North Lake Tahoe, CA/NV….A traditional Tahoe summer is planned in North Lake Tahoe this year as experiences unique to the region are scheduled to resume. From full moon kayak excursions and museum tours to pedaling along North Lake Tahoe’s paved and rugged paths and enjoying live music outdoors, there’s plenty to fill a multi-day vacation in the High Sierra.
“Not only is the North Lake Tahoe business community ready to welcome local and visiting patrons, significant progress has been made to help reduce traffic in the region once people get here,” said Andy Chapman, president and CEO of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau. “With the new TART Connect curb-to-curb service, those who want to get around the communities that make up North Lake Tahoe will be able to conveniently do so without a car, reducing the need to take cars to their destinations and to find parking.”
Getting Around Without a Car Just Got Easier
Beginning June 24, TART Connect will provide FREE, curb-to-curb transit service around the North Shore with service zones that include West Shore, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, Brockway, Crystal Bay and Incline Village, and connections to TART’s mainline bus system. Service will be offered daily from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, with vans capable of carrying up to nine passengers. Bike racks will also be available. Download the free TART Connect App to request a ride. tahoetruckeetransit.com
New Air Service at Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport continues to add new non-stop air service to a number of destinations. New flights include:
● RNO to Austin, TX on American Airlines with service starting Sept. 8
● RNO to Orange County and Burbank on Southwest Airlines
● RNO to Charlotte on American Airlines
● RNO to Jackson Hole on Allegiant Air
● For a full list of non-stop flight options offered at RNO, visit go.renoairport.com
Eat, Shop, Stay: What’s New for Summer 2021
New retailers, restaurants, renovations and experiences top the list of what’s new in North Lake Tahoe this summer. Here’s what to be sure to check out:
● Shop local at new stores in The Boatworks Mall including Coco Cabana clothing, Tahoe Wine Collective and Tahoe Gourmet Foods. boatworksatlaketahoe.com
● Book a mid-week stay at the recently renovated The Inn at Boatworks in Tahoe City and enjoy 20% off the rate and
a complimentary wine flight. Some restrictions apply. innatboatworks.com
● Mirada Tacos & Tequila opens July 1 for the first time in The Boatworks Mall offering Mexican cuisine, freshly crafted margaritas and outdoor dining with stunning views of Lake Tahoe. MiradaAtboatworks.com
● Guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe with a Lake Club reservation are invited to participate in new Paddleboard Yoga classes on weekends. On select holidays, “Dive-In Movie Nights” will feature a kid-friendly film under the stars at the pool. ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe
● Enjoy River Ranch Lodge & Restaurant’s refreshed lodge rooms, or grab a bite and beverage on the recently renovated Riverfront Patio. riverranchlodge.com
● Stay in one of the Tahoe Biltmore Lodge and Casino’s newly remodeled balcony rooms or suites and enjoy stunning views of Lake Tahoe. tahoebiltmore.com
● Let Tahoe Luxury Properties’ concierge plan a personalized itinerary that includes curated experiences and excursions. Tluxp.com
● Wild Society has expanded to Incline Village with a newly opened beach boutique that offers clear-bottom kayak tours to Sand Harbor and beach cruisers for rent. wildsocietylt.com
● The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival will resume programming for the 2021 summer season, featuring the complete works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and several performances by the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sierra Nevada Ballet. laketahoeshakespeare.com
● Thunderbird Lodge reopens this summer with wine and cheese tours and water-based tours from Action Water Sports and Tahoe Adventure Company. thunderbirdtahoe.com Play at The Lake
Whether in the water or on the shore, opportunities to experience Lake Tahoe are abundant. Some ideas include:
● Get on the water and explore the Lake Tahoe Water Trail, a designated water route connecting public beaches with launch and landing sites. laketahoewatertrail.org
● Step back in time and explore some of Lake Tahoe’s history with a tour of Vikingsholm Castle at Emerald Bay or the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion on the West Shore. sierrastateparks.org
● Join a full moon Lake Tahoe kayak tour along the shore of Sugar Pine Point State Park with West Shore Sports and the Sierra State Parks Foundation in July, August or September. sierrastateparks.org
● Get into your flow with Yoga in the Park at Sugar Pine Point State Park select Wednesdays and Thursdays in July. sierrastateparks.org
● Plan a daytime, sunset or full moon kayak tour with Tahoe Adventure Company. tahoeadventurecompany.com
● Book a lunch cruise to Emerald Bay, a happy hour cruise along Lake Tahoe’s north shore, a shoreline brunch cruise or a sunset dinner cruise on the iconic paddle wheeler, The Tahoe Gal. tahoegal.com
● Learn how to get to the 40+ public beaches that surround Lake Tahoe, including where to park, on-site amenities, which spots are dog friendly, and more. tahoepublicbeaches.org
● Float the Truckee River, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet with Truckee River Raft Company, conditions permitting. Truckeeriverraft.com
● Paddle on Lake Tahoe in an authentic 6-person Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe, or learn to SUP or kayak at Waterman’s Landing. watermanslanding.com
Discover The Mountains
While Lake Tahoe may be the draw in the summer, there are endless possibilities for fun in the mountains all season long.
