Are you planning to drive around Lake Tahoe, California this summer?? Well, that’s one of the most amazing places to visit ! And are you looking for best views in Lake Tahoe? Keep reading this Post , because I’m sharing the best viewpoints, hike to beautiful sandy beaches, and NO HIKE views along the way! You surely can’t miss this amazing Lake Tahoe Drive in California! The views are absolutely breathtaking!
Lake Tahoe was dream come true for me! After seeing so many photos and videos all over social media, I finally visited during late summer in September. The drive from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe is beautiful, its one of the scenic roadtrip in the USA. . The fresh mountain air, turquoise glacier water and epic hikes make it perfect weekend destination to unwind and relax! I must say it is local’s favorite places to explore!
Lake Tahoe Fact: It’s actually the largest alpine lake in all of North America. It is 1,645 feet deep, 22 miles long, 12 miles wide with 75 miles of shoreline. It is the second deepest lake in America, next to Oregon’s Crater Lake. Eight million people live less than a half day’s drive from the Basin.
There are so many things to do in Lake Tahoe and one trip isn’t enough! But if you’re short on time, you can just relax by the clear turquoise water or take a scenic drive around the Lake Tahoe. You can stop at various beaches and lookout points along the way! I must say all the vantage points offer different views and it’s most scenic drive I’ve ever taken!
I suggest driving around the Lake Tahoe for one day and beach hopping or hiking for the next! In this Post, I’m including the Perfect sightseeing route for your Lake Tahoe trip as you drive around to get the best views in Lake Tahoe.
Important Information for Driving Around Lake Tahoe
The drive around Lake Tahoe is 72 miles and takes about three hours roundtrip, without stopping AT ALL! Also, Lake Tahoe is divided between California and Nevada State.
If you’re planning to drive around the entire lake, plan a whole day or at least 7-8 hours time, so that you can really enjoy the most of the stops. I suggest driving around the Lake Tahoe for one day and beach hopping or hiking for the next day!
I will say, 2 days are needed to visit the Lake Tahoe if you fully want to explore all the parts of the Lake. This will give you enough time for beach hopping, hiking and seeing the best view points!
- Location: Lake Tahoe is located between California and Nevada in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
- Road Type: fully paved and in great condition throughout the year! But take extra precautions when driving in Winter!
- Driving Distance around Lake Tahoe: 72 mile loop around Lake Tahoe
- How long does it take to drive around Lake Tahoe: about 3 hours without stops!
How to Get to Lake Tahoe
You can’t actually fly directly to Lake Tahoe! But the nearest international airport is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), only a one hour drive to South Lake Tahoe. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is another airport nearby, 2 hours drive away!
But flying into regional airports are expensive! So, it’s cheap to fly into bigger airports like San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland (OAK), or San Jose (SJC), all about 3 to 3.5 hours drive away from Lake Tahoe. This will save you $$ with short driving time!
Driving to Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is super accessible from all the major airports or areas in California. Whether you live in California or not you can easily reach Lake Tahoe and visit for one or two day! Here are few major cities and driving distance to Lake Tahoe.
- Reno: 1 hour (40 miles)
- Nevada City: 1.5 hours (65 miles)
- Sacramento: 2 hours (105 miles)
- Yosemite: 2.5 hours (125 miles) (Take Highway 395)
- San Francisco: 3.5 hours (188 miles)
- San Jose: 4 hours (230 miles)
NOTE: The time and distance largely depends on where exactly you travel in Lake Tahoe! But if you’re driving around Lake Tahoe and finding the best views along the way, it doesn’t matter much!
Things to Know Before Driving Around Lake Tahoe
Best time to plan Lake Tahoe Scenic Drive
Summer in Lake Tahoe is so breathtaking! But winter is equally magical time of the year to visit Lake Tahoe. So, the best time to visit Lake Tahoe highly depends on exactly what you are planning to do!
If you love winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, You should plan a winter trip to Lake Tahoe. But visit during summer for swimming, boating, kayaking, and stand-up paddling on the lake.
Also, keep in mind, Lake Tahoe gets extremely busy during the summer season especially during school holidays and festivals. So, start your Lake Tahoe drive as early as possible during the day! Hit the busy spots early in the day and visit during the weekday to bit the crowd!
Also, this Best Views in Lake Tahoe when driving focuses on visiting during the summer months!
Can you drive around lake tahoe in winter?
