Local guides
Lake Tahoe, from people who live here
Beaches, skiing, food and planning for the North Shore, written by our team in Incline Village. Every guide ends with the homes closest to where it takes you.
New: Lake Tahoe rental prices by town and month
Beaches and the lake
Chambers Landing Beach Lake TahoeChambers Landing is a small, free Forest Service beach between Homewood and Tahoma, beside a lakefront bar dating to 187…
Chimney Beach Lake TahoeChimney Beach is a Forest Service cove on Nevada's East Shore, named for an old cabin chimney, a half-mile walk below pa…
Driving to Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area: Route, Timing, ChainsTake I-80 over Donner Summit to Truckee, then CA-89 or CA-267 to the North Shore. About four hours in light traffic, far…
El Dorado Beach South Lake TahoeEl Dorado Beach (Lakeview Commons) is South Lake Tahoe's free in-town beach: free parking, no dogs, open May–Oct. Closed…
Emerald Bay State ParkEmerald Bay State Park is open sunrise to sunset all year. Vikingsholm lot parking is $10 a day or $3 an hour; dogs aren…
Incline Village Beaches: Which Ones Vacation Renters Can UseIncline Village's IVGID beaches are private: renters get in only with an owner's punch card or a pass holder at the gate…
Lake Tahoe Beaches26 Lake Tahoe beaches compared by fee, parking and dogs. Sand Harbor needs a reservation May 15–Sep 30; Hidden, Speedboa…
Lake Tahoe Meeks BayMeeks Bay Beach is a gated, fee-paid sandy beach 2 miles south of Tahoma, run by the Washoe Tribe Memorial Day to mid-Oc…
Sand Harbor Beach Lake TahoeSand Harbor needs a day-use car reservation May 15–Sep 30 (reservenevada.com). Entry is $10 NV / $15 out-of-state; open …
Speedboat Beach Lake TahoeSpeedboat Beach is a free Placer County beach in Kings Beach at the Nevada line, known for boulders and clear water. Str…Skiing and winter
Alpine Meadows Ski ResortAlpine Meadows is open as the Alpine side of Palisades Tahoe. 2026-27: opening day Nov. 25, lifts 9-4, weekend parking r…
Diamond Peak Ski Resort Guide: Tickets, Parking, Lessons, StaysDiamond Peak is Incline Village's 655-acre ski area: 1,840 ft vertical, lake views, free parking and shuttle, Dec 3, 202…
Heavenly Mountain ResortHeavenly opens Nov. 20, 2026 (target). Lift tickets are priced by date and cheapest online ahead; it's on the Epic Pass.…
Heavenly Ski Resort Vacation RentalsYes, there are vacation rentals near Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, but permits are capped. Where to stay, …
Incline Village in Winter: Skiing, Sledding, Chains and ParkingIncline Village in winter: Diamond Peak in town, Mt. Rose up the hill, snowshoeing at Tahoe Meadows, chain controls on N…
Lake Tahoe In WinterTahoe winter runs late November to April. For 2026-27, Heavenly, Northstar and Mt. Rose target Nov. 20, Palisades Nov. 2…
Martis CampMartis Camp is a private, gated club community in Truckee's Martis Valley. It isn't open to the public and homes aren't …
The Lodge at Tahoe DonnerThe Lodge Restaurant & Pub at Tahoe Donner (12850 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee) is open to the public: dinner Wed-Sun 5-8:3…Plan your trip
Booking Direct vs Airbnb in Lake Tahoe: Fees, Safety and SavingsMost local Lake Tahoe managers let you book direct. MG Vacation Rentals does for every North and West Shore home we run,…
Lake Tahoe SpasNorth Lake Tahoe's resort spas are the Hyatt in Incline Village, the Ritz-Carlton at Northstar and Everline at Palisades…
Lake Tahoe Waterfalls and the Hikes to ThemLake Tahoe's best waterfalls are Eagle, Cascade, Glen Alpine and Horsetail falls near Emerald Bay and South Lake, plus G…
North Lake Tahoe Bike RentalsRent bikes in Tahoe City (Olympic Bike Shop, eBike Tahoe, evo), Incline Village (Vista Trail Bikes, Flume Trail Bikes) o…
North Lake Tahoe BreweriesNorth Lake Tahoe breweries in 2026: Tahoe National in Tahoe City, Bear Belly in Kings Beach, two Alibi pubs, and FiftyFi…
North Lake Tahoe NightlifeNorth Lake Tahoe nightlife centers on the Crystal Bay Casino's Crown Room, Tahoe City's late bars and Palisades après. C…
Best Time to Visit Lake Tahoe: A Month-by-Month GuideSeptember is the North Shore's sweet spot. July–August to swim, late Sept–mid Oct for fall color, late Nov–April to ski,…
