Winter Activities - What To Do At Lake Tahoe

Although South Shore Lake Tahoe has long been loved for skiing and boarding, there are a host of other indoor and outdoor winter activities that win praise for the area from national reporters.

On top of that is the most recent: a top rating from Orbitz.com for 2007 based on bookings for hotels and holiday packages.

Recently SKI Magazine’s 2007 Resort Guide rated Heavenly Mountain Resort as the third best for scenery, off-hill activities and after ski. In the same issue of the magazine Kirkwood Mountain Resort was featured on the cover and given a number eight rating for best "snow" in North America.

Transworld Snowboarding’s winter 2006 issue rated Sierra-at-Tahoe number four for terrain park, and number seven for top pipes and total snowboading resort.

Given these recent awards along with recent snows covering the Tahoe area are just more reminders that the fun has just begun at the United State’s number one winter resorts.

Skiing is still the top draw but many other winter activities provide fun for all ages and interests.

Other Winter Activities at Lake Tahoe

• Heavenly’s Gondola – This ride will take your breath away. Be prepared to take photos of the endless vistas of Lake Tahoe visible from the gondola. The resort has numberous snowshoe and hiking trails from one and a half to four miles round-trip. You can spend the day wandering through the Sierra forests. www.skiheavenly.com.
• Get on the Lake on the M.S. Dixie or Tahoe Queen Paddlewheel boats. You’ll be surrounded by 10,000 foot mountains crowned with snow and reflected in the pristine waters of North America’s largest mountain lake. Learn lake history and enjoy good food in warm comfort on the two to three hour trips. They depart from Zephyr Cove or Ski Run Boulevard and include a tour of Emerald Bay. www.laketahoecruises.com.
• For outdoor ice skating fun try the rink at Heavenly Village nestled in among the galleries, stores, Movie Theater and fine restaurants. The City of South Lake Tahoe has an NHL standard-sized ice rink in the Recreation Complex a little more than a mile from the Village. www.theshopsatheavenly.com and www.recreationintahoe.com.
• Put some real excitement in your life with a helicopter ride from HeliTahoe Helicopter over the lake. Even try a full moon tour over the shimmering waters. Other options include the Nevada shore, Secret Harbor and other coves of interest. And, for the ultimate wedding, how about tying the knot while hovering over the lake. HeliTahoe has joined up with Simple Tahoe Weddings so you can ‘take a plunge’ over Tahoe. Call 530-544-2211 or visit www.helitahoe.com.
• Try shopping at The Shops at Heavenly Village, The Village Center or the Factory Stores at the Y. Top quality clothing, sporting goods and apparel as well as fine jewelry are featured.
• The Village Center nearby has even more options with 29 retail stores. The Factory Stores at the Y offer great bargains and you’ll find them at the intersection of Highway 50 and 89 with 18 more stores of name brand clothes, shoes, training apparel and winter ski wear. Art and photo galleries located throughout the South Shore offer fine creative works. Over 20 galleries offer jewelry, art glass, sculpture, prints and oil and acrylic paintings. www.theshopsatheavenly.com, www.shopthe-y.com and www.tahoeartleague.org.

• Ever dream of coming home a millionaire? Nevada gaming establishments offer 7,000 slot machines and 400 gaming tables at the six, 24-hour casinos including Harrah’s, Harveys, MontBleu, Horizon, Bill’s and Lakeside Inn. www.tia.org/Travel/traveltrends.asp.
• Like fine dining? South Shore offers every choice from Ciera Steak + Chophouse’s award winning food at the MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa or The Summit at Harrah’s, to a varied collection of local ethnic options, steakhouses, burger shops and cute local restaurants hiding on the side streets. Tahoe’s reputation for fine dining grows every year. www.montbleuresort.com, www.harrahstahoe.com.
• Book lovers will find a great read at one of the many area bookstores including Neighbors in the Village Center.
• When you’re ready to completely unwind and relax there are a selection of quiet spas throughout the town at the major hotels and casinos as well as small independent shops.

What's Happening At Lake Tahoe Today

Births at Barton Memorial Hospital

02/04/2012 Acevedo-Parra, Braden Anthony, a son, was born Jan. 27, 2012 to Julian Acevedo & Maria Parra of South Lake Tahoe. Caballero, Josselyn Daniel, a daughter, was born Jan. 29, 2012 to Jorge Caballero & Lucero Pena of South Lake Tahoe. 
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Council to talk business tax, more paid parking

02/04/2012 SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Voters could again be asked to decide whether South Lake Tahoe should change its tax structure to decrease costs for most businesses in the city. 
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Lake Tahoe weather: Sunny skies, mild temps in extended forecast

02/04/2012 LAKE TAHOE — Outside of an inch or so of snow that fell late Tuesday into Wednesday, it appears February will start off much like December and January did — dry. 
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Snippets about Lake Tahoe

02/04/2012 • Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will make his debut at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am next week. For the past two years he’s had throngs of followers when he played the American Century Championship in Stateline at Edgewood Tahoe. • Bona Fide HQ (1069 Magua St., No. 4, Meyers) is hosting an evening of art, [...] 
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Executive hangar at LT Airport accommodates larger aircraft

02/04/2012 By Kathryn Reed Lake Tahoe Airport’s new hangar in relation to the old one is like comparing a penthouse to an ordinary hotel room. That’s how Michael Golden of Mountain West Aviation described the executive hangar that is on the north end of the property. While he wouldn’t disclose the exact cost of the building, it was [...] 
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