The Squeeze In has been pleasing kids since 1974. Kids get toy baskets, get to write on the walls, have a special menu and are treated like actual guests at the Squeeze In home. Order their rockin’ hot cocoa piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles. It’s a winner every time, along with the signature Teddy Bear Pancake! A bear shaped smile for every kid, young and old!
At the Tahoe House, kids feel right at home by the cozy fire, with loaner crayons, colorings books and plastic and wooden toys – all of which keeps them busy as they wolf down their bagel. Family owned and operated since 1977, the Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet features baked breads and pastries, the “best coffee on the lake,” sandwiches and much more!
Tubing, Sledding, Snow Play!!
Granlilbakken Granlibakken ski area features a groomed snowplay area with rental saucers for sledding. Open daily, weather permitting.
Snowtubing at Squaw Valley USA Squaw’s tubing park at the Papoose Learning Center offers two tubing lanes for varying thrill levels. Open daily, weather permitting.
Sledding and Tubing at Soda Springs Winter Resort Currently only open on weekends, at Soda Springs you can sled and tube! Sledding lanes, tubing lanes and a Little Dipper children’s area provide a variety of thrill and fun for adults and children alike.
Tubing Hill at Northstar-at-Tahoe Northstar-at-Tahoe offers tubing serviced by two separate tow lifts at mid-mountain just above the Gondola.
Right now are perfect conditions to put on those skates and head to one (or all!) of North Lake Tahoe’s ice skating rinks:
Ice Skating Rink at the Village at Northstar Located at the heart of the Village at Northstar, this 9,000 square foot rink is the center of a hubbub of activity, day and night. Rentals, lessons available.
Olympic Ice Pavilion Enjoy scenic views of the Lake while skating atop Squaw Valley on an Olympic-size rink at High Camp recreation complex. Open 11am – 9pm during the winter season. Rentals, lessons available.
Ice Skating Rink at the Resort at Squaw Creek Skate on the Resort at Squaw Creek’s own private rink with heated waterfalls, hot tubs, a pool and the peaks of Squaw Valley as a backdrop. Rentals available. Open December to April.
Truckee Ice Skating Rink The Truckee rink features skate rentals, a snack bar, group and private lessons for all age groups taught by experienced instructors, broomball leagues, and more.
These are just a handful of the family opportunities up in North Lake Tahoe right now. What are your favorite family activities?
There will be three rooms of sound and spectacle for Saturday’s New Year’s Eve revelers at the fifth annual Black and White Super Ball in the Cal Neva Resort at Crystal Bay.
Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Music begins at 9 p.m. and ends on New Year’s Day morning. 21+
Celebrate all that was in 2011, while ringing in all that will be in 2012 at The Village At Northstar this New Year’s Eve. From 1-9pm, The Village at Northstar will be alive with DJs, ice-skating, food & drink specials, a 2-hour live performance by “Led Zeppelin 2″, and much more. And then… The Big Show: Fireworks Spectacular at 9pm! A great night out for family and friends.
Ring in the New Year at Squaw Valley with a New Year’s Eve Fireworks Extravaganza. The show starts at 9:30pm and is viewable from the Base Area. Grab a hot cocoa and find a seat as you take in the New Year with an amazing firework display at the bottom of the mountain. The show is plenty early accommodate the families that will be ringing in the New Year at High Camp to give them time to get down and celebrate in the base area.
Those looking to bring in the New Year with style can head to the huge party in the Olympic House. Check out the biggest party on the North Shore and party like it’s 2012. Rock out to the 8 piece funk band Mojo Green in the Plaza Bar before heading over to check out DJ Zeb Early in Bar One.
Entry is $10 at the door (cash only) and guests must be 21 & older with a valid ID. Doors open at 9pm. Drink service until 1:30am.
Jackie Greene began performing at the age of 20. He has performing and making records for nearly a decade. He lives in Northern California and is gracing North Lake Tahoe with his musical talent this New Year’s Eve at Crystal Bay Club: the Red Room at the Crystal Bay Club. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $23 day of show.