● Experience the Tahoe Via Ferrata on the iconic Tram Face at Squaw Valley. alpenglowexpeditions.com
● Fuel your action sports passion at Woodward Tahoe with a daily session, monthly membership or at a week-long summer camp. Advance reservations required. rideboreal.com
● Try downhill mountain biking, go hiking or enjoy scenic chairlift rides at Northstar California. Advance reservations
recommended. northstarcalifornia.com
● Treat yourself to a Knesko Facial to promote healing of the deepest skin layers or a Chocolate Decadent Facial to smooth and brighten skin at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Lake Tahoe. ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe
● Participate in a guided 1.5 hour E-mountain bike tour at High Camp at Squaw Valley. Advance reservations recommended; Tram tickets sold separately. squawalpine.com
● Hike to Shirley Canyon, through meadows blanketed with wildflowers at Squaw Valley or simply enjoy a scenic aerial tram ride to enjoy panoramic views of Lake Tahoe. squawalpine.com
● Take a backpacking class, plan a hike or bike tour, or go on a custom backpacking adventure that includes all of the planning, gear rental, permit acquisition and more with Tahoe Adventure Company. tahoeadventurecompany.com
● View the brilliant, unobstructed skies above North Lake Tahoe during docent-led stargazing tours with Tahoe Star
Tours. tahoestartours.com
● Take an aerial trek through the forest with Tahoe Treetop Adventures. tahoetreetop.com
● Explore the network of trails on your own, join a group clinic or take a private mountain bike lesson at Tahoe XC. Bike rentals are also available. tahoexc.org
Signature Summer Events Return
It’s not summer in Tahoe without human-powered and other popular weekly and annual events. As restrictions continue to lift in California and Nevada, returning summer events include:
● 15th Annual Tahoe City Solstice Festival featuring live music, “Swing into Summer” golf classic, a classic car show, summer block party and more, June 12-20
● Western States 100-mile Endurance Run, June 23-26 at Squaw Valley
● 17th Annual Skate the Lake, a Boarding for Breast Cancer fundraiser returns July 10-11 in Tahoe City
● Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival featuring “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” July 17-Aug. 22 at Sand Harbor
● Music in the Castle featuring Grammy winning harpist Anne Roos (reservations required and limited), July 24 at Vikingsholm Castle
● The Tevis Cup 100-miles One-day Trail Ride, July 24 at Squaw Valley
● 2021 Tahoe Paddle Racing Series, July 24 Tahoe Paddle Jam, Aug. 28 Downwind Tahoe Champs, Sept. 19 Tahoe Cup Lake Crossing with a new team relay category
● Lake Tahoe Dance Festival, July 28-30
● Picnic with Mark Twain, Aug. 6 at the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion
● Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival, August 7-8 at Kings Beach State Recreation Area
● Brews Jazz & Funk Fest, Aug. 14-15 at Squaw Valley
● Guitar Strings vs. Chicken Wings, Sept. 3 at Squaw Valley
● Alpen Wine Fest, Sept. 5 at Squaw Valley
● Oktoberfest, Sept. 18 at Squaw Valley
● Spartan North American Championships at Squaw Valley, Sept. 25-26
● Broken Arrow Skyrace at Squaw Valley featuring 52K, 26K, 11K, 5K and kids races, Oct. 1-3
● Made in Tahoe Festival, Oct. 9-10 at Squaw Valley
● Halloweekend at Homewood, featuring pumpkin painting, family friendly games, fall-inspired treats, a haunted
house and haunted chairlift rides, Oct. 22-24
● Concerts have returned to the Crown Room at the Crystal Bay Casino; check the entertainment schedule for upcoming events
Weekly Events
● Tuesday Bluesdays at Squaw Valley – Tuesdays, July 13-Aug. 31 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
● First Street Yoga at Squaw Valley – Wednesdays, July 7-Aug. 25 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
● Tahoe City Farmers Market at Commons Beach – Thursdays through Oct. 7 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
● Incline Village Farmers Market at the Incline Library – Thursdays through Sept. 30 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
● The Great Bingo Revival at Squaw Valley – Thursdays, June 24-July 29 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
