Lake Tahoe Winter Bucket List: 20 Must Do Activities
Photo Credit: Rachid Dahnoun / Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Best Winter Activities in South Lake Tahoe
There’s no denying it. When Lake Tahoe is blanketed in fresh snow it’s one of the most beautiful sights you’ll ever see. Whether you prefer seeing the tall pines covered in snow or the view of Big Blue herself set against the snow covered mountains, visiting Tahoe in winter can be a magical experience. When winter hits Lake Tahoe, the area is a buzz with all things snow: snow tubing, snowshoeing, snowball fights, snow angels, making snowmen, ice skating, cross country skiing and of course, downhill skiing & snowboarding.
While there are plenty of winter activities all around the 72 miles of Lake Tahoe, in this post I’m focusing on all the family friendly winter activities located around South Lake Tahoe, California. Everyone knows about the epic skiing and riding offered at Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood. But, what is there to do in the winter in South Lake Tahoe other than snowboarding and skiing? I’m sharing 20 additional must do winter activities to round out your visit to South Lake Tahoe, and I’ve split them into three categories: Where to Play, Where to Stay, Where to Eat.
So, let’s jump right into our Winter Bucket List of 20 of the Best Winter Activities in South Lake Tahoe!
Where to Play
Let’s start off with the most important question. What is there to do in South Lake Tahoe in the winter? Of course, skiing and snowboarding is available, but let’s dive in deeper to other winter activities that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of your mountain shredding skills.
Go Snow Tubing!
This is one of our favorite family friendly winter activities in Tahoe. There are a few snow tubing spots near South Lake Tahoe and we definitely recommend Tube Tahoe (pictured above). They have a bunch of well maintained snow tubing lanes with an epic view of Mt. Tallac. The staff are friendly and keep the snow tubing lanes fast enough for some major excitement but also safe enough for kids as young as 3 years old. Our 6 year old was having the time of her life! Another option closer to Stateline, NV is the snow tubing provided by Tahoe Snowmobiles. Sessions range from 1 to 1.5 hours and reservations are highly recommended.
Go Ice Skating in Heavenly Village!
Smack dab in the middle of The Shops at Heavenly is their seasonal ice skating rink! It’s the perfect activity to break up your time strolling the shops and restaurants in the village that houses the main Heavenly Mountain gondola. Grab a coffee and watch the kids skate around or lace up some skates of your own and join the fun! Skate rentals are available on site.
Play in the snow at Camp Richardson!
Make your way over toward Camp Richardson on the south shore of the lake and find yourself some snow to build a snow man, make snow angels or have a snowball fight! If you work up enough of an appetite, stop into Beacon Bar & Grill for a bite.
Roll a strike at Tahoe Bowl!
Trade in the snow boots for some bowling shoes and roll some strikes (or gutter balls!) at Tahoe Bowl! Especially if you’re looking for a break from the snow, there’s plenty of family fun to be had with a few games!
Play some unique games at Flatstick Pub!
If you haven’t heard of Flatstick Pub you’re in for a treat! This spot is great for some indoor fun and caters to all ages. Here you’ll find an indoor mini golf course as well as duffleboard. What is duffleboard, you ask? You have to see it for yourself, but imagine table top putting green style shuffleboard. It’s fantastic. They also have tasty food and a huge draft beer list. Kids are allowed until 8pm and dogs are allowed on their outdoor patio.
Go winter kayaking or snowshoeing with Clearly Tahoe!
There are two pretty amazing winter tours offered by Clearly Tahoe. The first is a winter kayaking tour (yes, you read that right!) that allows you to experience the rocky shoreline of Lake Tahoe and explore the crystal clear waters and depths of up to 75 feet through the bottom of their clear bottom kayaks. The second tour option is a guided snowshoe tour that takes you on a 3.5 mile trek to enjoy the landscape of Tahoe’s winter wonderland. There is no experience needed and their guides will help inspire confidence in even the most novice snowshoers.
Take a cruise on Tahoe’s paddlewheel boat!
The M.S. Dixie II Paddlewheel Cruise is an experience not to be missed. The paddlewheel boat is the largest cruising boat on the lake with a capacity of 500 guests and the views of the lake and surrounding mountains from the upper deck of the boat are amazing. There are afternoon and dinner/sunset cruise options daily throughout the winter season.