Plan your new beginning at the Alpine Bar this New Year’s Eve! The Pre-New Year’s Eve Cocktail party is the perfect way to jump-start the countdown to midnight. Featuring festive cocktails, delicious appetizers and live music by Peter Joseph Burtt, skiers and riders can celebrate a resolution, bid 2011 farewell, and ring in 2012.
Ring in the New Year with a top 40 DJ, drinks, and dancing all night long in Cutthroat’s Saloon.
Call 775-832-1234 for more details.
9. Live Music at Tahoe Biltmore Casino, Crystal Bay, NV 10:00 am – 1:00 am
Live on the Tahoe Biltmore, “The Robeys,” Dane RinehartandPaul Covarelli Trioare offering a variety music – a mixture of everyone’s favorite classic rock, oldies, top 40, blues, jazz, reggae and country songs, from the 1930′s to the present.
Come early with family for an Ala Carte Menu (also served in Bar), or come later for a 3-course Prix Fixe menu, and ring in the New Year with party hats, a champagne toast, & dancing. Guaranteed reservations required. For more information and reservations please call (530) 583-0188.
Have a classy blast listening to the DJ in the lounge then Dine on the regular dinner menu from 5:30-7:00pm or opt to enjoy a 5-course meal from 8:00-10:30. Either way you choose, this New Year is going to be fashionably stylish and a lot of fun in the Lone Eagle Grille.
Call 775-886-6899 for more details and reservations.
12. CHILLLLLL
Kick your shoes off, make yourself a hot toddy and chill at home by the fireplace to prep yourself for an epic 2012. Hit the slopes the next day, and the next day and the next day…
2011 has become the year of snowmaking and Diamond Peak continues to make record amounts of snow and provide some of the best conditions in the region.
Did you know that it was actually the first resort in Lake Tahoe to install snowmaking? And they continue to try to improve the process. Using good foresight (and a little luck!), the resort increased their snowmaking capacity this year by 35% allowing the resort to provide excellent snow coverage and 1,840 feet of top-to-bottom skiing and riding. It has already made as much snow this year as they normally do in a full season. Snowmaking has run for 18 straight days.
Currently Diamond Peakis providing more vertical feet of skiing and riding than Squaw Valley / Alpine, Sugarbowl, Mt. Rose, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood. 100% of Diamond Peak’s beginner terrain is open with the Child’s Ski Center and Adult Ski /Snowboard School in full operation. Beginner Learn-to-Ski or Snowboard Packages are just $75.
The view from resort is also pretty epic. Crystal Ridge Run, at elevation 8,540, offers the some of the best views of Lake Tahoe and is accessed by the Crystal Express Quad. Snowflake Lodge overlooking Lake Tahoe is open daily with stunning views of the lake on its expansive deck.
Diamond Peakalso offers impressive value for our region. Adult All Day lift tickets are $54 everyday including holidays. Children 7-14 are $20. Kids 6 and under are free.
So ignore those rumors that we don’t have any snow up here because our resorts are open for riding!
Seventy feet of snow last winter combined with a massive amount of improvement projects underway and planned for the near future in North Lake Tahoe, has visitors to the area pumped with anticipation of what the 2011/12 season may bring us. And we aren’t just boasting with pride of our mountains. Advance bookings are actually up 35%* compared to the same period in 2010.
This “bounce effect” (although we would like to think we are unique to this spike in numbers; we are indeed labeled and sorted into a category with like others) occurs after a phenomenal snow year. We also refer to this as “FOMO” – a condition of suffering from the “fear of missing out.” Consumers are making lodging arrangements early for this winter based on last year’s banner snow conditions – and we all know that La Niña brought us some epic days on the mountain last year.
But it’s not just the snow bringing our outside friends. There is also $100 million in improvement projects focusing on just our ski region. Between Vail Resorts acquiring Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort and Squaw Valley owners KSL Capital Partners purchasing Alpine Meadows, North Lake Tahoe is seeing both resorts upping their game and enhancing their products. Millions more are soon coming to North Tahoe with proposed redevelopment plans for Homewood Mountain Resort and the historic Crystal Bay casino corridor.
