Tahoe Thing to Do: Horse-drawn Sleighs

If you are looking for a place to express your creative side, All Fired Up at The Hot Spot can help. A sanctuary for creation in the form of pottery painting, candle making, mosaics, succulent gardens, canvas painting and even slime making, All Fired Up at The Hot Spot offers the space to let your imagination shine. All ages and artistic abilities are invited to play. Come alone or in a group. In fact, it is an excellent option for those looking to create a party for bridal and wedding groups, birthdays, get-togethers, office parties, team building or mom gatherings. You're even invited to bring your favorite wine or beer to help get your creative juices flowing. Appointments or drop-ins are welcome. Long known as All Fired Up, this business will soon change its name to The Hot Spot Tahoe, but everything else will stay the same.

Discover Lake Tahoe's splendor with Around Tahoe Tours, led by local experts Chris and Darin Talbot. Drawing on decades of insight since 1977, their tours offer a unique and entertaining way to get to know the area. Dive into their incredible Sand Harbor Experience for a hassle-free day at Lake Tahoe's premier beach, where you can enjoy an exclusive day, complete with complimentary transportation, awe-inspiring education, delightful entertainment and relaxation without the worry of lines or parking issues. Aptly named Camp Tahoe, their private Beach Lounge experience is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located on a stretch of beautiful white sandy beach, this experience comes complete with everything you need for a great lakeside experience including umbrellas, chairs, beach comforts, towels and toys along with access to cocktails and food at the neighboring wet bar and restaurant. Interested in enjoying the entire lake? Check out their incredible six-hour Around Tahoe Tour. If discovering the neighboring areas to Lake Tahoe is your cup of tea, their Comstock Tour offers you six hours to enjoy and learn about awe-inspiring historical Virginia City. Around Tahoe Tours also offers other fascinating tours including their Colorful Fall Tour, Winter Ski Tour, North Shore Tour or The Perfect Tahoe Day Tour. They also offer the ability to create tailored adventures for private, semi-private or group tours.

Black Tie specializes in premium ski rentals delivered straight to your door. That means no standing in long lines or trying on boots in a crowded rental facility. 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. This Truckee-based location of Black Tie Ski Delivery serves North Lake Tahoe resorts including Northstar, Alpine Meadows, Palisades Tahoe, Sugar Bowl and in the Sierra Nevada range north and west of Lake Tahoe. Black Tie calls itself 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. What 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. Call or make your reservation online and they will come to you. 

With a history dating back to 1937, a completely renovated Crystal Bay Casino opened its doors on August 1, 2003. Natural stones cover the walls of the casino and a giant (fake) oak tree grows from the middle of the pit, spreading its branches out over the gaming tables and giving it a surreal ambiance. The gaming includes blackjack, craps and roulette as well as slot machines and a sportsbook. They’ve got rooms to rent out in an adjacent building called the Border House. Renovated to maintain a bygone charm with modern luxuries, the 10 rooms of the Border House are furnished with antiques and retro pieces and have Jacuzzi tubs and plasma TVs, and a few rooms have fireplaces. The casino hosts two clubs: the Red Room – with a small performance space – and the Crown Room, one of Tahoe’s premier performance venues. Set in an old bowling alley, the Crown Room has a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, a hardwood dance floor and a capacity of 750. Crystal Bay Casino also is the home to the five-star Steak and Lobster House. To get a feel for old school Tahoe with all the modern luxuries, check out the CBC.

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 of the state park, during record-breaking snowfall. Now visitors can go to Donner Memorial State Park and check out the new $6.6 million visitor center/museum that chronicles the Donner Party and the human and natural history of the region. During summer season the park has 142 spaces for car, RV and tent camping. There is also a concessionaire renting water-sport toys from kayaks and SUPs to two-seater personal watercraft. Being a state park in the Sierra, everything is surrounded by beautiful pines and plenty of hiking and biking in adjacent Cold Stream Canyon and swimming in the kid-friendly canal and China Cove. Depending on snowfall, a cross-country ski trail is groomed through the park, which is also a great place for snowshoeing. An entrance fee is charged.

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 also encompasses Fanette Island, the only island of Lake Tahoe. The park extends below the surface of the lake, where visitors will find a historical story book of days gone by in the form of sunken barges, ships and launches. The park closes down in the winter, though people are able to walk the mile-long, steep trail to Vikingsholm Castle to enjoy the grounds and beaches. The trail can be a bit treacherous in winter if snowy or icy. Visitors should remember to pack it in and pack it out and to leave no trace. 

Grand Lodge Casino at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe features 20,000 square feet of gaming space and offers a true Old Tahoe feel plus a highly rewarding Players Club, friendly staff and all your favorite games. Whether you like the thrill of chasing huge jackpots or you prefer the great odds of video poker gaming, their slot floor has something for everyone. For the real deal, head on over to one of their many gaming tables. With the luck of the draw, a throw of the dice or a spin of the wheel, you could win big. Stop by their Sports Book to check the odds and place a bet on your favorite team; you can catch all the action on one of their many flat-screen TVs. Join their Players Advantage Club to get a jump on the fun.

Lake Tahoe has only one outflow – the Truckee River. And for 25 years IRIE Rafting Company has given visitors a close-up view of the waterway as well as the region's north and middle forks of the American River and the Carson River. For those wanting to stay closer to Truckee, IRIE offers half- and full-day trips on the Truckee River after it flows past the town of Truckee. There is ideal paddling to be had for a range of ages and abilities as well as some thrilling rapids as the river runs down into the Truckee River Gorge. IRIE transports guests to and from Truckee to the put-in and take-out points on the river and provides helmets, personal flotation vests and paddles. Expect a two-hour trip that will be perfect for the whole family. By the way, IRIE stands for Isolated Rivers, Incredible Experiences. 

