Quick Take
We left Lassen Volcanic on Labor Day, even though we had originally planned to stay one more day. Lake Tahoe is known for its clear blue water ringed by forested slopes and granite peaks.
Places We Visited
Pick a stop to see its story and photos.
Fallen Leaf Campground turned into the Tahoe base almost by accident, but it gave the whole stay the slower pace you needed.
Fallen Leaf Lake was the quieter water alternative to Tahoe itself and the right place to get the kayaks out.
Tallac and Valhalla gave the Tahoe stop its historic-lakeside personality, mixing old resort culture with bike-trail access and a concert-night ending.
Donner Memorial was the heaviest stop of the stay and gave the Tahoe area a much darker historical layer than the postcard views suggest.
Emerald Bay was the iconic Tahoe view stop, even with the ankle twist and the construction around Vikingsholm.
Sugar Pine Point closed out the stay with a slower shoreline day and the mansion tour rather than another big push.
Susanville, California
Side Iron BBQ at the Pioneer
Fallen Leaf Campground
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Fallen Leaf Campground turned into the Tahoe base almost by accident, but it gave the whole stay the slower pace you needed.
Fallen Leaf Lake
Fallen Leaf Lake was the quieter water alternative to Tahoe itself and the right place to get the kayaks out.
Tallac Historic Site
Tallac and Valhalla gave the Tahoe stop its historic-lakeside personality, mixing old resort culture with bike-trail access and a concert-night ending.
Kiva Beach Trail
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Taylor Creek Rainbow Trail
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Memorial was the heaviest stop of the stay and gave the Tahoe area a much darker historical layer than the postcard views suggest.
Murphy Cabin Site
Emerald Bay State Park
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Emerald Bay was the iconic Tahoe view stop, even with the ankle twist and the construction around Vikingsholm.
Vikingsholm
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Eagle Falls
No photos are tied to this place yet.
Fallen Leaf Lake Marina
Element Restaurant
Ed Z?berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
Sugar Pine Point closed out the stay with a slower shoreline day and the mansion tour rather than another big push.
Pine Lodge
Arrival in Tahoe
We left Lassen Volcanic on Labor Day, even though we had originally planned to stay one more day. We felt…
Tallac Historic Site
Lake Tahoe is known for its clear blue water ringed by forested slopes and granite peaks. We stayed on the…
Donner Memorial State Park and Emerald Bay
After deciding to extended our Tahoe stay, we set out to explore Emerald Bay State Park. The parking lot was…
Fallen Leaf Lake Paddle
Fallen Leaf Lake sits right next to Tahoe, but it sees far less traffic. Fewer boats. Fewer people. Mostly…
Sugar Pine Point
Sugar Pine Point State Park sits right on Lake Tahoe’s western shore, and when we arrived, we came prepared…