Who wouldn’t want to come see what all the fuss is about? It goes on…
In addition to Vail Resort’s $30 million, which has already been implemented this season, KSL Capital Partners $50 million, five-year capital revitalization commitments and $20 million spread across other Lake Tahoe ski resorts and community projects, JMA Ventures – owners of Homewood Mountain Resort - are one step closer to creating a pedestrian friendly village on the scenic West Shore that would not only help our friends in economic development but would also create another robust playground for our tourists.
The redevelopment plans include a five-star boutique hotel with up to 75 rooms at the resort’s North Base, as well as a full-service restaurant, spa, fitness facility, meeting space and 15,000-square feet of retail space, in addition to underground parking. The first phase of construction is slated for some time between 2014 and 2017, with the second phase beginning and ending between 2018 and 2020.
On the Nevada side of the North Shore, Boulder Bay is also moving forward on approvals for creating a vibrant, cultural village that will transform the existing Tahoe Biltmore casino property in Crystal Bay into an environmentally sustainable, yet affordable wellness resort. Updated plans, revised based on community feedback and input, call for a 275-room hotel with a 10,000 square-foot casino, 59 whole-ownership units, 14 on-site affordable housing units, 10 off-site affordable housing units, a spa and other amenities. Start and completion of construction is to be determined.
So although we threw a bunch of numbers at you, it’s clear that North Lake Tahoe is gearing up for 2012 and securing its seat at the popular table for winter destinations. Are you suffering from FOMO yet?
*North Lake Tahoe’s booking numbers come from the Mountain Travel Research Program, which provides lodging performance benchmarking to mountain resorts throughout the western U.S.
It’s leaf peeping season – almost. After a brief snowfall in early October the trails and roads in North Lake Tahoe are just starting to show signs of autumn. Aspens in the area are transforming from a sea of green to a brilliant shade of yellow, making for a stunning contrast against Tahoe’s solid wall of pines and firs. That striking contrasts leads many a hiker, kayaker or cyclist to take pause and soak it all up.
The last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November are when the region’s trees really start to change over. There are a number of great venues for soaking up Tahoe’s fall foliage, but those using your own two feet are by far the most popular.
Locals recommend road cycling, inline skating and running up Blackwood Canyon on the West Shore, which is located three to four miles south of Tahoe City. What makes Blackwood unique is its paved road that takes you from 6,200 feet lake level to Barker Pass at 7,200 feet.
Stately Eagle Rock, a popular Tahoe landmark, sits just south of the Blackwood Canyon entrance and is an easy 15-minute hike to the top, offering 180-degree panoramic views of the entire region. The California Tahoe Conservancy recently completed a new trail to the top, which has significantly reduced pollutants into Lake Tahoe.
Located nine miles south of Sand Harbor State Park (just outside of Incline Village), Spooner Lake offers lush meadows and shimmering aspen groves that surround a scenic alpine lake. You’ll find miles of hiking trails, as well as a good starting point if you’re venturing into the backcountry for a backpacking excursion.
Changing fall foliage can also be found on Lake Tahoe’s most popular hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trail – the Tahoe Rim Trail. A 165-mile trail that completely circles Lake Tahoe, this dirt path has eight trailheads making it easy to access. Some favorite spots are Tahoe Meadows on the Mt. Rose Summit (Highway 431), Tahoe City off Fairway Drive behind the town’s commercial core and Barker Pass up Blackwood Canyon, the paved road is open to cars until the snow flies.
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Dogs love Lake Tahoe. After all, there’s plenty of hiking and swimming to enjoy. And for the more adventurous canine rafting and boating are options as well.
Lake Tahoe loves dogs too. If you stop into the Incline Village Visitors Center or even the Tahoe City Post Office chances are your pooch will be welcomed with a treat.
So how to go about planning a trip to Tahoe with your dog? First find some lodging that offers sleeping quarters for two- and four-legged guests. You can search GoTahoeNorth.com’s accommodations listings by “Pets” to generate a list of canine-cuddly locations.