Flying into Reno for North Lake Tahoe: Airport to Your RentalReno-Tahoe International (RNO) is the closest major airport to North Lake Tahoe, about 45 minutes by car. Rent a car the…
Hot Tub EtiquetteHot tub rules for guests: 104°F or below, no glass or alcohol, kids under 5 out, shower first, lock the cover after, and…
Incline Village in Summer: Things to Do, Beaches, Hikes and EventsSummer in Incline Village means Sand Harbor, the East Shore Trail, Shakespeare on the beach and high-country hikes. Go e…
Lake Cabin Decorating IdeasGood lake cabin decor: warm wood, stone and wool in mid tones, washable commercial-grade fabrics, a real mudroom, and no…
Lake Tahoe Helicopter ToursWho flies helicopter tours over Lake Tahoe in 2026, where they take off (South Lake Tahoe or Truckee), what each costs, …
Lake Tahoe Hot SpringsThere are no public hot springs on Lake Tahoe itself. The closest soaks are ~45 minutes away in Reno and Carson City: se…
Lake Tahoe SummerTahoe summer runs June to mid-September: July highs near 78°F, cool nights, Sand Harbor reservations May 15–Sep 30, free…
Mt. Rose vs Diamond Peak: Which to Ski from Incline VillageDiamond Peak is in town, gentler for beginners and looks over the lake; Mt. Rose is bigger and higher, with the expert C…
Tahoe East Shore Trail: Parking, Shuttle, Dogs and E-BikesThe Tahoe East Shore Trail is a paved, 10-foot-wide path of about three miles from Incline Village to Sand Harbor. Park …
Tahoe National ForestTahoe National Forest: 850,000+ acres northwest of the lake. No entry fee; a campfire permit is needed for stoves, and S…
Things To Do in Lake TahoeThe best things to do in Lake Tahoe: Sand Harbor, the East Shore Trail, Emerald Bay, Truckee River rafting, free beach c…
Truckee River RaftingThe Truckee River float from Tahoe City to River Ranch: 2026 prices ($77 adults), the Memorial Day to Labor Day season, …Food
Truckee RestaurantsThe best food is downtown Truckee: Pianeta, Moody's, Bar of America and Truckee Tavern for dinner, Squeeze In and Coffee…
Breakfast Places in Tahoe CityBest Tahoe City breakfast: Fire Sign Cafe for a sit-down plate, Tahoe House for 6 am pastries, Rosie's for diner food, O…
Tahoma RestaurantsTahoma has four places to eat: Dog & Bear Tavern, Cult Burger, Where We Met and Tahoma Market. Wa She Shu Grille is near…
The Red Hut Café South Lake TahoeRed Hut Café has served waffles since 1959 (the bacon waffle is the famous one), breakfast and lunch 6 am–2 pm. Two Sout…South Lake Tahoe
Lakeland Village Lake TahoeLakeland Village is a lakefront condo resort at 3535 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, about a mile from Heavenly, with…
North Lake Tahoe vs South LakePick South Lake Tahoe for casinos, nightlife and Heavenly in one walkable hub. Pick North Lake Tahoe for quieter towns, …
Things To Do in South Lake TahoeTop things to do in South Lake Tahoe: Heavenly's gondola and skiing, Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm, Pope and Baldwin beach…
Vikingsholm Castle South Lake TahoeVikingsholm, a 1929 Scandinavian-style mansion at the head of Emerald Bay: tours late May to Sept 30 ($18 adults in 2026…For homeowners
Best Vacation Rental Investment MarketsAirDNA's 2026 top markets are cheap Texas and Midwest towns yielding ~14%. Leisure markets like Lake Tahoe yield less; j…
What Are HOA Rules in Incline Village? A Complete Guide for HomeownersIncline Village HOA rules come from each association's CC&Rs under Nevada's NRS 116, on top of Washoe County's STR permi…
How to Value a Vacation Rental PropertyValue a vacation rental on its net income: NOI ÷ cap rate, checked against cash-on-cash return, sold comps and a full ye…
Investing in North Lake Tahoe Vacation RentalsNorth Lake Tahoe rentals split between Placer County, CA (3,900-permit cap) and Washoe County, NV (no cap, no state inco…
Lake Tahoe Short Term Rental PermitEvery Lake Tahoe county requires a short-term rental permit in 2026. Washoe has no cap, Placer caps at 3,900; El Dorado,…
Maximum Occupancy Rules for Vacation RentalsHow many guests depends on the county: Washoe allows 2 per bedroom + 1 per 200 sq ft, Placer 2 per bedroom + 2 (max 12),…
South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental PolicySince April 23, 2026 South Lake Tahoe allows VHRs citywide but caps residential areas at 900 permits and waitlists new o…