski, parasail, kayak and sail boat. You can also do some snorkeling since there are beaches nearby and a cruise that offers dinner once a week.

For those who want take a tour by air, you can enjoy a helicopter tour or a hot air balloon ride. Such trips can only get off the ground assuming that there is good weather otherwise the trip will have to be rescheduled. The helicopter tour to and from the airport will be an hour. The hot air balloon ride lasts about 4 hours.

There are also guided tours provided on land. You can go with a guide as you go hiking along a trail or ride a carriage that is pulled by a beautiful 2,000 pound Blond Belgium horse. As you are riding, the tour guide will give you a brief lesson in Tahoe history. Sadly this tour is not available right now since it only operates from May to October.

Although you won’t be able to see that much if you are cruising, you will be surrounded by the breathtaking view of the mountains and trees. You will get to see Emerald Bay, the Fannette Island, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Vikingsholm Castle which the M.S. Dixie II and the Tahoe Queen offers when you take a 2 hour sightseeing cruise.

Throughout the year, various races, competitions, dances and events are done. Already planned for next is the NBC Sports 2009 American Century Celebrity Golf Championship. Although the date has not yet been formalized yet but it could fall in July, you can expect big names like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, the NFL's Ben Roethlisberger, Billy Joe Tolliver, Jerry Rice and Tony Romo, NHL great Jeremy Roenick, and from Hollywood, John O'Hurley, Kevin Nealon and Ray Romano are expected to attend.

So you don’t miss out in any of the festivities, do some research online and try to include this as part of your itinerary when you decide to have a Lake Tahoe vacation. You may not always participate in it but at least you can actually watch it.

Reservations for your Lake Tahoe vacation can be done through your travel agent or by yourself. It is going to be fun and exciting so make the most of it when you decide to come to town!

There Are Aerial Rides You Can Take As Part of Your Lake Tahoe Vacation

There are a lot of activities you can do should you choose to go on a Lake Tahoe vacation. If you want to see the valley below, you can get a ride on the Squaw Valle Cable Car.

The Squaw Valley cable car is a ride you can take from the village in Squaw Valley all the way up to High Camp is that 8200 feet above sea level. The moment you are seated, you go up 2,000 feet vertically and then head straight for a granite wall. If you think you are going to hit it, don’t worry because you will quickly pass it just inches away from the rocks.

What makes this ride so amazing is the huge windows all around giving you a 360 degree view of everything around you.

There probably wouldn’t be this rid around if this place was not the venue of the Winter Olympics way back in 1960. In fact, people regard it as one of the greatest ski destinations in the world.

Once you get up there, you can ice skate, swim in the artificial lagoon, play some tennis or golf, mountain bike and bungee jump. There are places to eat up there and if you want to spend the night up in the mountains, go ahead since there is a resort there that has 405 rooms.

The cable car is open all year round. During the day, the cost for adults is $12 but this is lowered to $5 after 4pm. For children, there is a flat fee of $5 and free if you are carrying a toddler below three years of age.

If you think that is the only ride available, think again because there is also the scenic gondola ride at the Heavenly Ski Resort. This is located about half a mile from the Stateline casinos. The ride is 2.4 miles long and you will be brought 14,000 square feet in the air. You will not only see Lake Tahoe but also Carson Valley and the Desolation Wilderness. Once you get to the top, you can spend the day enjoying a picnic or watching the sun go down.

The ride is open all year round and the operating hours are from 10am to 5pm. About 8 passengers can fit the gondola which will fit almost any group. If there are more of you in the group, wait for the next one that will follow the first one shortly since they have about 138 of them.

The cost of the ticket is much higher than the Squaw Valley cable car ride. Adults will have to pay $20, seniors pay $18, and kids between 6 and 12 pay $5 while those under 5 years of age are free. You can get discount coupons if you stay in the nearby hotels or dine in the nearby restaurants.

The cable car and the gondola are just part of the package if you decide to have a Lake Tahoe vacation because once you disembark; you can do a host of activities like skiing, swimming and a few other things that is just for the entire family. So if you are thinking of spending your next vacation here, consider going on a Lake Tahoe vacation.

Sporting Adventure on a Lake Tahoe Vacation

Aside from just being a serene and natural environment, sporting adventure in a lake tahoe vacation is as challenging as any world-class sporting destination.

Considering that much of the area surrounding Lake Tahoe area is devoted to the tourism industry, there are a lot of fine restaurants, camping lodges and, of course, ski slopes and water sport venues.

During the ski season, thousands of people flock to Lake Tahoe from all over Nevada and California, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

The ski slopes overlooking Lake Tahoe offer some of the best skiing spots in the world.

Aside from its panoramic beauty and breathtaking scenery, Lake Tahoe, is well known for its snow blizzards, responsible for making humanly challenging ski paths and snow obstacles for the sport of skiing.

Among the major ski areas in Tahoe include the Heavenly Mountain Resort, which is  the largest ski area in California and Nevada, located near Stateline.

