Tahoe. It’s a lake, a region, and a way of life. When people say “We’re going to Tahoe,” it tends to be a catch-all term for the towns and ski resorts around the lake. Tahoe extends beyond the lake as well, to nearby towns like Truckee and beyond, to neighboring Donner Lake, too. As a regular visitor to Tahoe and a person lucky enough to have family in the area, I’ve had plenty of time to hone my quick explainer skills about Tahoe. It’s helpful to understand the lay of the land when you’re planning where to stay and what to do in the Tahoe area.
Tahoe’s regions
Surrounding Lake Tahoe are the North Tahoe, South Tahoe, and the East Shore and West Shore. If you’re coming from points west, there are three main ways to get to the lake, and the route you take should be determined by where you want to end up. If you’re heading to South Tahoe (more on that below), you may have branched off in Sacramento and taken Highway 50. If the West Shore is your destination, following Highway 89 from Truckee up past Alpine and Palisades to Tahoe City is the best option. And if you’re aiming for the north or east shores of the lake, staying on Highway 80 until you’re on the other side of Truckee and then taking Highway 267 to King’s Beach is generally the most efficient route.
North Tahoe
North Tahoe is the biggest region in Tahoe and stretches as far as Truckee to the north, Incline Village to the east, and the West Shore to the west. It includes Tahoe City, Kings Beach, and some of the best-known ski resorts, including Palisades and Northstar. The California-Nevada border runs through the North Shore between Kings Beach and Incline Village. There are some places to gamble on the Nevada side, though not nearly as many as you’ll find in South Tahoe. Instead, the North Shore is geared to nature, hiking, skiing, and water sports. The North Shore has some great beaches, including at Kings Beach and Tahoe City.
South Tahoe
South Tahoe in California and Stateline in Nevada meld into each other to create a destination best known for its in-town ski resort, Heavenly, and its casinos. Since Stateline (on the east end of the main strip) is on the Nevada side of the lake, gambling is legal here and year-round, it’s a popular spot for visitors looking to mix outdoorsy activities and gaming. South Tahoe has some real gems like the historical lakeside homes at Tallac and the nature area and stream profile chamber at Taylor Creek.
West Shore
I love this sleepier, more local side of the lake, Tahoe’s West Shore runs from Tahoe City in the north to Emerald Bay in the south. During the winter months, the road to South Tahoe is closed at Emerald Bay because you do not want to be on the perilously high ridge when it’s icy. West Shore towns and hamlets include Sunnyside, Timberland, Tahoe Pines, Homewood, Tahoma, and Meeks Bay. There are also some fantastic lakeside state parks like Ed Z’burg-Sugar Pine Point and D.L. Bliss.
East Shore
Tahoe’s east shore is its least developed, but is home to the three-mile East Shore Trail, which offers fantastic views of what might be the prettiest part of the lake, dotted with aquamarine coves and big granite boulders. It’s also where you’ll find the always-popular sand beach at Sand Harbor—home to the summertime Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.
The lake before The Lake: Donner
If you’re coming to Tahoe from California via Highway 80, your first glimpse of a lake isn’t Tahoe at all but Donner Lake, the sparkling lake surrounded by trees and reflecting mountains you can see as you come down the highway from Donner Summit. There are a few hotels along the lake, plus some vacation rentals, and some great beach parks. When you’re at Donner, you’re still about 15 miles from Lake Tahoe.
