Written by Daisy Barringer, this article first appeared on Eventbrite Rally (2/21/18).
Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in the world any time of year, but if you love to ski or snowboard, it’s especially beautiful in the winter. What a lot of people don’t realize, however, is how big Tahoe is and how long it takes to get from one town to another (thanks to lots of winding roads).
The lake itself is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, but factor in circumference and a trip from Tahoe City to South Lake is a solid 50-minute drive… and that’s if 89 isn’t closed at Emerald Bay due to snow. If it is? It’ll take you over an hour. Even Incline Village, which is only 15 miles away from Tahoe City, is a solid 30-minute drive on a good day.
The point being: if you’re planning a weekend in Tahoe, you don’t want to plan activities for a million different places, otherwise, you’ll be spending a lot of time in the car.
Tahoe City is a great place to set up camp because of its proximity to the lake itself, the West Shore, as well as a couple of great ski resorts. Not sure what to do while you’re there? Follow this guide to maximize your weekend fun.
FRIDAY
Take in the Lake Views at Commons Beach | 4:15pm
It’s not a trip to Tahoe without seeing the lake, so head to Commons Beach before sunset. There’s plenty of parking in the winter, and it’s a great place to take all of the photos you’ll be posting on Instagram later.
Happy Hour at River Grill | 5 p.m.
The locals probably don’t want you to know this, but happy hour at River Grill on a Friday is a must, and people literally line up before the doors open to guarantee a seat at the bar. Draft beers are $4 and house wines and margaritas are just $5. There’s also a great happy hour food menu, but just get a snack because dinner’s right around the corner.
Dinner at Sunnyside | 7:00pm
During the winter, this bar and restaurant on the lake has live music and martini specials every Friday night from 6 to 9pm. Grab a seat in the bar area where you can order from the more affordable Mountain Grill menu. The fried zucchini is a Sunnyside tradition, and while you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, favorites include the Sunnyside burger, fish tacos, and green chicken chili. Feel free to finish with the hula pie, because you’ll be working off those calories tomorrow.
SATURDAY
Breakfast at the Dam Café | 7:45am
You don’t want to waste a lot of time over breakfast today because the goal is to get on the hill, but you do want to make sure you have plenty of fuel before you hit the slopes. And that’s where this cute counter service café at the . . .
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