Another one is Squaw Valley, which is the second largest ski area in the Tahoe area, known for its hosting of the 1960 Winter Olympics and is located near Tahoe City

The Alpine Meadows is a medium- sized ski area located on the north shore a few miles away from Squaw Valley.

There’s also Diamond Peak,  a small ski area located at Incline Village, Nevada.

For novice, amateur and pre-professional skiers, there is the Northstar at Tahoe, which a popular north shore ski area.

Another one is the Kirkwood Mountain Resort, a south shore ski area, known for getting more snow than any other ski area in Tahoe.

Among the other very challenging ski spots, there’s the Sierra-at-Tahoe, a small south shore ski area.

At Donner Pass you can find the Boreal Mountain Resort, a small ski area, the medium-sized Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and the Donner Ski Ranch, a very small ski area for those seeking a more secluded ski practice.

Among the other medium-sized ski resorts to choose from are Homewood Ski Resort, at the west shore, Mount Rose Ski Resort at the north-east area of the lake on Slide Mountain.
Majority of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region are found on the northern end of the lake, near Truckee, California and Reno, Nevada.

Also scattered all throughout Tahoe are public and private sled parks, which are are equipped with tow ropes that help sledders climb up the hills.

There are also ski areas around Tahoe that have snow tubing, a popular adventure among people who interested in alternative sports.

There are a lot of snow trails around Lake Tahoe that cater to cross-country skiing, snowmobile riding, and snowshoeing.

Lake Tahoe is ripe for water sports and beach activities during late Spring to early Fall.

The two cities most identified with the Lake Tahoe tourist area are South Lake Tahoe, California and the smaller Stateline; smaller centers on the northern shoreline that include Tahoe City and Kings Beach.

Boating is a primary activity in the Tahoe during summer. There are lake front restaurants all over the lake, mostly equipped with docks and buoys.

Among the most popular boating events in Lake Tahoe include sailboat racing, firework shows over the lake, guided cruises, and whole lot more.

As an interstate waterway, Lake Tahoe is also traversed and secured by the United States Coast Guard, since it is the home to the Coast Guard Station.

Scuba diving is one of the most popular underwater adventure at Lake Tahoe, since dive sites offer one of the world’s best dramatic drop-offs or wall dives.

Diving at Lake Tahoe is considered advanced due to the increased risk of decompression sickness while diving at such a high altitude, so caution is necessary when engaging in such an activity.

So why not try a sporting adventure in a Lake Tahoe vacation, it’s really worth it.

Spending Your Lake Tahoe Vacation in the Northstar Resort

If you are planning to spend a Lake Tahoe vacation with your family, there are many places to choose from and one of these which happen to be by the slopes is Northstar Resort.

Northstar Resort boasts that it has a lot to offer to its guests. Depending on your budget, you can stay in a hotel room, a family friendly condominium or a 5 star bedroom mountain home.

Just six miles from the lake itself, you can go from one side of the mountain to the other by riding one of the lifts. The resort has a total of 16 lifts. There is the express gondola, quad chairlift, triple chairlift, double chairlift, surface lift and the magic carpet. While the rates of the lifts vary, you can get discount coupons so you don’t have to pay the full amount.

One of the most popular activities that people do up here is skiing and you can do that over a 40 kilometer scenic trail.  You can rent equipment if you did not bring your own and even sign up for a lesson if you want to learn how to do it.

A lot of people who were surveyed have said that skiing in Northstar is the best because the backside has plenty of challenging blacks, while the front side is well-protected from the wind. While other ski resorts in the area may have to close due to bad weather, surprisingly this place is still open.

If you don’t want to ski, you can try some other activities like snowboarding, tubing, geocaching, joining a mountain tour and a lot more.  For those who want to be alone, they can go for a hike as there are over 70 hiking trails to choose from.

When you get hungry, there are dining facilities and restaurants nearby so you don’t have to go very far. These restaurants are namely Martis Valley Grille, True North, Chilly Pepper’s Cantina, The Lodge at Big Springs and the Summit Deck Grille.  Here, you can have something as simple as a burger or hotdog to something juicier like a well done steak.

For those who want to warm themselves up, they can drink some free wine as there is a tasting activity done every Saturday during the winter season served with some appetizers.

The Northstar Resort is open all year round so you can come here anytime you want. In fact, some people don’t just come here to relax but also to have special events like anniversaries, conferences, seminars, trainings and weddings.

If you want to know more about what Northstar has to offer, check out their website. If what you see is worth seeing for yourself, you can let your travel agent make a reservation or do this on our own.

A Lake Tahoe vacation is truly something you should try out with your entire family. While some can drive there, there is an airport nearby and a shuttle waiting once you get off the plane.

If you look at the rates posted on their various services, the price difference is not that far during the regular season and the peak season. In most cases, the rate is the same or it is higher by only $2.  So what are you waiting for? Make Lake Tahoe vacation the next place to visit this holiday season.