Explore @TahoeSouth Nevada!

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This post is brought to you thanks to my friends at Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. This was a sponsored & compensated trip and all opinionated opinions & observations are 100% my very own. This trip was also in conjunction with a visit to @VisitCarsonValley – you can read all about it here.

I had a quick 36 hours in the South Shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t enough time, I need to come back! This area sits right at the state line between NV and CA. Literally. I was in an area called Stateline. There is SO much to do in this lively area.
A quick hop skip from Reno, I took the scenic route on Route 431/ Mount Rose Highway / Mt. Rose Scenic Drive. The highest point on that drive was almost 9kft elevation!

Random Lake Tahoe facts:

Lake Tahoe is at 6,225 ft elevation (1,897 m) – as someone who lives at an elevation of 5280 feet in Denver, I was fascinated by the high elevation. Being near water can make you think you are at sea level, don’t let it fool you. You are up there! (drink a LOT of water)
Lake Tahoe has 39.75 trillion gallons of water
You can see 75ft down – i’ts that clear (truth)
Lake depth – 10,881 ft (that’s a depth of 7.5 Empire State Buildings)
Lake Tahoe is 22 miles in length
274 Sunny Days in the Lake Tahoe region (wear your sunblock! No really.)
Lake Tahoe is ⅓ in Nevada
Tahoe South region has 200+ miles of trails to bike, run or hike

The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe

Tucked in along the shoreline & set back off the highway, The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe a lovely destination spot. I mean like gorgeous & idyllic lovely. I have to admit, this place is hard to leave because there is so much to stay for – scenic views, a fabulous pool, expansive lobby, sparkling wine served at the front desk (be still my heart), spa, golf course, yoga on the lawn (loooved this), Apres Sleep Bar in the lobby every morning (too cute – a mix of drinks & teas to help you wake up).

Edgewood Tahoe Spa Experience:

How fun to sit and look over the entry lawn while relaxing in a fluffy spa robe or the hot tub? Yes, it’s that fun.

Do you golf?

Well, you need to get to Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course because…. look at this:

And guess what happens every summer, the American Century Championship is held at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. This is the #1 celebrity golf tournament in the U.S., with a star-studded line-up of more than 80 athletes and Hollywood stars.

Outdoor Adventure:

I think the list of things that you can’t do on or above the Lake in Tahoe South is shorter than the things you can do: kayaking, SUP, boat cruises, parasailing, hiking, climbing, skydiving, zip lining, horseback riding, wakeboarding, waterskiing, swimming, hiking, biking, and golf. (Told you – that’s a lot to do!)

Clearly Tahoe Kayaking:

Now THIS was a fun experience – clear kayak boats so you can see everything below you. Remember how I mentioned earlier that you can see up to 75 feet? Yup, you can! Kelsey was our tour guide and made this here landlubber (me) feel comfortable and acclimated. The boats are fairly flatbottomed and they also provide blankets (for early morning jaunts like the one I went on), water, snacks, waterproof bags for your non-waterproof items and… BONUS.. The kayaks have cupholders for your coffee. WINNING. Lake Tahoe Balloons landed a hot air balloon across the way while we were gliding by – quite a sight to see!

Connect with Nature and Take A Hike

Hiking abounds in the entire area from every level. One of the easiest with the most satisfying results is Cave Rock Trail. The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe faces west which means every night is a chance for Mother Nature to show off at sunset.
This is an easy hike so it’s a great starter point.

Image courtesy of LTVA/South Lake Tahoe

Other hiking opportunities:

Tahoe Rim Trail: Kingsbury North Trailhead
Nevada Beach Campground and Day Use Pavilion
Van Sickle Bi-State Park

Lake Tahoe South Dining

Edgewood Tahoe has several dining options that I didn’t get a chance to visit but Trip Advisor gives it a great rating and I can’t imagine anything would not be fabulous there
Lake Tahoe Aleworx – Stateline, NV – Delicious wood-fired pizza, beer on tap – LOTS, I mean LOTS and you can serve yourself from the wall taps throughout the restaurant.
Toast Tahoe – Zephyr Cove, NV – A delightful little spot with a fun Asian flair. Owner Asuka Yamaguchi has put together an amazing menu and infuses Japanese elements into all the menu items. Her parents are also part of the restaurant vibe – I love the generational feel to the place & the menu items! Don’t miss the Wasabi Caeser Salad & their cioppino (yes, good seafood can be had in Lake Tahoe)
Red Hut Café, Stateline, NV – I loooved this downhome, old-school diner – a Tahoe South tradition. Nothing better than a country breakfast to start your day!
Capisce? Zephyr Cove, NV – The question mark is intentional. 🙂 Amazing casual Italian dining with a trademark item: Capisce “gravy” – Porcini mushroom, tomato-based GRAVY (sauce) contains no meat, and is made from scratch. Absolutely delicious! Super cute location, very roomy & great staff.

Reasons to come back to Tahoe South:

Tahoe Serenity – a guided tour aboard the 63-foot luxury yacht and choose from the Emerald Bay cruise or the Happy Hour cruise.
Heavenly Gondola whisks people to Tahoe’s newest summer mountain adventures including zip lines, ropes courses, and hiking trails with Heavenly’s Epic Discovery.
South Lake Tahoe Food and Wine Festival at Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe, late-October,
Beer Lovers! South Tahoe Beer Trail: https://tahoesouth.com/beer-trail/
Spring Wildflowers – blooming time is amazing!
Autumn leaves – yes they sure have them – the aspens start to turn around early October

I barely scratched the surface then headed over the Sierra Nevada mountain range for a quick visit to Carson Valley – follow along here for that adventure.

I highly recommend a visit to Tahoe South any time of the year. It literally has something going on all the time, even during “shoulder” seasons (the non-peak seasons which, personally, are my favorite!). There’s something about it that makes you want to come back for a longer visit and bring folks with you! For more information on all the amazing opportunities in that area, visit https://tahoesouth.com/explore/

South Lake Tahoe Zombie Apocalypse Rating :

I give South Lake Tahoe an A- Rating. I’d give it an A+ but the roads may be problematic as the roads are narrow. But overall, SLT is the place to BE during a zombie apocalypse.
Since the lake is the depth of 7.5 Empire State Buildings (1,677′), that means you can dump a lotta zombies in there. And look at this map from http://tahoehighsierra.com of the depth of the lake – zombies will sink right to the bottom.

Downside: stockpile water from the lake. It’s beautiful & clean but it won’t stay that way for long.
Winters may be tough if the power is out but hey, there will be a lot of trees to chop down to keep you warm.
Carson City is on the other side of the Sierra Nevada range so it will be tough for zombies to make it to the other side of the mountains. BUT you can make it over the mountains for a supply run. This is where that Toyota 4Runner will come in handy!

Overall, yes, A- rating for South Lake Tahoe. When it hits the fan, head to SLT!

Thank you to Dolan Toyota in Reno Nevada for the 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro loan – this was a fabulous vehicle for the high-elevation road trip from Reno to South Lake Tahoe.

Explore @TahoeSouth Nevada!