Lake Tahoe Activities - Things To Do

What can you do at Lake Tahoe? It might be easier to ask, what can’t you do at Lake Tahoe? Although the stunning natural beauty of the lake make people think mostly of the outdoor activities, there is a vast array of indoor as well as outdoor things you can do to satisfy just about everyone’s sense of fun.

Use the menus to the left and right to find the activities that will excite your sense of fun.

Let’s start with the casinos. Most of the Nevada side casinos, such as MontBleu Casino, offer a full range of activities besides gambling. Also featured is top live entertainment, truly fine dining and all sorts of shopping.

Hiking has always been one of the favorite things to do at Tahoe in the warmer months. The Mount Tallac/Glen Alpine trail offers a six mile hike to a breathtaking vista of Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake and the High Sierra. For the truly adventurous there is the Tahoe Rim Trail which, at 152 miles, completely circles the lake and provides some of the most jaw dropping vistas to be seen  anywhere in the world.

For a glimpse into the history of the Lake Tahoe area try the Thunderbird Lodge begun in 1936 which was begun as a vacation resort, but as the building went on the owner found himself more and more interested in the natural history, flora and fauna of Tahoe. The site was eventually sold to the United State Forest Service and the building now stands as the last and best example of a great private residence to be found in the area.

For those interested in the natural wildlife of Tahoe no visit would be complete without a stop at Eagle Lake, famous for the wild Eagles often spotted at the lake. It gets very crowded on weekends so get there early.

Additional popular hiking trails include Echo Lakes which offers an easy to moderate trail past both the lower and upper Echo Lakes and many other smaller lakes along the way. An even easier option is the Rainbow Trail which is a handicapped-accessible, paved trail and features many signs along the way creating a self-guided tour.

Another great view point that isn’t well known is the Stateline Fire Lookout just a 45 minute hike off the road. The lookout area is cleared so nothing obstructs the splendid views that are worth the easy walk.

A splendid way to enjoy the lake if you enjoy biking is the Ring Around the Lake bike trail. At 72 miles you may want to just pick one section to do.

While we’re talking about the lake we shouldn’t fail to mention the Dixie Queen paddlewheel boat offering daytime and dinner cruises. The Dixie Queen offers a fun and memorable highlight of any trip to the Lake.

If you want the ultimate in views with the minimum of exertion then check out the Squaw Valley Tram. The tram runs year round from Squaw Village up to the observation facility build for the 1960 Winter Olympics. Heavenly also offers an exciting Tram ride year around.

This list is not nearly complete. I haven’t even touched on many of the other available adventures such as hot air balloon rides and, of course, the main winter attraction of downhill skiing and boarding.

A host of exciting activities is waiting for you at Lake Tahoe. What are you waiting for?