Yes, but you’ll definitely need a car with all-wheel drive (AWD) or 4-wheel drive (4WD). Expect some snow and ice on the roads, drive with caution, and go slow! Also, don’t forget to carry tire chains! Also, practice putting them on at home first! The lake doesn’t freeze in winter, so you can still get the amazing views in winter.
Mostly the first snowfall in Lake Tahoe can happen as early as September or as late as November. And last winter snowfall typically happens till April-May! Make sure to check the weather before you go!
With this being said, Summer Months of June, July and August are the best time to visit Lake Tahoe with NO SNOW!
Where to Get Gas Around Lake Tahoe
Plan to fill up your tank in South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, or Kings Beach. On Nevada side Carson City is also short drive away! Most gas stations are on south side of the lake, with limited options on the North and west sides. But as you will only drive around 100-120 miles in a day, you probably won’t need to fill the tank in between if you already have full tank!
Which Side of Lake Tahoe is Most Scenic?
As I said Lake Tahoe is Divided between Nevada and California! Personally, I LOVE the NEVADA Side of the Lake! Secret Cove Beach and Sand Harbor Beach are my favorite spots in Lake Tahoe. They are the most beautiful among all the views! However, D.L. Bliss Park, the Rubicon Trail, and Emerald Bay, are equally beautiful on California Side. So, it’s really hard to pick one! Overall, you just can’t get wrong with either side of Lake Tahoe.
Swimming in Lake Tahoe
I don’t think many people know this, but the Lake Tahoe is always pretty damn chilly even in Summer! It is not your typical Caribbean or Hawaiian type warm water destination! So, if you have plans for swimming in the Lake, make sure not to spend much time in the water if you’re not fan of the cold! There are so many other activities for you in Lake Tahoe besides swimming!
Where to Find the Best Views in Lake tahoe
No matter which area of the lake you visit, you’ll always get breathtaking views. So, let’s deep dive into finding the most beautiful ones so you don’t miss any of the best views in Lake Tahoe when driving around. I will include easy drive up spots, view points that require little bit of hiking and so on!
In this Post I am including the Best Scenic view stops along Lake Tahoe from South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe and then East side of Lake Tahoe in a Loop. You can arrange the stops as per your driving route.
Best Scenic Stops on the Lake Tahoe Drive
Emerald Bay State Park and Inspiration Point
Start your Lake Tahoe Drive with most famous Viewpoint in Lake Tahoe- Emerald Bay! Just short drive from South Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay is a super popular area in Lake Tahoe and it really gets busy during weekends and holidays in summer. That being said, getting a Parking can be extremely difficult here!
But there is a reason people flock here – has some of the best views in Lake Tahoe both from the lake level and from the road above. It is known Emerald for a reason! It has panoramic views, rich history and you’ll get to see only island in Lake Tahoe : Fannette Island in the center. It is seriously most beautiful site of Lake Tahoe!
There are so many hikes in the area but honestly, you can stop at any viewpoints when driving! And honestly, you’ll get pretty amazing views from the Emerald Bay State Park Parking lot too and from just pulling off the side of the road.
To see the most striking colors of blue and green visit during the day and make a quick stop at Inspiration Point to get the bird’s eye view of the lake. The colors of the bay are absolutely unreal from here!
If you are hiker, don’t forget the challenging Bayview Trail (5.2 miles) hike. It will lead you to cascade waterfall and offers magnificent views of Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoe. It leads to you up to the Maggie’s Peak into Desolation Wilderness. But if you’re not adventurous, take short hike to Cascade Waterfalls which is equally beautiful.
Note: If you are nervous driver or not having mountain driving experience, note that this section of the Lake can be little nerve wracking with some straight drop offs on either side with NO Guard rails! So, be extra cautious and avoid driving after the dark!
Parking Fee : Emerald Bay is state Park in Lake Tahoe, meaning you’ll need to pay $10/car to enter. You can always park on the road for free though if you can find a spot but I wouldn’t recommend it as it causes a lot of traffic congestion and also puts you at risk for getting towed. You can also Park for free at the Eagle Falls Picnic Area although parking here is really limited.
D.L Bliss State Park
One of Lake Tahoe’s best beaches and most quieter with stunning views in my opinion are located in D.L. Bliss State Park on the west side of Lake Tahoe. It has expansive views of the lake and coves with boulders. The most famous beach here is Lester Beach with clear turquoise waters.
