Tahoe Holds Steady on COVID-19 Protocols

The Tahoe region spans a large stretch of area along the border between California and Nevada, and governing jurisdictions include several counties on both sides of the line. Through the spring and summer, COVID regulations varied quite a bit by state and county, but as we head into the fall, the protocols are fairly consistent throughout the Lake Tahoe area. In California, the three Tahoe region counties of El Dorado, Placer and Nevada are all currently in the Moderate or Orange risk level. (Alpine County to the south is in the Minimal or Yellow stage.) The mask requirements in California are that people must wear face coverings when inside of or in line to enter any indoor public space, while on public transportation and when outdoors in public anywhere that six-foot social distancing is not possible. Exceptions include children younger than 2 and people who are eating or exercising, as long as social distancing is maintained. Nevada’s statewide mask mandate is virtually identical to that of California, with the exception that children ages 2 to 9 are not required to wear a face covering, although it is strongly encouraged. Photo at left: Pixabay, Leehu Zysberg.

Restaurants

The restaurants in the California side of the Tahoe region are open with some restrictions. The number of diners is limited to 50% of capacity or 200 people, whichever is less. Bars and breweries can operate outdoors only with some restrictions, and those who don’t also serve food can offer curbside or home delivery. On the Nevada side of the lake, restaurants are open for indoor dining with a cap of 50% of capacity and with a maximum party size of five people. Bars and breweries are closed, but drinks can be served at the table with your meal. Throughout Tahoe, diners are encouraged to consider delivery or curbside pickup options for their restaurant meals. Photo at right: Pixabay, Chien Than.

Shops

Retail shops are allowed to be open for in-store shopping. Social distancing and caution while shopping are still the guidelines by which to operate, along with six-foot distancing, and face covers are required for employees and very highly suggested for customers as well as the sanitizing of such objects as carts and baskets after each use. 

Things to Do

The area's parks, beaches, trailheads and other similar outdoor recreation spots are, for the most part, open and available with the exception of those that would normally be closed due to the season anyway, such as Heavenly Resort and the Gondola. Note, however, that due to fire danger, camping and overnight travel in all the designated Wilderness areas and backcountry areas are restricted through November and that even though the campgrounds are open, no campfires are allowed. The Taylor Creek area on the South Shore has been closed for trail work but should be re-opening soon. On the Nevada side of the lake, the casinos continue to operate under the new safety protocols with strict limits on how many people can be playing at any given card table or table game and requirements that the tools of the trade, such as dice, chips, and cards, be sanitized on a rigorous schedule. As for taking a boat ride on the lake, look for most of the commercial cruises to be up and running with most of the normally scheduled offerings on both the North Shore and South Shore and even some new faces on the lake. Photo at left: Pixabay.

Hotels, Motels, Inns and Campgrounds

The majority of the area's hotels, motels, inns and even campgrounds are open for business. Regulations and protocols regarding sanitizing, cleaning and distancing are in place and may impact availability, but it's also a good time to find some great vacation deals as the lodging industry works to woo visitors in an attempt to make up for time lost to the travel restrictions that were in place earlier this year and before the ski season brings tourists flocking back for winter recreation. Photo at right: Wikimedia Commons, Don Graham.

Vacation Rentals

Hotels and inns are trying to fill rooms, but on the other side of the coin, vacation rentals are booking up fast. And with so many Bay Area workers doing their jobs remotely, some vacation rental homes have become a second base of operations for remote workers, meaning there are that many fewer spots on the market. If you are looking for a vacation rental in the Tahoe area, the best rule of thumb is to book your reservation earlier rather than later.