● Free Outdoor Movie Nights at Tahoe Vista Regional Park – Thursdays, July 8-Aug. 12
● Music on the Beach at Kings Beach State Recreation Area – Fridays, July 9-Sept. 3 (excluding Aug. 6) from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
● Sunsets Live Music at Squaw Valley – Saturdays, May 29-Aug. 28 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
● Enjoy live music daily and a lineup of concerts throughout the summer at Moe’s Original BBQ in Tahoe City
Lend a Hand: Ways to Help Protect Lake Tahoe
“Whether by taking simple actions like properly disposing of trash, riding a bike, carpooling or using public transit while in North Lake Tahoe, there are plenty of ways to lend a hand to help protect the environment,” said Jeffrey Hentz, North Lake Tahoe Resort Association CEO. “It’s up to all of us who love Tahoe to do our part so we can all continue to enjoy everything that this special place has to offer.”
A few ways to take action and help take care of Lake Tahoe this summer include:
● Take the Traveler Responsibility Pledge and commit to six actionable tenets that protect and preserve the Sierra region. gotahoenorth.com
● Maintaining and building trails with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. Work days are planned in the Watson Lake and Ward Creek areas on the North and West shores throughout the summer. tahoerimtrail.org
● Participating in a Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue Beach Cleanup on July 5 at beaches along the North and West shores of Lake Tahoe. keeptahoeblue.org
● Protect the lake while playing by downloading the free Citizen Science Tahoe app created by UC Davis, the League
to Save Lake Tahoe and the Desert Research Institute. App users can report sightings of aquatic invasive species, submit litter data and contribute to a clean, clear Lake Tahoe through quick, easy actions. citizensciencetahoe.org
● Volunteering to help Clean Up The Lake with the team of SCUBA divers working on a historic effort to remove trash around all 72-miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. cleanupthelake.org
What to Know Before You Go
Although restrictions are easing in California and Nevada, social distancing and face covering requirements may still be in place at some businesses. Be prepared to adhere to individual business requirements, and to plan ahead. In addition, some businesses continue to require advance reservations and ticket purchases.
Due to drought conditions, the North Tahoe Fire and Meeks Bay Fire Protection Districts have prohibited all open burning and recreational fires for the duration of fire season. Only natural gas or propane outdoor fire pits and barbecues, and pellet grills/smokers are allowed year-round except during Red Flag/critical fire weather conditions. Open flame devices such as tiki torches and all fireworks, including sparklers and firecrackers are illegal year-round.“ Timber vegetation is already at summer dryness levels, and above normal fire activity is anticipated in the Sierra and Tahoe regions this summer and fall. Fourth of July fireworks displays in the region have been cancelled due to the extreme fire danger, and we need people to know that open flames of any kind are not permitted,” said NTFPD Fire Chief Steve Leighton. “We’ve seen the devastation that fires have created in California in recent years. It’s critical that residents and visitors follow fire restrictions, be prepared and stay vigilant.”
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About North Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is the crown jewel of the Sierra. Formed approximately two million years ago, it is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest in the United States. North Lake Tahoe spans two states and boasts two dozen beaches, twelve ski resorts, hundreds of miles of biking and hiking trails, and communities filled with local artisans and shopping experiences. North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from San Francisco International Airport. Visitor Information centers are located at 100 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village. For more information, visit: GoTahoeNorth.com/KnowBeforeYouGo.