Keep in mind, you have to pay the park’s $10 entry fee to get here!
Hike the Rubicon Trail
If your plan is to drive around Lake Tahoe in full, you won’t be able to do much hiking during the day! But you can always hike part of trails for a quick stroll! Rubicon trail is 16-miles roundtrip hike, which is a lot! But great thing is you don’t have to hike the whole trail and can easily pick up different sections of it when driving around Lake Tahoe.
I recommend the trail section between the D.L. Bliss State Park or Emerald Bay State Park, hiking the 4.5 miles in between the two points.
You’ll get consistent beautiful views of the coast. You can even hike a few miles further to Vikingsholm Castle, a 38-room historic Scandinavian mansion from the 1920s. Also, don’t miss Rubicon Point Lighthouse which gives you the nicest view with easy trail.
Eagle Rock Trail
Easy, free parking and a short 1- mile RT hike that leads to panoramic views of the lake? Sounds good to you?? Eagle Rock Trail do that for you!
You only have to hike less than a mile (20 minutes), to get some of the best views in Lake Tahoe! There’s multiple points along the way to see the lake and take photos.
At the top of the trail, you’ll reach a unique viewpoint that offers you the best views of the Lake Tahoe and surrounding mountains in the distance.
Tahoe City Marina
As you reach Tahoe City, don’t forget to stop at Tahoe City Marina. Get great views of the yachts and boats from this waterfront walkway. It is really fun to walk here and seeing those expensive Yachts!! The water is crystal clear here. Walk on the Pier, admire the views and head to the beach. If you’re hungry there are few lake side restaurants with views here!
Kings Beach Recreation Area
Located in North Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach is perfect spot for lazing around and soaking in the views! It’s a big, family-friendly, sandy beach that’s popular but doesn’t get as crazy-crowded as some of the other Lake Tahoe beaches.
There’s a good-size parking lot and it costs $10 to park for the day or $3 per hour.
Incline Village
Now, you have reached the north shore of Lake Tahoe! By this time, you’ll probably be hungry for some lunch, so stop at one of the many restaurants in the town of Incline Village. There are some casual fare restaurants in the town. You can spend some time shopping for almost anything you need for your Lake Tahoe trip!
Tahoe East Shore Trail
In my opinion, one of the must do things in Lake Tahoe is to walk or bike Tahoe East Shore Trail. Dubbed “America’s Most Beautiful Bikeway,” the Tahoe East Shore Trail is a 3-mile, paved trail in North Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side of the lake. It os one of the most beautiful bike trail in Lake Tahoe.
It offers incredible views of the east shore of Lake Tahoe as you walk the trail and takes you from the Incline Village all the way to Sand Harbor, one of Tahoe’s most popular recreation areas.
Also, you don’t need to walk the entirety to see spectacular landscapes! You can just rent a bike or stroll leisurely along the trail!! The first mile of the path is closer to the mountain, but keep on going! The next two miles are directly next to the coastline means lots of views and spectacular scenery!
If your goal is to drive the entirety of the lake in one day, you can’t walk the full Path (6-miles RT)! I recommend walking till Hidden Beach and turning back from there to continue your drive.
There’ are few Paid Parking lots available near the Tunnel Creek Cafe (at the northern end of the trail) and three Parking lots in Incline Village near Ponderosa Ranch Road to get started along the trail.
Monkey Rock
Another beautiful trail near Tahoe East Shore trail, Monkey Rock is fairly easy 2.5-miles RT trail near East side of Lake Tahoe. You’ll hike through the forest and a little field of boulders to get to Monkey Rock – a rock formation at the top that looks like a monkey!
But this spot gives you the uninterrupted panoramic views of Lake Tahoe Area at the Sunrise or Sunset.
To get to this amazing spot, just take a walk along the trail behind Tunnel Creek Cafe, right off Highway 50, till the top of the ridge! At the end, you’ll see the stone monkey in the distance, and you can walk up to that rock for spectacular views!
You can Park your car at the Paid Parking lot to the left of Tunnel Creek Cafe for the hike. It’s very small though! Also, a little bit of free street parking available here if you can snag it!
Flume Trail
If you’re Mountain biker, you might don’t want to miss Flume Trail in Lake Tahoe. It’s 14-mile ride which is moderately difficult ride at 8000 ft elevation.This trail will give you good workout with amazing views in every corner!
