south lake tahoe nevada

South Lake Tahoe

Van Sickle Overlook

Visit Lake Tahoe

Visit Lake Tahoe

When it comes to Tahoe adventures, indoors and out, the state-straddling community of South Lake Tahoe is always the center of the action. Hit trails, slopes, waves, and beaches by day, then reward yourself with incredible restaurants, gaming and nightlife, and a swanky stay at one of four world-famous South Shore Lake Tahoe casino resorts.

“It must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.”

Mark Twain

Explore the South Shore of Lake Tahoe

The Sierra Nevada is calling, and you must come. If it’s alpine adventure you’re after, South Lake Tahoe has you more than covered. The fun never stops at Nevada’s lineup of famous California border-hugging South Lake Tahoe casinos—home to world-class gaming, all manner of eats, and party-hardy bars and clubs—which also make a perfect hotel base camp for classic South Shore Lake Tahoe excursions in every season. Whether you’re here to hit the slopes, tackle the trails, bum it up at the beach, or simply soak in those unbeatable Lake Tahoe views, if you’re looking for what to do in South Lake Tahoe, let us get your gears turning.

south lake tahoe map

Region

Northwestern

Average Temperatures

Summer

75°F

24°C

45°F

C

Fall

59°F

15°C

34°F

C

Winter

42°F

C

22°F

-6°C

Spring

54°F

12°C

31°F

-1°C

Expand

South Lake Tahoe in the Summer

South Lake Tahoe steals plenty of the summertime spotlight, too, including on some of the lake’s most popular beaches. If you’re cool with brisk dips, swimming abounds at sprawling Baldwin Beach, pine-studded Pope Beach, Mount Tallac-viewing Nevada Beach, and Zephyr Cove—South Tahoe’s one-stop shop for all things on-the-water. Don your captain’s hat and rent powerboats (plus plenty to pull behind it), pontoon boats, Sea Doo jet skis, and water toys. Take to the skies on a parasailing trip. Or simply lounge on the dog-friendly beach and knock back a few breezers, brought straight to your beach chair from the on-site Sunset Bar & Grille.

m s dixie entering emerald bay
M.S. Dixie II at Emerald Bay
Zephyr Cove Resort

Zephyr Cove is also the berth-place of the famous M.S. Dixie II, the triple-decker, 500-passenger, Mississippi-style paddle wheeler that has been cruising Lake Tahoe’s sapphire-blue waters since 1972, and which still offers daytime and sunset dinner cruises, including to breathtaking Emerald Bay.

South Shore Lake Tahoe hikers and mountain bikers have their pick of incredible trails to take on and peaks to bag, especially along South Tahoe’s sections of the 165-mile, lake-circling Tahoe Rim Trail. Intrepid trampers earn their Lake Tahoe views from the top of 9,728-foot Mount Tallac, which rises above the pristine Desolation Wilderness, as well as to the mountaintop trio of Jobs Peak, Jobs Sister, and Freel Peak—each above 10,000 feet, and among the highest in the Lake Tahoe Basin. (Taking two wheels? Two words: Mr. Toad’s.) Flatter options abound at Taylor Creek Visitor Center, and along many walking paths around town. 

two paddle boarders at south lake tahoe
South Lake Tahoe
Rachid Dahnoun/Aramark

Meanwhile, golf lovers owe themselves a round at Edgewood Tahoe, a stunning, lakefront golf course which hosts the annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship. Ever watched Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, or Larry the Cable Guy take a swing on ESPN? That was here.

Abundant shopping awaits at Heavenly Village’s 40+ brand-name stores. Located in the center of the action at the base of the Heavenly Mountain Resort Gondola, the village also boasts dozens of restaurants, mini-golf, and an eight-screen movie theater.

skiing and snowboarding at heavenly in south lake tahoe
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Rachid Dahnoun/Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

South Lake Tahoe in the Winter

Wintertime is wonderful anywhere around Lake Tahoe, but the neighboring towns of Stateline, Nevada and South Lake Tahoe, CA easily join forces as the snowy season’s adventure capital. Heavenly Mountain Resort dominates South Tahoe’s slope scene, boasting Lake Tahoe’s most skiable terrain (4,800 acres), highest summit elevation (10,067 feet), and longest vertical drop (3,500 feet). Skiers and snowboarders float fresh powder and weave through trees on nearly 100 runs, some crisscrossing Nevada and California.

Non-skiers find thrills on Heavenly’s 2.4-mile-long gondola, which whooshes up to 9,100 feet in elevation, with abundant Lake Tahoe views en route and at the Observation Deck, where you can get a bird’s eye understanding of exactly why we call it “Big Blue,” the largest alpine lake in North America. At Heavenly’s Adventure Peak family-friendly snow-play area, plop yourself down in a doughnut-shape snow tube and barrel down a 65-foot vertical drop. 

