Tour Guide: North Lake Tahoe

From shoreline to ski slopes, North Lake Tahoe is paradise for active triathletes and their families.

GO: When the leaves take a golden hue. Though North Lake Tahoe is famous for summer watersports and winter skiing, the low-traffic autumn months offer the most affordable rates on lodging, food and activities.

RELATED – Course Recon: Ironman Lake Tahoe

STAY: At the Village at Squaw Valley, where you’ll have easy access to trails, rivers,  bike lanes and—yes—ski slopes (squaw.com/the-village). In addition to spacious, comfortable rooms, the Village offers plenty of activities for couples and families. Play pool and board games in the billiards room, find your zen at Wanderlust Yoga studio, or grab a bag of marshmallows to make dessert at one of the many bonfires roaring on-site.

DINE: Get up early to beat the lines at Firesign Café (firesigncafe.com), known by the locals as the place to go for eggs Benedict and kielbasa omelets. Jason’s Beachside Grill serves up lunchtime burgers and beer at its relaxing Kings Beach location (jasonsbeachsidegrill.com). Plan to spend a full evening on the deck at Sunnyside in Tahoe City (sunnysidetahoe.com)—even after partaking in fresh local fare and a creative cocktail menu, you’ll want to hang around for dessert. The restaurant is known for their Hula Pie, a towering concoction of cookies, macadamia nut ice cream, and hot fudge (yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds).

Half-Day Adventure

After powering up with a latte from Coffee Connexion (coffeeconnexion.com), head to the Treetop Adventure Park at Granlibakken in Tahoe City, where you can travel from treetop to treetop using more than 50 unique bridges and ziplines (granlibakken.com). Scared of heights? Head to Truckee to browse the shops in the city’s historic downtown or sample the vino at Truckee River Winery (truckeeriverwinery.com).

Work It Out

North Lake Tahoe is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Though the list of active options are never-ending, a true North Tahoe experience includes a trip up the Stateline Fire Lookout Trail, a two-mile paved trail ending with some of the best views of Lake Tahoe. For a legendary endurance experience, hike or run a mile or two of the Western States 100 route, which begins at Squaw Valley and climbs over 2,000 feet in the first three miles (wser.org). Finally, take to the water for kayaking or paddleboard yoga at Waterman’s Landing (watermanslanding.com).

A Night Out

Tahoe’s laid-back, outdoorsy vibe during the day continues into its nightlife scene. Leave the club wear at home and take in the purple alpenglow during a Tahoe Adventure Company Star Tour (tahoeadventurecompany.com). Afterwards, head to Pete N Peter’s in Tahoe City for shuffleboard and an excellent jukebox, or grab a cozy corner table at The Fat Cat (fatcattahoe.com) for wine, live music and a kitchen open for late-night eats.

Race It!

Ironman Lake Tahoe will be held for the first time this weekend and is an exciting addition to the area’s full calendar of triathlon events, including the popular Donner Lake Triathlon and Xterra Lake Tahoe. At 6,000 feet, the race boasts the highest starting altitude of any Ironman; with plenty of climbing, it may also earn the title of “toughest” Ironman. For more details on the course, check out Course Recon: Ironman Lake Tahoe.

For more information on lodging, restaurants, and activities in North Lake Tahoe, visit gotahoenorth.com.