Here are a few of the doggie favorites in the North Lake Tahoe region:
1. Tahoe Moon Properties, Tahoe City: More than 50 dog-friendly rentals from small cozy cabins to ski-in condos. Properties are equipped with dog baskets that include dog tags with rental home information, dog towels, sheets for covering beds and furniture, a sticky roller for hair removal, dog biscuits and a poop scoop and bags. Tahoe Moon charges a fee of $40/dog that covers additional cleaning.
2. Holiday House, Tahoe Vista: Six-lakefront suites providing panoramic views of Lake Tahoe. The owner “welcomes pets to enjoy our piece of Heaven” and the property is centrally located to all things Tahoe, including beaches and restaurants. Don’t be surprised to see a German shepherd, named Sierra, out on the water on a stand up paddleboard with the property’s owner. There is a $30 flat fee for dogs for up to three days, and $10/night for extended stays.
3. Tahoma Meadows B&B Cottages, West Shore in Tahoma: Winner of the Golden Bone Award for exceptional service from DogFriendly.com. Guests stay in charming red cottages, reminiscent of Lake Tahoe 50 years ago, but with all the amenities that guests expect today. The owners at Tahoma Meadows will also post your dog pictures from Tahoe on their website. A good resource is their Pet Information webpage, titled “Adventures with Your Dog at Tahoe,” which includes places – from beaches to hiking and cross country skiing – to enjoy with your pet. Fees are $20/night per dog.
4. Tahoma Lodge, West Shore in Tahoma: A historic, family-owned property with one and two-bedroom cabins geared for families. Nearby Sugar Pine Point State Park, which offers spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and is home to the notable Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, is perfect for morning jaunts as dogs on leash are invited on the paved trails. Dogs are $10/night.
5. PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn, Olympic Valley: Pampers pets with comfy beds, doggie treats, bowls for food and water, a customized PlumpJack guest ID tag, as well as dog-friendly rooms located on the first floor for easy in and out. A $150 fee per room is assessed when you bring your four-legged friend. Nearby Shirley Canyon is a must-hike for dog owners, especially with its many waterfalls that encourage Fido to get wet. And, don’t miss one of the newest additions to the Village at Squaw Valley – Squaw Dogs is a shop featuring food, supplements, life vests, toys, leashes and harnesses that will keep your dog healthy and active for all your adventures.
6. Mother Nature’s Inn, Tahoe City: Decorated with wildlife, nature-themed décor and renovated in 2004 to maintain its classic Tahoe charm, offers dog-friendly rooms that are also budget friendly. The property is centrally located, and guests are literally able to walk everywhere, including to coffee shops, chic clothing boutiques, and restaurants.
7. Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, mid-mountain at Northstar-At-Tahoe Resort: The five-star luxurious resort also welcomes pets to enjoy the ambience that includes rooms with in-room fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, private walkout balconies and views of Martis Valley. Pet fees are $125 (non-refundable).
8. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, Incline Village: This AAA Four-Diamond resort welcomes you and your pooch, but they must be 25 pounds or lighter. Pets to this stunning locale are charged $50/night.
9. The Rustic Cottages, Tahoe Vista: Nestled on two acres of pine trees these old Tahoe-style cottages include many that are dog-friendly. The historic property was originally the sawmill and labor camp of the Brockway Lumber Company and was converted to vacation cottages in 1925. Pets are $20/night.
10. Cedar House Sport Hotel, Truckee: Baxter Baird, the owner’s adorable border collie, just may be your first greeter and you may recognize him from the hotel’s advertisements. The property offers rooms that are an eclectic mix of contemporary design and functionality with an organic edge geared for relaxed comfort. Dogs are welcomed with special treats, dog beds, and bowls. The dog-loving staff is also a great resource in providing guests with preferred dog venues throughout the area.
If you’re looking for music outdoors with a variety of concerts, headliners and festivals then you’re looking for Lake Tahoe’s High Notes. Here’s a look at the summer-long music series, running through September.
