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Tahoe City
Tahoe
City, located at the junction of the West and North shores, is a popular
area for shopping and dining out with a number of historical sites within
easy walking distance. At the wye (junction of Highways 89 & 28), visitors
can see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and
Fanny Bridge. There’s also the Gatekeeper’s Museum/Steinbach
Indian Basket Museum, featuring historic photos, Native American baskets
and local historical memorabilia. Look for Watson Cabin
on Highway 28 on the lakeside above Commons Beach. The
cabin was built by Robert Watson and his son in 1909. Down the street is
the North Tahoe Arts Center featuring works by local artists
and gift shops. North Lake Tahoe Historical Society offers Historic
Walking Tours throughout the summer. Call Gatekeeper’s for
details. Gatekeeper’s, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Mon. until Sept.
30, $4-$5; Watson Cabin, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thurs.-Mon. Memorial Day weekend-Labor
Day, $2-$3, (530) 583-1762. Arts Center, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Wed.-Mon., free,
(530) 581-2787.
www.visittahoecity.com. TART
North
Shore
Highway 28 curves
around the small communities of the North Shore from Tahoe City to Incline
Village with shopping areas and restaurants dotted along the lake. Included
are Kings Beach, which features the Kings Beach State
Recreation Area; Crystal Bay, where casinos and dining
are the highlight; and Incline Village, which has an
abundance of shopping. TART
University of California,
Davis, operates Ericksson Education Center at the Historic Fish
Hatchery, a half-mile east of Tahoe City. Historic 1920s-era
building features history of the field station, current UC Davis research
projects and demonstration garden. Learn about wetlands, restoration,
BMPs and native plants. For ages 8 and older. Garden daily Memorial
Day-Labor Day, Hatchery Sat. 1-5 p.m. starting July 10. Free. (530) 583-3279.
TART
The Thomas
J. Long Foundation Education Center in the Tahoe Center for Environmental
Sciences is located on the Sierra Nevada campus in Incline Village. Exhibits
include a virtual research boat, biology lab, 3-D visualization lab and
docent-led tours of this award-winning green building. For ages 8 and
older. Tues.-Fri. 1-5 p.m. through Memorial Day; Tues.-Sat. 1-5
p.m. Memorial Day-Labor Day. Free. (775) 881-7566. TART
North Lake
Tahoe Demonstration Garden is on the Sierra Nevada campus in
Incline Village. Features demonstrations of lake-friendly landscaping
using native and adaptive plants, water conservation, soil stabilization
techniques, defensible space from wildfires, and Best Management Practices
for storm water filtration. Self-guided tours. Open year-round.
Free. (775) 586-1610, x 25. TART
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Shopping
Areas
Kings
Beach:
Downtown district
Northstar:
Village at Northstar
Olympic Valley: Village at Squaw
Tahoe City: Downtown district
Truckee: Commercial Row, Brickelltown
Visitors’ Centers
Incline
Village:
969 Tahoe Blvd., (800) 468-2463
Kings Beach: North Tahoe Beach, Hwy. 28, across
from Safeway (opens mid-summer)
Tahoe City: 380 North Lake Blvd., (530) 581-6900
Truckee: 10065 Donner Pass Road (Depot), (530) 587-8808
U.S. Forest Service: 3080 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, (530) 583-3593
TART:
Bus & shuttle schedules at Visitors’ Center or at www.laketahoetransit.com
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East Shore
The
mostly undeveloped rocky slopes and hidden beaches of the East Shore offer
visitors access to the back country through Spooner Lake State
Park. Sand Harbor State Park is one of the most
popular beaches on the Lake and is home to the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare
Festival (July 9-Aug. 22), www.laketahoeshakespeare.com.
Drive through one of the area’s natural wonders – Cave
Rock, the neck of an old volcano. Named for the small caves above
Highway 50 that were cut by waves when the lake was 200 feet higher during
the ice ages. Parking $10 Spooner, $12 Sand Harbor, $10 Cave Rock;
$2 discount Nev. residents. (775) 831-0494.
