As a local, I wanted to share my Lake Tahoe travel guide so you can experience all the best views, beaches, and hikes during your stay. I live in Reno which is just half an hour away from Tahoe so I basically spend any free days exploring! Lake Tahoe is the biggest alpine lake in North America and it’s famous for its clear teal colored water. Here’s my Lake Tahoe travel guide so you can enjoy the lake just like a local!

Sand Harbor

Sand Harbor is very accessible and beautiful with easy parking! Since there is no hiking involved, you can walk right in for a day sunbathing at the beach. Sand Harbor has plenty of space for your beach setup and beautiful water to swim in. There are also lots of big rocks to sit on and look over the lake and mountains. Since Sand Harbor is a Nevada state park, the admission fee is $10 for the day. 

Tahoe East Shore Trail

The East Shore trail stretches 3 miles around the lakeside. The trail is paved for walking and biking with stunning views of the lake. The trail ends at Sand Harbor, but there are many beautiful sites to see along the way. My personal favorite spot alongside the East Shore trail is Hidden Beach which is a mile walk from the parking lot. It’s about half the size of Sand Harbor, but it has beautiful soft sand like Sand Harbor does. If you have a dog, you’ll be happy to know this beach is dog friendly!

Chimney Beach

Chimney beach is one of the more difficult beaches to get to, but it has little coves and places to hang out that are more private than other beaches. It is named after the old chimney that it in the center of the beach. The main beach is more of a party beach so I don’t typically enjoy going to that part unless it’s a quiet day. The beach is located at the end of a steep trail down the mountain. I would recommend wearing tennis shoes instead of sandals if you want to visit Chimney. I love finding the little coves by the trail to stay for the day. One day, Cullen and I found a cove with lots of sand and easy access into the water. It felt like we had our own private beach just to ourselves!

Cave Rock

Cave rock is located on top of the highway tunnel and it’s easily the most beautiful lookout of Lake Tahoe! There’s a small trail leading up to the lookout and then you’ll have to climb some rocks to get to the very top. Cave Rock is stunning because you can look out on the entire lake and feel like you’re on top of the world! Cave Rock is on the south side of the lake so it’s a short drive from the casinos and hotels located there. 

Emerald Bay

Emerald bay is characterized by its teal colored water and small island in the middle of the bay. There is a lookout point on the side of the road where you can easily see the stunning water colors and little island. There is a picnic area and beach to experience Emerald Bay as well. Eagle Falls and Eagle lake are very close by if you’re looking for a good hiking trail to visit while you’re near Emerald bay. 

Drive around the lake

Lake Tahoe’s circumference is 72 miles so you can easily drive around the lake in a day. This is one of my favorite activities to do even as a local because the lake is truly stunning at every angle. It takes about three hours total to drive around the lake with no stops.

Other Tahoe Tips

• The lake is very cold! The temperature of the water averages in the 50’s and 60’s during the summer. Us locals are pretty accustomed to the cold water, but if you’re not used to swimming in cold water, always stay where you can touch the ground! There are lifeguards on the bigger beaches, but not the smaller ones so it’s better to stay safe.
• The best time to visit Tahoe is between May and August! It gets very cold and snows a lot here during the winter so unless you’re skiing, summertime is the best for hiking, exploring, and beach going. 
• I would highly recommend renting a paddle board or kayak! The water is pretty calm in the early morning and midday so this is another great way to experience the lake. 

I hope my Lake Tahoe travel guide was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions about visiting the lake. Have you ever been to Lake Tahoe?