Free Weekly Summer Concerts
Tahoe’s lined up free outdoor live performances every night of the week, except Mondays. Check out:
Tahoe City’s Concerts at Commons Beach, Sundays
Bluesdays every Tuesday at the Village at Squaw Valley
Wednesday Music in the Park at the Truckee Regional Park
Truckee Thursdays with live tunes along Commercial Row
Kings Beach rings in the weekend lakeside each Friday
Squaw Valley is also home to the inaugural KT Tribute Concert Series the first Friday of each month with free concerts under the legendary peak of KT-22
Be sure to check out the historic casino corridor where the Crystal Bay Club has free concerts throughout the week, as well as ticketed bands from the Bay Area.
Summer Headliner Events
The summer calendar is also packed with a number of fabulous ticketed musical events held throughout the region. In addition to its popular Shakespeare on the Beach, the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival offers a Monday music series in their scenic Sand Harbor amphitheater. This summer’s calendar is the best of the best with the Reno Philharmonic performing Broadway on the Beach July 18, Mumbo Gumbo August 1 and Jelly Bread August 15.
Right on the picturesque Truckee River, River Ranch Lodge has its annual Summer Concert Series with Zepparella July 22 and Great American Taxi August 4.
The Lake Tahoe Music Festival has long been one of the summer’s must-attend events with a variety of musical performances, including the Blues Traveler July 21, Colbie Caillat August 4 and Michael Bolton August 25 at the Village at Northstar.
In addition to its free events, the Crystal Bay Club brings in ticketed performers, including Delhi 2 Dublin, July 16, that hosts gritty hip hop and electronic beats with traditional Indian influences and Celtic sounds. A locals’ favorite, 80s Dance Party Tainted Love, plays August 13, with the “Avant Cellist” Zoe Keating on August 18.
The Robert Cray Band performs August 13 on the driving range next to the Trout Creek Recreation Center at Tahoe Donner in Truckee. The Grammy-award winning Cray is considered to be one of the most impressive vocalists and guitarists on the contemporary rhythm and blues scene.
Summer Music Festivals
Namaste in North Lake Tahoe this summer with the ultimate in yoga throwdowns as the popular Wanderlust Festival returns to the scenic valley of Squaw Valley July 28-31. In addition to yoga sessions and wellness programs, the event includes the positive vibrations of Michael Franti and Spearhead, the electronic dance party mashups of Girl Talk and the ecstatic chants of Jai Uttal.
This year’s 4th of July at Tahoe is set to be unique, that’s for sure. With a series of fireworks events scattered around the lake at various dates and times you can catch multiple shows throughout the weekend. Or hit the slopes. Yep, late season snowfalls have opened up skiing and boarding opportunities at several area resorts.
Here’s a look at what’s happening this 4th of July weekend:
July 1 – 4: Incline Village takes things to the next level with their traditional Red, White & Tahoe Blue festivities which include patriotic chalk drawing contest, opening ceremonies with a tribute to veterans, doggie dress-up contest, beer tasting and brats, brunch with Shakespeare, firecracker trail trek and free fireworks Monday, July 4 at 9:30 p.m. off Incline Beach
July 3: Squaw Valley’s famed 21st Annual Lake Cushing Crossing, a favorite pond-skimming event, and a free afternoon concert with Big Head Todd and the Monsters at the KT Sundeck
July 3: Kings Beach hosts their annual fireworks display with a free show as well as a deck party celebration at the North Tahoe Event Center, beginning at 7 p.m.
July 4: Sugar Bowl Ski Resort reopens for skiing and riding, but for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 season pass holders only
July 4: Tahoe City celebrates 65 years of fireworks at Commons Beach with free show at 9:30 p.m., a popular show for families
July 4: Truckee 4th of July Fireworks at West End Beach at Donner Lake at dusk. Tickets are $6/person (in advance only) and are available through the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District
The esteemed Amgen Tour of California recently picked Lake Tahoe for its 2011 Stage 1 and Stage 2 legs. Although cancelled due to a fluke snowstorm, the Tour has successfully introduced the world to what locals have known for years – nothing beats biking in North Lake Tahoe.
Whether you’re tearing it up via a thousand dollar-plus road bike around Lake Tahoe’s scenic 72-mile shoreline, maneuvering the dirt tracks on a steep uphill to Twin Peaks on the West Shore or kicking it along Incline Village’s Lakeshore Drive with your toddler who has just graduated to training wheels, there is a trail especially for you.