Thunderbird
Lodge Historic Site is the former Whittell estate and provides
a peek back to the “Old Tahoe” lifestyle. This magnificent
lakefront home features the Lighthouse Room, Old Lodge, 600’ underground
tunnel (with a former lion cage), Card House and Boat House, home to the
“Thunderbird” a 1939 wooden boat. Ages 6+ only. No on-site
parking. Shuttle tours Tues.-Sat. until mid-Oct., $39 adults,
$19 12 and under, (800) 468-2463. Tour boat from Tahoe Keys Marina, Tue.-Sat.
early June-Sept. $110 adults, $55 ages 12 and under, (888) 867-6394, ext.
3.
West Shore
The
West Shore from Tahoe City to Emerald Bay is marked by small hamlets and
several historical sites and popular state parks. Sugar Pine Point
State Park offers beach access and is home to the Ehrman
Mansion. Farther down is D.L. Bliss State Park,
sight of an old lighthouse (once the highest elevation lighthouse in the
country), and Emerald Bay State Park. Visitors to Emerald
Bay can tour Vikingsholm Castle, hike around
the beach, relax on the beach or boat to Fannette Island
(the Lake’s only island), which is home to an old teahouse. Ehrman
Mansion tours 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Memorial Day weekend-Sept. 30, (530) 525-7982.
D.L. Bliss (530) 525-7277. Vikingsholm Castle tours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Memorial
Day weekend-Sept. 30, $3-$5, (530) 541-3030. TART
The
Tahoe Maritime Museum in Homewood features guided tours,
exhibits and hands-on activities for kids. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri.-Sun.
until May 27; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thurs.-Tues. May 28-Sept. 30. Guided tours
2 p.m. July-Aug. $5 over 12. (530) 525-9253. TART
Northstar
Northstar-at-Tahoe
offers scenic lift rides to the top of the mountain on the Gondola, Tahoe
Zephyr Express or Vista Express chairlifts. The resort offers hiking and
mountain bike trails and dogs are welcome on a leash. Lift rides
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. June 11-July 1; 10 a.m.-7
p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Thurs. July 2-Sept. 6; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun.
Sept. 7-Oct. 17. $5 over 12. (530) 562-2267. TART
Truckee
The
beginnings of the historic town of Truckee date back to 1848 with the
discovery of gold in Colma and silver in Virginia City, prompting the
need for a road to connect the two and eventually a town on the bank of
the Truckee River. The area surrounding the Truckee Depot
is a bustling shopping district with Commercial Row and
Brickelltown. Stop by the visitor’s center in the
Depot for a walking tour.
Visit
the Old Jail Museum on Jibboom Street. 11 a.m.-4
p.m. May 29-30; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. June 12-Sept. & on Truckee
Thursdays. (530) 582-0893. Truckee Railroad Museum located in
a caboose next to the Depot. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Truckee
Thursdays & holidays. www.truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com.
TART
The
KidZone Children’s Museum is a great place for
kids up to age 7 with interactive exhibits, science and art classes, the
BabyZone for newborns to 18 months and the Jungle Gym for toddlers and
up. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sun. until May 31;
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tues.-Sun. June 1-Oct. $3-$7. Locals first Tuesday $1. (530)
587-8437. TART
The
ill-fated Donner Party suffered through the harsh winter
of 1846-47 camped around Donner Lake and Truckee. The Donner Memorial
State Park features exhibits and artifacts on the Donner Party
at the Emigrant Trail Museum and the towering Pioneer
Monument, built to commemorate those who came to California in
the mid-1800s. Features beach access to Donner Lake, natural trails and
boulder fields. Daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $8 parking, $7 62+. (530)
582-7892. TART
Olympic
Valley
The
Olympic heritage of Olympic Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic
Games in 1960, is evident to this day. The symbolic Tower
of Nations and Olympic Flame greet visitors
at the entrance to the valley. The Olympic Heritage Museum
at High Camp (el. 8,200’) at Squaw Valley USA features historic
memorabilia, photographs and a video presentation.
High
Camp is an attraction in itself. Visitors travel to High Camp
via the Cable Car with views of the valley and Lake Tahoe. At High Camp,
enjoy swimming, skating, hiking, full moon hikes, stargazing, tennis and
dining. 10:40 a.m.-5 p.m. May 29-31, June 5-6; daily June 12-July
1; daily until 9 p.m. July 2-Aug. 21. Prices vary. (530) 583-6985. TART.
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