Tahoe Off the Beaten Path: Unexpected Adventures to Spark Your Winter Fun

The crackle of snow underfoot, the sparkle of stars overhead and the laughter of friends ringing across the mountains – Tahoe in winter is about so much more than carving fresh turns.

While skiing and snowboarding might rule the slopes, some of the most magical moments happen away from the chairlifts. From nighttime neon tubing to chickadees landing on your mitten to sipping bubbly in glowing igloos, here’s your guide to unexpected Tahoe adventures that will keep you grinning long after the snow melts.

From tubing under neon lights to soaking in steaming hot springs, Tahoe in winter has a knack for surprise. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline, seeking romance, diving into culture or just indulging in s’mores by a fire pit, the magic of the season lies in the unexpected. So this year, go off the beaten track. Tahoe is waiting with a million ways to make your winter unforgettable.

Play Like a Kid Again

You don’t always have to race downhill on your own two feet. Nothing sparks pure childlike joy and guaranteed laughs like flying downhill on a tube or sled. Whether you are 7 or 70, snow play is Tahoe’s ultimate reminder that fun does not have an age limit.

Disco Tubing – Palisades Tahoe turns tubing into a party with neon lights, lasers and live DJs. Think nightclub meets snow hill.

Tube Tahoe – Fly down 500 feet of groomed tubing lanes with Mt. Tallac as your backdrop.

Sugar Rush Tubing at Sugar Bowl – Family-friendly fun on Donner Summit.

Donner Ski Ranch Tubing Hill – A low-key, laughter-filled hill where non-skiers feel right at home.

Tahoe Donner Snowplay – Summit tubing, sledding and even snow forts.

Truckee River Regional Park – A locals’ favorite with wide sledding hills.

Sledding North Tahoe Regional Park – Three levels of sledding hills and open snowy meadows are available for free, family-friendly winter fun. Bring your own sled.

Photo: Tahoe Donner

Wonders in Nature

For moments that feel straight out of a snow globe, step into Tahoe’s wild side. Moonlit trails, sleigh bells and starlit feasts await. For the safest adventures, especially in winter, go with a guide.

Snowshoe Hike to Chickadee Ridge – Take an afternoon snowshoe hike to Chickadee Ridge near Incline Village, where tiny songbirds will land right in your hand. Be careful going it alone; it’s easy to get lost as the trails are not well-marked in winter. Take a good GPS app or system since cell service can be limited in the back country. Better yet, Snowshoe Tahoe offers guided sunset and full moon tours.

Winter Sleigh Rides – Cozy up under blankets as horses carry you through Lake Tahoe’s winter scenery. Tahoe Sleigh Ride tours depart from Stateline or Sand Harbor Visitors Center near Incline Village.

Full Moon Snowshoe Tours – Tahoe Adventure Company offers guided moonlight snowshoe tours in the pristine Tahoe wilderness among avalanche-safe high alpine terrain. They also offer sunset tours, star tours and champagne toasts – all guided on snowshoe.

Winter on the Lake – Boat tours don’t stop just because it’s cold outside. Bleu Wave Cruises runs Lake Tahoe cruises year-round – inhale the fresh lake air on the flybridge or party bow then warm up by the fireplace in the cozy bar and lounge.

Stargazing – Tahoe is renowned for its dark skies and for having up to 300 clear nights per year, making it an ideal destination for stargazing. You’ll find plenty of dark places to observe the sky on your own, but if you want to learn from a guide, check out Tahoe Adventure Company’s Snowshoe Star Tours or book a private adventure with Tahoe Star Tours.

Cave Rock Sunset Scramble – This short climb is still accessible in winter (if not too icy) and gives you sweeping views of the snow-dusted lake at golden hour.

Photo: Northstar California Resort

Alternative Adventures

If mellow is not your speed, Tahoe delivers heart-pumping winter fun that will make you forget about chairlifts entirely.

Snow Biking

You don’t have to long for biking just because it’s winter. Head out to snow-covered trails on a fat-tire bike designed for winter biking. Ride fat-tire bikes across snowy meadows at Tahoe Donner or Mount Rose Meadows. Prefer horsepower? Try motorized snow bikes, aka Timbersleds, with Tahoe Snowbike Rental. Ski Bike rentals, lessons and gear delivery are available through Lake Tahoe Tours & Rentals.