Get competitive in the Stateline casino arcades!
Sometimes a good old fashioned arcade game is you crave! Right at the state line you’ll find both the Harrah’s Arcade and the Harvey’s Arcade located in each casino, respectively. Whether you’re there to challenge a friend to air hockey or skee-ball or to win tickets and collect prizes, there is plenty of fun to be had.
Photo Credit: Black Bear Lodge
Where to Stay
There are countless options for lodging, but here are a few of our recommendations for a cozy and comfortable place to stay in South Lake Tahoe!
Black Bear Lodge
Black Bear Lodge is a cozy retreat in South Lake Tahoe. They offer rooms, suites and even private cabins that are spacious yet cozy and warm. Not to be missed is their main lodge with massive stone fireplace and wine bar! The lodge is located in a quiet area of town, yet perfectly situated to experience all that Tahoe has to offer. If skiing at Heavenly is on your radar, they are a short walk to the Heavenly ski shuttle that will drop you off at the California base lodge.
Tahoe Ridge Resort
You can’t get much closer to the mountain that staying at the Tahoe Ridge Resort, which has some of the area’s only ski in/ski out accommodations with their skier express gondola that drops skiers/riders off directly at the Stagecoach chairlift at Heavenly Mountain. The resort offers standard rooms, studios, 1 bedrooms and 2 bedroom villas. In addition to the ridge top accommodations, they offer an on-site restaurant, lounge and bar.
Tahoe Beach Retreat
Looking for lake views instead of mountain views? Tahoe Beach Retreat is where it’s at! This hotel is in the heart of South Lake Tahoe directly on the south shore of the lake. They offer garden view, lake view and beachfront rooms and also have Sidelines Sports Pub on-site and perhaps one of the best lake view restaurants in Tahoe, the Boathouse on the Pier.
Hampton Inn & Suites
This is one of South Lake Tahoe’s newest hotels, built and opened in 2022. It’s an amazing combination of value, location and clean, comfortable rooms. The Hampton Inn & Suites has a really great breakfast buffet included with the stay and their indoor pool is a hit with the kids!
Where to Eat
After all the winter adventures, it might be time to cozy up and grab a bite to eat! Here are some of our recommended restaurants around South Lake Tahoe!
Get your burger on at Burger Me!
This place is new to South Lake Tahoe, but not the region. Burger Me! is a very small local chain that prides itself on using the best, all natural products they can find, free of chemicals or growth hormones. Guy Fieri of ‘Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives’ named it one of his top 10 burgers! You can try a variation of burgers like beef, bison, turkey, chicken, lamb, ahi tuna, cod and of course, veggie! They have delicious fries and onion rings and you can wash it down with everything from shakes and malts, to soda, beer and wine. This is located adjacent to the Hampton Inn & Suites (linked above) so definitely stop in if you stay there.
Try a local favorite, Freshies Ohana!
Freshies Ohana is a favorite among locals and visitors alike for providing wholesome, often-organic food, including vegan, gluten free & veggie fare, in a casual, Hawaiian-themed setting. We’ve visited a few times and always appreciate the casual atmosphere and food with health conscious diners in mind!
Grab some ‘za at Lake Tahoe Pizza Company!
In my opinion, this is easily the best pizza in South Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe Pizza Company opened in 1973 and is a family owned, old school style pizza parlor specializing in pan cooked, thin crust and brick deck oven baked pizza. They won best Pizza in Tahoe 17 years running, so that says something. They are located near the “Y” and are definitely worth a visit.
Cozy up by a fire pit at Lakeview Social!
This is by far one of our favorite places to cozy up outdoors, whether summer or winter. Lakeview Social opened in the summer of 2022 and quickly became a favorite spot of ours to chill by a fire pit, toss some bean bags, grab a draft beer or glass of wine and order some tasty food from the permanently stationed food truck. We especially like their Fried Zucchini Sticks and their Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap Bowl (say that 5 times fast). One of the best aspects is that they are open early for breakfast burritos, sandwiches and coffees as well. Oh, and you can bring your dog. Winning all around!
Enjoy a light meal and fresh juice at Sprouts Cafe!