For Lance Armstrong wannabes, locals recommend the Rainbow Bridge route.
“Hands down one of the best rides is from Truckee to Cisco Grove,” said Hardy Bullock, the Elijah Bleu’s race team captain. One of Truckee’s newest coffee shops, Elijah Bleu’s is just as serious about cycling as they are about their java.
“The climb along Old Highway 40 is famous for Rainbow Bridge built back in 1926, its spectacular views of Donner Lake and the 1,000-foot-plus climb,” said Bullock.
Named after an old water flume created in Tahoe’s heyday to provide lumber to Virginia City’s burgeoning silver mines, the Flume Trail is now geared for bikes.
“Lake Tahoe’s Flume Trail may be one of the best known mountain biking trails in the world – and for good reason,” said Max Jones, owner of Flume Trail Bikes, who offers guided tours of the trail, a shuttle service as well as rents bikes and nearby backcountry log cabins to bikers and hikers. “It’s a challenging single track with twists and turns offering up some of the best views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.”
But let’s not forget the kids. Families have long made up the majority of visitors heading to North Lake Tahoe every summer, and the region’s miles of car-free, paved trails makes it easy to enjoy a leisurely ride along the North and West shores.
“One of our most popular rides for families is along the scenic Truckee River from Tahoe City to Squaw V
alley USA, home of the 1960 Winter Olympic,” said Andy Chapman, tourism director of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. “A convenient and entertaining lunch spot is River Ranch Lodge, right on the trail, as its outdoor patio overlooks the rafters disembarking from the river. The Olympic Rings at the entrance to Squaw Valley is a great photo opportunity and a nearby park has a fantastic soccer field.”
Tahoe’s guided biking services are also many and give visitors a chance to experience the area’s many and varied trails with professional guides who are also well versed in Lake Tahoe’s history, flora and fauna. Tahoe Adventure Company, based in Tahoe Vista and Truckee, offers one of the best combo excursions.
“Summer in North Lake Tahoe is about the trails and the water,” said Kevin Hickey, owner of Tahoe Adventure Company, who provides a one-day kayaking and mountain biking adventure. “Paddling in the morning along the boulders and hidden beaches of the East Shore and then riding on a downhill dirt trail that same afternoon might be one of the finest ways to experience all the region has to offer.”
Choose from a handful of Fourth of July celebrations, from fireworks on the beach to the multi-day Red, White and Tahoe Blue in Incline Village.
Bring your blanket and picnic basket for a night lakeside at Sand Harbor State Park, where the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival performs July and August.
Taste the finest in culinary delights at the region’s 2nd Annual Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week, October 2-9, with 60-plus restaurants offering prix-fixe dishes at exceptional value s- $20, $30 or $40 per person.
Toast the season with winemaker dinners at the notable, lakeside Thunderbird Lodge offering a view like no other; dinners start July 10 with the talented Chef Douglas Dale of Wolfdale’s Cuisine Unique.
Experience the solitude on the Tahoe Rim Trail, a 165-mile loop trail that meanders along the peaks and valleys around Lake Tahoe, and to the lake’s crystal, clear waters (with a visibility of 70 feet down) to water ski and sail.
Take a swing at any of the more than 50 golf courses within a 60-minute drive of North Lake Tahoe.
The summer calendar is also packed with a number of fabulous ticketed musical events held throughout the region. In addition to its popular Shakespeare on the Beach, the 
Namaste in North Lake Tahoe this summer with the ultimate in yoga throwdowns as the popular 
This year’s 4th of July at Tahoe is set to be unique, that’s for sure. With a series of fireworks events scattered around the lake at various dates and times you can catch multiple shows throughout the weekend. Or hit the slopes. Yep, late season snowfalls have opened up skiing and boarding opportunities at several area resorts. 
Whether you’re tearing it up via a thousand dollar-plus road bike around Lake Tahoe’s scenic 72-mile shoreline, maneuvering the dirt tracks on a steep uphill to Twin Peaks on the West Shore or kicking it along Incline Village’s Lakeshore Drive with your toddler who has just graduated to training wheels, there is a trail especially for you.