Biathlon

Try your hand at the Olympic sport of Biathlon. Cross-country ski, then channel your inner Olympian at the shooting range for an exhilarating experience. Check this out at ASC Training Center or Tahoe Donner.

Snowmobiles

Take an exhilarating, adrenaline-packed adventure across snow-covered landscapes. Tahoe Family Adventures offers private and semiprivate tour on fleet of Polaris sleds, and guides will tailor your tour to your experience level. Coldstream Adventures in Truckee offers snowmobile thrills in Tahoe National Forest twice daily.

Snow Golf

Alpine’s 40th Annual Snow Golf Tournament returns on April 18. The only top-to-bottom snow golf course, this highly anticipated spring event is a unique way to spend a day on the slopes with friends and family. The ten-hole course starts at the top of Summit Express chair and meanders its way down the mountain with the last holes bringing competitors to The Chalet for a Caddyshack-themed after-party.

Dog Sledding

Here’s an exhilarating adventure you probably can’t have back home! You glide over snowy terrain pulled by a pack of friendly Alaskan huskies. Join Sierra Adventures on a mushing adventure with experienced guides.

Ice Fishing

Learn the ins and outs of ice fishing with an experienced guide and you might even catch dinner. Adventure Lake Tahoe offers half-day ice-fishing trips for all ages in South Lake Tahoe.

See Tahoe from the Sky

For the ultimate wow factor, look down on Tahoe’s snowy landscape from above.

Hang Gliding Tahoe – Soar over the Sierra in a powered hang-glider trike with an instructor. You’ll stay warm in special heated clothing, boots and gloves.

Tahoe Helicopters – Take off from South Lake Tahoe Airport for sweeping views of snow-capped peaks and frozen lakes.

Spectate a Winter Sport

For some of us, the best winter sports are those we can watch.

Tahoe Knight Monsters Hockey – These high-energy hockey games take place at the Tahoe Blue Events Center in Stateline from October through April.

Celebrate Film, Music, Culture and Community

Gather up, friends, and immerse yourself in mountain culture. From film festivals to speaker series to live music and more, the Tahoe region pulses with cultural offerings.

Film

Tahoe Film Fest – December 4 to 7 - For those who want to see more than ski films, this event showcases some of the best environmental-themed films of the year. Proceeds benefit Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

Tahoe Adventure Film Festival – January 10 - January’s can’t-miss showcase of adventure sports films takes place at Bally’s Lake Tahoe in Stateline.

Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema – More than a regular movie theater, this Tahoe City cinema offers rocking seats, comfy couches and a bar and shows Hollywood movies, special events, ski movies and more.

Speakers

Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series – December 12 to February 28 - Hear inspiring talks from athletes and explorers while raising funds for local nonprofits.

Music Festivals

Tahoe Live at Palisades – December 12 to 14 - A December music fest featuring EDM heavyweights like Zeds Dead Alison Wonderland and DJ Diesel (yes, Shaq!).

Lake Tahoe Winter Reggae Festival – February 15 & 16 - Two days full of live music with headliners Dirty Heads on Saturday and Rebelution on Sunday and a host of other reggae favorites at Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline.

Community

44th Annual North Lake Tahoe SnowFest! - February 28 to March 5 - 10 days, 50 events and a whole lot of mountain town fun! The North Lake Tahoe mountain communities celebrate winter and all things Tahoe with 10 days of parties, live music, outdoor adventures and family-friendly fun. Events are held in Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Olympic Valley, Truckee, Incline Village and Homewood. Look for street fairs, fireworks, parades, pancake breakfasts, polar plunges, brewfests, a snow golf tournament, snow sculptures, contests, fundraisers and so much more!

Warm Winter Wellness

Sometimes, the best way to spend a snowy day is by slowing down. Tahoe has plenty of ways to warm your body and soul.

Spas

Tahoe Forest Baths – Warm your bones in a Cedar Enzyme Detox Bath for a luxurious Japanese spa experience that’s only available at two places in North America, one of them in Stateline.

Stillwater Spa – Enjoy a meticulously curated menu of facial, massage and wellness services at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino in Incline Village.