Sprouts Cafe Tahoe has been serving up the cleanest, freshest, most wholesome food available since 1990. Many of their ingredients are organic and prepared each day and their menu is chock full of healthy sandwiches, soups, salads, burritos, bowls and melts. Of course, menu items are also available as veggie, gluten free or vegan. They also have one of South Lake Tahoe’s best selections of fresh juices and smoothies.
Raise a pint at Sidellis Lake Tahoe!
This charming brewery restaurant serves up some of South Lake Tahoe’s most creative draft beer and offers a food menu full of snacks, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. Sidellis also has a small patio in the back that is perfect for cozying up with some friends, a Brewben sandwich, Caprese Flatbread and a Mangonero Ale (Mango-Habenero) or Clockwork White Ale.
Plan a romantic date night at Yūgen Cuisine!
This is a cozy sushi spot in the heart of South Lake Tahoe that is perfect for a romantic dinner or date night! Yūgen Cuisine offers some of the best sushi in South Lake Tahoe and we recommend trying their poke tuna, sashimi, tempura or literally any of their creative sushi rolls.
Feeling some takeout? Order in from Classic Cue!
Classic Cue is a family friendly billiard room with lots of tables, but they also offer a full menu and have some quick, easy and delicious bar style take out options. Sometimes nothing sounds better than an angus burger or chicken sandwich, basket of fried mushrooms or cauliflower and of course a dozen wings!
Photo Credit: Rachid Dahnoun / Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
So, are there things to do in South Lake Tahoe in the winter? Absolutely!
Most people immediately think of skiing and snowboarding as the only things to do in Lake Tahoe in the winter, but that’s simply not true! There are many things to do in South Lake Tahoe in the winter season to keep you busy. Hopefully this article helps shed light on some winter activities for the whole family as well as our recommended local restaurants and accommodations to make your visit memorable!
Safe Driving Tips
If you’re a visitor, the most important thing to keep in mind is to be prepared for winter driving and snowy road conditions, especially over the mountain passes. CalTrans has put together a great resource with a lot of important information regarding being prepared for snowy driving, winter driving tips and chain control procedures. And, make sure to continually check road conditions on your way to Tahoe by calling (800)-427-7623 for up to date road conditions. Remember to always follow the instructions on the CalTrans road signs as you get closer to Lake Tahoe.
Photo Credit: Rachid Dahnoun / Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
About South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest “city” in the Tahoe basin. I use quotes because it’s not a city in the sense you might think of cities. However, with over 21,000 residents it’s the largest of the lake towns in the region and has a lot more to offer when it comes to diversity of restaurants, hotels, vacation rentals, shopping and activities. It’s also adjacent to the Nevada state line, where simply crossing the street leads you to a few easily recognizable Nevada casinos.
Respecting Lake Tahoe
With the crystal clear waters of the lake, secluded hike-in beach coves nearby, world class hiking and some of the west coast’s best skiing and snowboarding, we feel very fortunate to call South Lake Tahoe home. But, I’d be doing a disservice to myself and all Tahoe locals if I didn’t mention the most important aspect of spending time in Lake Tahoe. For everyone that lives here, there is a reverence for nature and yearning for the protection of the natural environment. There is no denying that the more popular a destination becomes, the bigger the challenge is to protect the environment from the downsides of tourism. From the crystal clear lake, to the beautiful beaches, the panoramic hiking trails and desolate forest land, Tahoe is full of natural gems. Lake Tahoe isn’t just another place. It’s a sacred region teeming with natural beauty. Please, if you’re planning a visit, be a respectful steward of the natural environment. Enjoy all that Tahoe offers, but pick up after yourself (and others), pack it in-pack it out and leave no trace to help Keep Tahoe Blue.
About Ben & The FUNemployed Family
We were just your everyday family slogging through corporate jobs, living in the burbs and loathing our long commutes. When our daughter was 1 year old we realized our status quo wasn’t sustainable from both financial and mental health standpoints. So in 2018, long before the remote work covid boom, we took a chance on ourselves and quit our corporate jobs, sold our house and possessions, packed up a few toddler toys and bought a one way ticket to Europe. One year, one world lap and 25 countries later, we were all in on the digital nomad lifestyle. But, our journey was just getting started. We invite you to read more about our story see what we’re up to now and to come say hi on Instagram.
Note: This post was sponsored by the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, but the recommendations, suggestions and opinions are always my own! To learn more, click here.
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