Heavenly Village
Heavenly Mountain Resort

A few miles up Nevada’s eastern slice of Tahoe, rev up the adrenaline at the Zephyr Cove Resort Snowmobile Center. Drive your own “mountain sled” on a guided tour through aspen groves, pine forests, and snow-covered meadows, then up to a 9,000-foot summit. Of course, if flat ground is more your speed, snowshoers and cross-country skiers chart their own courses around a variety of meadows and trails, including Tallac Historic Site, while ice-skaters circle ’round the rink at Heavenly Village.

Travel Nevada Pro Tip

In sun or snow, on the water, trail, or slopes, and over either side of the state line, it’s easy to pack your days in South Lake Tahoe. So treat yourself to a night of comfort and luxury at one of the Nevada side’s incredible, famous resorts. You deserve it.

Lake Tahoe History & Culture

Like many places around Nevada, the first European to “discover” Lake Tahoe was famed explorer John Fremont back in 1844. However, the Washoe people had already been here for several thousand years. (In fact, “Tahoe” is actually a poorly English-ified pronunciation of a Washoe word that means “edge of the lake.”) Thanks to the silver rush in nearby Virginia City back in the 1860s, settlers and entrepreneurs streamed in, mowing down vast amounts of timber for buildings, both up on the Comstock and, increasingly, around Lake Tahoe, as this beautiful place began to catch the eyes of well-heeled vacationers. 

black and white photo of a horse drawn wagon in front of a log cabin
two people walking around vikingshol castle at emerald bay
Emerald Bay

Visit Lake Tahoe

In 1880, the visionary Lucky Baldwin built Lake Tahoe’s first high-end resort, paving the way for the next century’s eventual boom of the South Lake Tahoe casinos and lodging we know and love today. You can still get a taste of that 19th-century luxury at Tallac Historic Site, which offers tours of old estates, a museum, and an arts and events center. 

Get into more larger-than-life Lake Tahoe history on a tour of Vikingsholm Castle, the summer home of Lora Josephine Knight, a wealthy heiress and widow who used her fortune to build a 38-room Scandinavian-style mansion on Emerald Bay, which reminded her of the fjords she’d seen on trips to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. It’s a steep hike down from the Emerald Bay State Park trailhead, but you can also take the fun way and boat in.

South Shore Lake Tahoe Restaurants

South Lake Tahoe is a world-class tourist destination home to about 20,000 residents, all of whom love to eat. With nearly 200 South Shore Lake Tahoe restaurants on the menu, you can find pretty much whatever you’re craving, from fancy casino steakhouses and fresh seafood joints to international dining and everything in between. 

two food items displayed at edgewood tahoe
Edgewood Tahoe
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe

Grab beachfront views and spectacular cuisine at places like the elegant Edgewood Restaurant, the always-happening Riva Grill (beware of their high-octane Wet Woody cocktails!), or the classic yet creative The Grove. For a brush with TV royalty, make dinner reservations at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen in Lake Tahoe or Wolf by Vanderpump. Imbibers toast to a day well spent at several tasty breweries, and dozens upon dozens of wine bars, sports bars, tap houses, and nightclubs. No matter what you’re hungry (or thirsty) for, you’re bound to find it at a tasty plethora of South Lake Tahoe restaurants.

South Lake Tahoe Casinos & Hotels

If you’re into nightlife, opulent rooms with stunning views of the lake, top-notch cuisine, poolside sanctuaries, and maybe a little casino floor gambling action, you’re in luck at four fantastic South Lake Tahoe casinos, all of which straddle the main drag right across the state line in the aptly named community of, well, Stateline, Nevada. 

The South Shore Lake Tahoe casino scene started back in the 1940s with Harvey’s Wagon Wheel Saloon & Gambling Hall, which got the ball rolling for famous properties like the Sahara, Harrah’s, and Caesars, where, in subsequent decades, revelers would flock to see top-bill entertainers like Elvis, the Rat Pack, and more—and still do, especially during Harveys Summer Concert Series, which has invited the likes of Phish, Elton John, Lady Gaga, and plenty more to the 4,000-seat Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena, with the Sierra Nevada mountain range as its stunning backdrop. 

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and Harveys Lake Tahoe

Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe

Today, Harveys Lake Tahoe offers 740 rooms and suites, entertainment by top comedians at The Improv, and fine dining at Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen and the lake-viewing, 19th-floor Sage Room Steak House. A tunnel takes you across the street to Harvey’s sister property, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, where 512 more rooms and luxury suites await, the South Shore Room has been selling out concerts and comedy shows since 1959, the Reflections Spa delights, Cliché Lounge hips things up, and the 18th-floor Friday’s Station Steak & Seafood Grill delivers fine flavors and views of the lake from every table.

