Lake Tahoe Attractions

While the lake is a sight to see in and of itself, Lake Tahoe attractions go beyond just the water. The area’s rich environment influences the majority of Lake Tahoe attractions like hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding, sunbathing, paddleboarding and more. Enjoy the great outdoors by visiting South Lake Tahoe’s attractions, including state parks, campgrounds suitable for both summer and winter weather or historic homes. Or let the famous Christmas carol come alive as you go on a sleigh ride through the snow. While the area’s attractions encourage a sense of athleticism, you don’t have to be planning your next 5K to appreciate them. You’ll find the area’s museums, visual arts and beaches are the kind of relaxed fun some visitors hope to find during vacations.

Lake Tahoe Attractions in Town

Lake Tahoe attractions also embrace the area’s history. Visit the Truckee attraction where the infamous Donner party is rumored to have fallen to cannibalism. You can also check out one of Squaw Valley’s attractions, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, and view the same slopes that welcomed the world’s great athletes decades ago. It might inspire you to channel your inner Heidi Beibl (the 1960 Winter Olympic Women’s Downhill Skiing gold medalist) as you swoosh down nearby mountains.

If you’re in the mood for some visual entertainment, you can attend festivals in Incline Village that will delight the English and history nerds in your group. Tahoe City’s attractions also feature a variety of fun on the beach, including concerts and movies.

The summer seasons are prime time to take advantage of the main attraction: Lake Tahoe! All the towns offer tours for different areas in the Tahoe Basin. After being educated about the lake, dive in — we mean quite literally too — to all it has to offer. Kings Beach attractions let you sign up for a fishing excursion to hook some trout or explore every beach.

Check out the listings below to see what Lake Tahoe attractions will pique your interest during your visit.

Lake Tahoe Attractions by Area

South Lake Tahoe | Truckee | Tahoe City & West Shore | Squaw Valley & Alpine Meadows
Kings Beach & North Shore Incline Village & Crystal Bay

Lake Tahoe Attractions by Category

Around Tahoe Tours

Lake Tahoe Attraction
889 Tahoe Boulevard, Unit C, Incline Village, NV
(775) 345-5966

Around Tahoe Tours is your best bet for getting a true feel and knowledge of the Tahoe area. Created by Chris and Darin Talbot, the tour agency is a culmination of their knowledge that began when they moved to the area in 1977. Private tours and group tours are available, ranging from either one to four people or five to eight people. The tours focus...read more

Around Tahoe Tours is your best bet for getting a true feel and knowledge of...read more

Bleu Wave Cruises

Lake Tahoe Attraction
2435 Venice Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA
(775) 588-9283

Bleu Wave Cruises is a luxurious way to see Lake Tahoe from the water. From its home base in Tahoe Keys Marina, the boat fits 47 people and is fully decked out to host a grand wedding or extravagant get-together. Complete with a stocked bar, fireplace, large lower lounge, stateroom, fly-bridge, gigantic party bow, restrooms and climate-controlled indoor facilities, Bleu Wave Cruises has all needs covered to...read more

Bleu Wave Cruises is a luxurious way to see Lake Tahoe from the water. From...read more

D.L. Bliss State Park

Lake Tahoe Attraction
CA Highway 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA
(530) 525-7277

DL Bliss State Park is a culmination of absolute Tahoe beauty in the form of stunning turquoise water, old-growth forests and giant cartoon-like granite boulders that balance themselves like toys in amazing ways. There are multiple hiking trails that lead from the park, giving plenty of opportunities to enjoy the splendor that outdoor Tahoe has to offer, and you'll find several good dive spots here...read more

DL Bliss State Park is a culmination of absolute Tahoe beauty in the form of...read more

Donner Memorial State Park

Lake Tahoe Attraction
12593 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA
(530) 582-7892

History buffs, campers, cyclists, hikers and those who love their water sports will find Donner Memorial State Park the perfect place for either a visit or an extended stay. The Donner name is a nod to the story of the snow-stranded emigrants and their ill-fated wagon train in the winter of 1846–47. One part of the forlorn pioneer group made camp near Donner Lake, now site...read more

History buffs, campers, cyclists, hikers and those who love their water sports will find Donner...read more

Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park

Lake Tahoe Attraction
CA State Park Road, Tahoma, CA
(530) 525-7232

Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is your best bet for winter camping. Also open with a larger selection of sites in the summer, the park is positioned to take advantage of both the beautiful natural setting of Lake Tahoe and the historic aspects. Within the park is access to the Hellman-Ehrmann Mansion that was built in 1903. The property is still exquisitely maintained...read more

Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is your best bet for winter camping. Also...read more

Emerald Bay State Park

Lake Tahoe Attraction
11001 CA Highway 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA
(530) 541-3030

If visiting Lake Tahoe in the summer, a great place to camp is Emerald Bay State Park. The park includes two campgrounds: the Boat-In Camp (accessible by boat and foot only) and Eagle Point Campground. Within the park are various treasures including Tahoe's hidden castle, Vikingsholm, the scenic Rubicon foot trail that connects Eagle Point Campground with Vikingsholm and DL Bliss State Park. The park...read more

If visiting Lake Tahoe in the summer, a great place to camp is Emerald Bay...read more

Hang Gliding Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Attraction
2640 E. College Parkway, Carson City, NV
(775) 772-8232

You love Lake Tahoe, and you feel as if you’ve seen all the sights it has to offer. But as the old saying goes, you ain’t seen nothing yet ... not until you’ve seen it from the air, piloting your own aircraft over the Carson Range and into the Tahoe Basin. With Hang Gliding Tahoe, you fly a powered hang glider (with an FAA-certified instructor...read more

You love Lake Tahoe, and you feel as if you’ve seen all the sights it...read more

Kings Beach State Recreation Area

Lake Tahoe Attraction
Bear Street and CA Highway 28, Kings Beach, CA
(530) 583-3074

With its easy location in the center of town, Kings Beach State Recreation Area makes enjoying the sandy shoreline of Lake Tahoe simple. The park itself is free, and offers day use of a few miles of sandy beach, public bathrooms, a children's play area and barbecue grills. There are boat, Jet Ski and paddleboard rentals, and parking costs $10 for both cars and trucks. Dogs are not allowed...read more

With its easy location in the center of town, Kings Beach State Recreation Area makes enjoying the sandy...read more

Lake Tahoe Balloons

Lake Tahoe Attraction
2435 Venice Drive E., South Lake Tahoe, CA
(530) 544-1221
(800) 872-9294

Imagine soaring peacefully with the cool morning breeze in a hot-air balloon over Lake Tahoe. From the lake surface to high above it all, Lake Tahoe Balloons provides this very unique perspective of the Lake Tahoe region. Below you spread the immense green forests and granite landscapes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains that frame the turquoise and azure blues of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding...read more

Imagine soaring peacefully with the cool morning breeze in a hot-air balloon over Lake Tahoe....read more

Lake Tahoe Sightseeing Cruises

Lake Tahoe Attraction
MS Dixie Departure, 760 U.S. Highway 50, Zephyr Cove, NV
(800) 987-9852
Bleu Wave Departure, 2435 Venice Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA
(800) 987-9852
Lake Tahoe's stunning emerald waters are at your fingertips with a venture on one of the many Lake Tahoe Sightseeing Cruises offered in the area. There are plenty of options to choose from, each of them exploring the historic landmarks and points of interest that make Lake Tahoe so popular. Visitors will have a wondrous time exploring places such as Emerald Bay and the historic Vikingsholm...read more
Lake Tahoe's stunning emerald waters are at your fingertips with a venture on one of the...read more

Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema

Lake Tahoe Attraction
475 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, CA
(530) 584-2431

Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema is not a regular movie theater. With leather rocking seats and comfy couches in the theater and a bar serving beer and wine in the lobby, this hip space takes going to a movie to a whole new level of fun. The Art Haus hosts independent films, ski flicks, locally created masterpieces, major motion pictures and environmental films. The Art Haus also...read more

Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema is not a regular movie theater. With leather rocking seats and...read more

Tahoe Donner Association

Lake Tahoe Attraction
11509 Northwoods Boulevard, Truckee, CA
(530) 587-9400

The sprawling Tahoe Donner homeowners association and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee mean many things to many people. For some, it is their home neighborhood; for others, it is their vacation house for a few days in winter or summer; and for others yet, it is their outdoor playground. Locals and visitors take advantage of Tahoe Donner’s 7,000 acres of open space and equally vast...read more

The sprawling Tahoe Donner homeowners association and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee mean many things...read more