Spa Edgewood – Luxuriate with Grounding Gemstone Massage, Warming CBD Massage, energy healing, scrubs, facials, the Oxygen Bar and so many more options.

Saunas

Clean, private, top-quality saunas come to you; they set up in 15 minutes and reach temperature within an hour. In South Lake, try Sierra Sauna Club. In North Lake, Lost Sauna is the one to call.

Hot Springs

Sierra Hot Springs (Sierra Valley) – Soak in steaming pools while snow falls around you. Day passes and evening soaks are available. Add massage or Watsu treatments before or after your soak.

Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center and Spa (Reno) – It’s worth the drive to Reno for soaks in the geothermal mineral waters. Pair a soak in the private baths with massage and other healing services.

1862 David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort and Spa (Genoa) – Warm up in the five natural hot springs pool and enjoy spa treatments too.

Photo: Yosemite Axe Throwing

Indoor Adventures

As beautiful as Tahoe is, you can’t spend every minute outdoors! When you need to warm up, gather your group for a fun indoor activity.

Art & Craft

All Fired Up at The Hot Spot: Paint Your Own Pottery, Candle Making and More – All ages love the activities at All Fired Up, with locations in Tahoe City, South Lake Tahoe and Sparks.

Axe Throwing

Yosemite Axe Throwing – This indoor arena of timberland wood and axes is owned and operated by a real lumberjack.

Tahoe Axe and Darts – Love to throw things? Tahoe Axe and Darts offers fun for every skill level.

Alpenthrow – Truckee Tahoe Mobile Axe Throwing Let the fun come to you for parties and events.

Bowling

Bowl Incline – An Incline Village legend for 55 years, this go-to offers bowling, axe throwing, arcade games, billiards and more.

Tahoe Bowl – Since 1959, this South Lake Tahoe bowling alley has been the favorite for family fun and leagues.

Escape Rooms

Elevation Escape – Experience a high-energy escape room in Truckee.

Puzzle Room Tahoe – Challenge your brain and solve the puzzle with this engaging experience in Stateline.

Trapped in Tahoe – Try out interactive themed rooms where teams work together towards a common goal. This one’s in South Lake Tahoe.

Indoor Golf

Tipsy Putt Tahoe – Perfect for a date night, hanging with friends and group celebrations, Tipsy Putt in South Lake Tahoe has it all: mini golf, table-top golf, cornhole, hoops, arcade games, weekly events, a full sports bar, shareable apps, salads, kid food and tacos!

Lake Tahoe Golf Course – South Lake Tahoe’s course offers indoor simulators with world-class golf plus many other family-freindly games.

Iron & Wood – Indoor golf comes to Incline Village with the Trackman iO simulator featuring more than 300 courses.

Indoor Climbing

Blue Granite Climbing Gym – Whether you’re a beginner or expert enthusiast, this full-scale rock-climbing gym in South Lake Tahoe has all the challenges you need.

High Altitude Fitness – With gyms in Incline Village and Truckee, High Altitude Fitness is a community staple for empowering climbers of all abilities.

Photo: Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe

Winter Dining with a Twist

Dine in an Igloo – Fumo Café, Eatery and Bar in Incline Village offers lovely winter dinners in a cozy igloo.

Snowshoe Chalet Dinner – Embark on a guided snowshoe tour (or walk atop a packed groomer) to a mid-mountain four-course dinner at the Chalet at Alpine at Palisades Tahoe.

Twilight Snowshoe Tour at Northstar – Slow down and enjoy the peaceful setting of the Sierra Nevada during Northstar’s guided evening snowshoe tours.

Dinner and Last Tracks – At Diamond Peak Ski Resort’s Snowflake Lodge, Last Tracks participants take the last chairlift, savor wine or craft beer with delectable appetizers, and then ski down a freshly groomed run at sunset.

Blind Flight Fridays – Taste a curated flight of mystery wines – no labels, just aromas, flavors and your palate leading the way. Held at Tahoe Wine Collective in Tahoe City, the event is perfect for all levels of wine drinkers.

Winter Wonderland Paired Tastings – Savor a curated tasting at Truckee Family Wines in Truckee, expertly paired to complement the fireside treats.

Cocoa in the Cabin – On December 13, bundle up and head to North Tahoe Regional Park for hot cocoa, music, snowman building and a winter social.