Flume Trail is in Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, you’ll need to pay $10 for Parking at the Spooner Lake day use area. There is a shuttle service too that will take you from one end of the trail to the other.
Hidden Beach
Hidden Beach can be accessed via the Tahoe East Shore Trail. It’s about a mile walk from the trail’s starting point, but if you’re lucky enough to find a spot on the side of the road, it’ll take way less time. The Beach is beautiful and WAY LESS Crowded than other areas of Lake Tahoe.
Sand Harbor State Park
One of the Most Popular and scenic stops while Driving Around Lake Tahoe, Sand Harbor is a must visit! Imagine, the big pine trees, crystal-clear water, giant boulders all along the lakeshore, mountain views as far as eyes can see and sandy beaches. That’s what Sand Harbor State Park for you!! It’s really stunning area of Lake Tahoe!! You don’t need ANY HIKING for beautiful Photos!
At Sand Harbor, you can rent a kayak, go stand-up paddling, or just take in the views. It has nicer facilities than some of the other beaches in Lake Tahoe. Just walk around admire the views on the nature trails, dip your toes in the lake, take lots of photos and enjoy your best views in Lake Tahoe.
For anyone visiting Tahoe with kids or for those with disabilities, this is a great place to take in the lake views with minimal effort.
NOTE: Sand Harbor State Park is the most beautiful places to visit in Lake Tahoe in Summer, means crowded and difficult to get parking! Being very popular Park in Summer, you’ll need to get here super early (like, before 8 AM or earlier) to get a parking spot. We visited Lake Tahoe during long holiday weekends, and arrived at noon!! The queue was long but there were plenty of spots available to Park!! So, early morning might be more crowded than mid afternoon!
Also, There’s a $10 entrance fee for Nevada residents, $15 if you have out-of-state plates.
Bonsai Rock
Due to its unique formation, Bonsai Rock is probably one of the most photographed spots in Lake Tahoe. The spot is very beautiful at Sunset. Parking is a little tricky at Bonsai Rock because it isn’t an official Lake Tahoe attraction and thus there isn’t a parking lot. There are some pull-out areas where you can park along the highway if they’re not already full.
The trail to Bonsai Rock isn’t well paved, just follow the Google Maps towards Bonsai Rock and then take one one of the small footpaths that lead to the beach and you’ll get there. Be careful with your footing and wear good shoes!
Secret Cove Beach
This Part of Lake Tahoe is personally my favorite!! Because there are three beaches near each other with massive and stunning boulders that dot the coastline and gorgeous turquoise waters.This is one of the best spot for photography lovers and you too should add this beach in your list for your Lake Tahoe Trip.
Secret Cove is considered one of the most prettiest beaches in Lake Tahoe. To reach here you’ll need to hike a little through rough trail! The path isn’t well marked! We got lost while returning to the Parking lot!! But trust me it’s worth the views! Also, note that it’s technically a nude beach but I also saw people with their swimsuit too!
Cave Rock
If you love chasing Sunset Views, Cave Rock is for you! Cave Rock is one of the best and most popular spots to catch the sunset in Lake Tahoe. It’s a short hike (0.8 miles RT) to get to the top and with a little rock scrambling in the end.
It’s totally worth it for the 180-degree views of the lake that you’ll get once you reach the top. There is very limited parking here, so I recommend arriving in plenty of time before sunset so you can get a spot at the trailhead.
State line & Heavenly Village Gondola
Hiking isn’t really your thing?? No Problem at all !! Still you can get the best sky high views of Lake Tahoe from the Gondola! Heavenly Gondola is Tahoe’s most popular ski resorts and it is home to one of the most epic views of the lake from above.
It remains open all year round and costs $50. The Gondola departs from Heavenly Village village and will give you some of the best views in Lake Tahoe, No hiking required! Just relax, and enjoy the ride as you ascend 2.4-miles up the mountain, all the way up Tamarack Lodge, with an elevation of 8000 ft above sea level. The price is steep but worth to pay seeing the lake from above!
Don’t feel like shelling out the money for Gondola? I have another option for you!! Just take a walk in Heavenly Village and indulge in some Heavenly Donuts instead. They are super Yummm!!
So these was all about the Best Views in Lake Tahoe with where to stop for beaches, hiking, or biking when you visit the lake. I hope this guide help you in driving around Lake Tahoe with best views for your next trip.
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