The lodging at Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino is equally comfortable, contemporary, and spacious. Take in mesmerizing views of “the Jewel of the Sierra,” enjoy fine dining at the local-centric Park Prime Steakhouse, or keep the party going with live DJs at Center Bar. Right up the street, Bally’s Lake Tahoe Casino Resort luxes things up with palatial suites, an amenity-packed spa, big-name entertainment in the showroom, chic hangs at the Opal Ultra Lounge, and the award-stacked Ciera Steak & Chophouse, Lake Tahoe’s only four-diamond restaurant. 

#TravelNevada

Whether you’re shredding the slopes, tackling a trail, rocking out at a show, or simply living it up, South Lake Tahoe-style, tag your snaps #TravelNevada and you might see them here.

📍Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada 🇺🇸

Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the border of California and Nevada.  It is famous for its beaches and ski resorts.  On the southwestern shore is Emerald Bay State Park, which includes Vikingsholm, a 1929 Nordic-style residence. Along the northeastern coast is Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park with Sand Harbor Beach and Spooner Lake, where the  along the Tahoe Rim Trail.
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#LakeTahoe#nevada#sierranevada
#sanfrancisco#sanfranciscobayarea#california#californialove_travel#dream__travelling#unitedstates#goldengatebridge#goldengate#usa#citylights#citylife#oakland #visitcalifornia#discoverusa#likeforlikes#followme#views#travel#travelblogger#amazing#american_nationalpark#usatravel#magic#moments#colors#nature
Be in two places at once at Van Sickle Bi-State Park. This park is in both California and Nevada - and provides great options for hiking, biking, and sunset watching!
 from 420tto / 📷: dvclock.
#nevadastateparks #nevadatv3 #nevadastatecollege #trip✈️ #phototravel #mustdotravels
Wood fired to perfection. That's what we aim for
Great opening weekend at Heavenly!
Tahoe Rim Trail
Day 1: 6/27/20
Mile 80.7 - 84.8

•Flight Hartford to Dallas
•Flight Dallas to Reno
•1 hr Uber from Steve to Tahoe Sports LTD for fuel (isobutane and Mexican cantina)
•Walked up Park St. past the CA  NA border to Van Sickle State Park and took the 3.2 mile Van Sickle Connector Trail up to mike 80.7 of the TRT
•Headed south on the TRT to walk clockwise around the lake with an expected resupply in Tahoe City in 5-6 days
•Took many pictures of the view of Carson Valley 
•Set up camp early at mile 84.8
•Noticed headaches potentially from altitude change
•Woke in the night to insane winds. Got up to save clothing drying on a line! 

#trt2020 #tahoerimtrail #hikecalifornia #hikenevada #thruhiking #backpacking #adventure #withguthooks #teamzpacks
This past fall season was one for the books. Did you get any good photos? Share them with us using #EdgewoodTahoe for a chance to be featured. 
📷  cyarmstrong
Thinking of heading up to Tahoe South this weekend? Know Before You Go: Review the latest COVID-19 Travel News and Resources for Tahoe South by clicking on our profile link.⁣
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Image appears courtesy: Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (Photo taken January 2018)
Nature walk straight to the lake 🌬❄️⛄️

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This 2 mile out & back trail leads you straight to a small cove of the South Lake Tahoe shore. Cove East is a California Tahoe Conservancy restoration project. You can admire the land but staying on the trail and respecting the access permitted guidelines. The trail is dog friendly and lightly trafficked with joggers and sightseers. 

On this trail to the lake you might see a variety of wildlife such as: bald eagles, beavers, tree swallows, Pacific tree frogs, etc. With gorgeous views of the mountains and the lake it’s one of my favorite nature walks! 

#southlaketahoe #tahoetrail #eastcove #lake #mountains #naturewalk #wildlife #lakelife #snowtrails #snow #restorationproject #keeptahoeblue #dogtrail #icy #southlaketahoecalifornia #southlake
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear Lake Tahoe? ❄️🌲

Most likely it’s the Lake... for obvious reasons. However during the winter it’s all about the snow covered mountains! The Sierra Nevada ridge is home to one of the best ski regions in the country if not the world, with skiheavenly resort being in the center. 🎿⛷🏂

We were lucky enough to stay at the peak of the mountains theridgetahoe_ which was literally slope side & conveniently located adjacent to Heavenly's Stagecoach Express Lift. Even better you don’t even need to leave the hotel to start the ski day,  just take the ski in/ski out service via the new Hilltrac Skier Express elevator (a self-operated, 8-passenger gondola-type transport that sits on a track & with the swipe of your room key, it whisks you down the slopeside right to the lift!) As you can see behind me in this photo. 🚡❄️🚠❄️🚟

If you rather go sledding there are loads of safe areas to have fun in the snow with spectacular views of Lake Tahoe, Carson Valley and snowy mountain peaks around you to explore #SierraSafely ❄️🏔🛷 TahoeSouth sierrasafely
When you can stumble on places like this...why would you go anywhere else?  Book your Hard Rock stay today and take in the beautiful sights! 📸: @bradscottvisuals
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