Kings Beach Things To Do

With locations in all the top ski destinations in North America, it’s no surprise that Black Tie Ski Delivery brings the top gear to North Lake Tahoe as well. They call themselves a ski concierge, meaning the staff sets its customers up from head to toe with helmets, goggles, outerwear, boots and skis – all custom-fitted in your hotel room, condo or ski lease. When you’re all done, they’ll swing by and pick up the gear. Black Tie not only dials in families, but also they can accommodate groups of 15 or more. And no worries if those boots you started out with are killing your feet: Black Tie will head up to the slopes and get you back out on the snow with new gear. 

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 instructor along for the ride (the flight can even count for training toward a pilot’s license!) and enjoy the sight of the lake from an entirely new perspective. Morning flights offer spectacular year-round viewing conditions, and you can schedule sessions ranging from one hour clear on up to three hours. Make it an extra-special event and fly as a couple or with a friend, each in your own aircraft, and don’t forget to sign up for the photo or video service for a souvenir of the flight that you will treasure forever.

As the only accredited art museum in the state, Nevada Museum of Art is a beacon of culture in the High Sierra. The museum is in Reno, about an hour's drive from the Tahoe area. The permanent collections are extensive and stunning, and the changing exhibitions keep things fresh, even for regular visitors. The museum offers three floors of exhibits, usually with varying themes and styles. Most exhibits are on display for at least one month; some may stay over a year. All forms of art are often represented, and docents are often on each floor to answer questions and give you insightful information. This is also the home of the Center for the Art and Environment as well as the E. L. Cord Museum School. Add in other programming such as the Hands On education for children and families, the talks and discussions with artists and the Sunday music brunches in the café, and you begin to understand why this institution is held in such high regard by the Reno locals.

The gift shop offers hand-crafted, artful gifts for sale, ranging from jewelry and wearable art to ceramics and children’s games. An additional room has art books from general to specific about currently exhibited art and artists. Proceeds from the gift shop sales support exhibits and educational programs, which are offered each month to adults and children. A restaurant in the museum, chez louie, offers French-inspired meals for lunch, dinner and snacks. A brunch with live music is held every Sunday, and dinners are often held in celebration of special exhibits.

Once the snow melts and spring has sprung in Lake Tahoe, many businesses shift gears. Tahoe Dave's is one. Hanging up its skis and snowboards and putting on its summer attire, the warming temperatures bring rise to both locations become a hot spot for all things related to biking. In addition to trail bikes and cruisers, Tahoe Dave's has an excellent assortment of any type of accessory that is going to make your time in the Tahoe mountains that much more enjoyable. Beyond their well-stocked merchandise, Tahoe Dave's crew ranks up there as some of the best to ask for advice and assistance when mechanical issues arise. 

George Whittell Jr., heir to one of San Francisco’s largest fortunes, pulled his $50 million (roughly $50 billion in current dollars) out of the stock market just weeks before the crash of 1929. He needed to do something with all that money and started buying up land on Lake Tahoe’s eastern shore, eventually owning almost the entire Nevada shoreline. In 1936 construction began on his "castle in the sky," a lakefront estate that would serve as his summer getaway and tax haven.

Finished in 1939, Thunderbird Lodge was constructed by the finest artisans and craftspeople available. The exteriors were done in stone decorated with metal images of local wildlife, and the interiors were fashioned in the Arts and Crafts style. He had a 600-foot tunnel blasted out of the granite under the property to connect the lodge to a boathouse and serve as a secret exit from the Card Room. Whittell also had a 56-foot mahogany yacht custom-built. With a pair of 1150 hp Allison V-12 engines, the Thunderbird can reach speeds up to 75 mph. It’s still seaworthy and sheltered in the boathouse.

Thunderbird Lodge and its grounds, listed as an Historic Site in the National Register, are now owned by a nonprofit Preservation Society and are open for tours and available for parties, banquets, corporate functions and other special occasions. The grounds – full of lawns, water features, secluded terraces, a lakefront gazebo and beautiful views across the lake – make the Thunderbird a top choice for weddings, receptions and rehearsal dinners. They have an executive chef on-site, and their staff can help coordinate every aspect of your event. The Thunderbird hosts occasional events including a Winemakers’ Dinner series every summer. All tours are guided and are available Tuesday through Saturday from May through October. Reservations are required.