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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 sights within
easy walking distance. At the wye (junction of Highways 89 and 28), visitors
can see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and
Fanny Bridge. There’s also the Gatekeeper’s Museum,
featuring historic photos, Native American baskets and local historical
memorabilia. Look for Watson Cabin (open in summer) built by Robert
Watson and his son in 1909 located on the lakeside above Commons Beach.
The North Tahoe Arts Center featuring works by local artists and
gift shops. Gatekeeper’s, $1-$3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.-Sun. through
April, (530) 583-1762. Arts Center, free, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Wed.-Mon., (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 a science education center, the Thomas J. Long Foundation
Education Center, in the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences 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. Exhibit themes include
why Lake Tahoe is unique and how science and research are used to restore
and protect Lake Tahoe for future generations. Thurs.-Fri. 1-5 p.m.
through May. Free. (775) 881-7566. 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 Center, 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 coves of the East Shore offer
visitors access to the back country through Spooner State Park,
with cross country trails and wilderness cabins. $6 parking. (775)
749-5349.
Visitors
can drive through one of the area’s natural wonders – Cave
Rock. The area is named for the small caves above Highway 50 that
were cut by waves when the lake was 200 feet higher during the ice ages.
Cave Rock is not a rock, but the neck of an old volcano.
West Shore
The
West Shore from Tahoe City to Emerald Bay is marked by small hamlets.
Eagle Rock, one of the lake’s famous natural sites, is a
volcano plug beside Highway 89. In Homewood, visitors will find
the Tahoe Maritime Museum featuring guided tours, exhibits and
hands-on activities for kids. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. through
Memorial Day weekend. $5, free for members and children 11 and under.
(530) 525-9253. TART
Sugar
Pine State Park in Tahoma has marked trails for cross country skiing
and visitors are welcome to snowshoe through the park. Ranger programs
Jan.-Feb. No camping Nov. 30-April 30. $8 parking. (530) 525-7982.
TART
Donner
Summit
Donner
Summit,
just west of Truckee, holds the record for the United States’ snowiest
April. On April 1, 1880, a storm dumped 4’ of snow on the Sierra
Nevada west slope within 24 hours. A massive snow slide near Emigrant
Gap buried Central Pacific Railroad’s tracks under 75’ of
snow, ice and rock. For the rest of the month, storm cycles continued
to flow in, dropping a total of 298” on the Sierra Nevada, the most
April snow anywhere in U.S. history.
The
Western Ski Sport Museum, showcasing the history of skiing, is
located at the Castle Peak exit off I-80 next to Boreal. The museum’s
exhibits include snowshoes from the 1850s and ski equipment from throughout
the 20th century. The collection includes a pair of 8-foot-long cross-country
skis used by John “Snowshoe” Thompson, a legendary mail carrier
from 1856 to 1976. Free, Fri.-Sun. during ski season, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.,
(530) 426-3313, ext. 113,
www.auburnskiclub.org. TART
Truckee
The
historic town of Truckee’s beginnings 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. By 1866, the first white settlement
was established near Donner Lake. The town grew quickly as a frequent
stagecoach stop and route for the Central Pacific Railroad. The town became
a rowdy mountain town filled with railroad workers and loggers, gambling
houses and saloons. During these early days many of Truckee’s historical
homes and buildings were built including The Truckee Hotel (1868)
and the Capitol Building (1868), the town’s oldest building.
Today, the area surrounding the Truckee Depot is a bustling shopping
district with Commercial Row across from the Depot, and Brickelltown
a few blocks to the west.
The
Truckee
Donner Historical Society has a wonderful walking tour available online
or at the Visitors’ Center in the Depot highlighting all of the
historic sites. www.truckeehistory.org,
www.truckee.com.
TART
Truckee
Donner Railroad Society is developing the new Truckee Railroad
Museum, located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot. Exhibits will
include the train’s role in logging, fighting snow on the railway,
the role of Chinese emigrants and a children’s area. Expected to
open late-December. 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 older. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun.
10 a.m.-1 p.m. 1230 Donner Pass Road, (530) 587-5437,
www.kidzonemuseum.org. 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. The park also features
trails for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. $8 parking, $7 62+,
daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (530) 582-7892.
Olympic
Valley
The
Olympic heritage of Squaw Valley USA, host of the VIII Winter Olympic
Games in 1960, is evident to this day. The symbolic Tower of Nations
and Olympic Flame still greet visitors at the entrance to the Valley
(5 miles north of Tahoe City on Highway 89). 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 Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. At High Camp,
enjoy dining, ice skating and guided snowshoe tours, along with lift access
to Squaw. Daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (night operations Dec. 19-March 27, Mon.-Thurs.
until 7 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. & holidays until 9 p.m.). $6-$30 Cable Car
ride only. (530) 583-6985,
www.squaw.com. TART
The
region celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Winter Olympics
with the Olympic Heritage Celebration from Jan. 8 to 17.
www.squawvalley1960celebration.com.
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