Golf in winter? Yes, at Lake Tahoe Golf Course. In winter the clubhouse becomes more of a sports bar and restaurant feel with two simulators that provide all sorts of activities. This, of course, includes golf featuring hundreds of golf courses worldwide, a practice range and lesson capabilities. Simulators also have games like hockey, soccer, baseball, disc golf and arcade fun games for the kids (and kids at heart) like Zombie destruction using tennis balls thrown at targets on the screen. In one of the little ironies of life, Lake Tahoe Golf Course is one of the courses at South Shore that is actually farthest from the lake, over in Meyers. This in no way, however, detracts from the beauty of the location as it is in a high-altitude meadow set up against the rugged mountain scenery. The course, with layout by William Bell, welcomes casual players as well as custom-designed tournaments and events. Lake Tahoe Golf Course is also a popular venue for non-golfing special events, not the least of which are weddings. Whether the event takes place on the 10th tee near the Truckee River or in the clubhouse with views of Mount Tallac, the catering and event specialists here can help give your wedding day that special Tahoe flavor.

North Tahoe Watersports brings you the fun of Lake Tahoe in a safe and exciting way. Specializing in parasailing, the company offers high-flying adventures over Lake Tahoe in all three of its locations. In addition to parasailaing, North Tahoe Watersports offers boat rentals and jet ski rentals at its two Tahoe City locations and jet ski rentals and kayak and SUP rentals at its Kings Beach location. North Tahoe Watersports also offers private lake tours, bringing you to all of the magical parts of Lake Tahoe.

North Tahoe Watersports brings you the fun of Lake Tahoe in a safe and exciting way. Specializing in parasailing, the company offers high-flying adventures over Lake Tahoe in all three of its locations. In addition to parasailaing, North Tahoe Watersports offers boat rentals and jet ski rentals at its two Tahoe City locations and jet ski rentals and kayak and SUP rentals at its Kings Beach location. North Tahoe Watersports also offers private lake tours, bringing you to all of the magical parts of Lake Tahoe.

At Stillwater Spa, wellness is not just a priority – it's the essence of their mission. Renowned for its meticulously curated menu of facial, massage and wellness services, Stillwater Spa is dedicated to fostering relaxation, inner peace and rejuvenation within the tranquil sanctuary of its alpine retreat. Each service is thoughtfully tailored to create a personalized spa experience, where the body becomes the guiding compass on an individual’s unique journey toward holistic well-being. Stillwater Spa's philosophy is both elegantly simple and profoundly empowering: it's all about the individual. They invite guests to pursue their wellness intentions, offering a nurturing environment that supports emotional, spiritual and physical healing. As a Lululemon-authorized retailer, Stillwater Spa goes above and beyond to elevate the guest experience. Conveniently located in the lower lobby of the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, Stillwater Spa beckons visitors to embrace the beauty of simplicity and connect with the essence of their true selves.

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 major motion pictures as well as independent films, ski flicks and environmental films. The space may be rented for a large party or custom film showing. The bar has eight beers, cider and soft kombucha on tap as well as serves wine, Prosecco and sake. Don't forget to season your popcorn at the popular popcorn spice bar. The Art Haus' big fall/winter 2024-25 movies include Joker: Folie a Deux, Matchstick Productions' ski movie premier, Wicked and Mufasa.

Tahoe Forest Baths offers Cedar Enzyme Detox Baths, a unique spa experience based on a time-honored Japanese tradition that is gaining in popularity around the world. One of only two places in North America to experience this purifying and relaxing treatment, Tahoe Forest Baths immerses your body in soft, dry fermented cedar and enzymes cultured and imported from the organic farmlands of Hokkaido, Japan. The cedar warms you from the inside out, providing detoxification, exfoliation, stress relief and rejuvenation for the skin, digestion, metabolism and sleep. The Cedar Enzyme Detox Baths are excellent for muscle recovery for athletes and anyone who's been out enjoying the active Tahoe lifestyle. Post-bath, you'll enjoy hydrating enzyme beverages and an optional treatment from the Oxygen Bar.

If finding some adrenaline fun via flowing rivers is your cup of tea, then you should check out Tahoe Whitewater Tours. A highly reputable company that offers guided trips down Truckee River as well as other rivers that near the Tahoe area, Tahoe Whitewater Tours is gifted in creating a trip that fits the wants and needs of the group. From basic river trips to heart-pumping whitewater adventures, they have you covered. 

A combination of live theater, high-end lounge and tapas-style dining, The Loft Theatre Magic & Comedy Theatre offers the full package for a fun night out. The nightly entertainment includes world-class comedy magicians performing in an intimate 107-seat, stadium-style theater. The lineup of performances includes a full slate of all-ages, family-friendly shows as well as a more limited selection of adult-oriented offerings. In addition to entertainment, The Loft Theatre's restaurant, TASTE at The Loft, features a vibrant mix of small plates and American tapas meant to be shared with your dining companions. The menu and acts change frequently, making the destination fun to visit multiple times a year. The Loft Lounge is a late-night hotspot in Heavenly Village.

One of the treasures of winter is the pleasure of ice skating. In Truckee there is a fabulous family-focused ice rink that comes with the flurries of snowfall at the Truckee River Regional Park. Although not regulation in size, Truckee Ice Rink offers a great array of activities on the ice. From public ice-skating sessions (complete with rentals) to ice-skating lessons for young and old, the outdoor arena is a place that encourages smiles. Visit tdrpd.org/icerink for more information.

Take a look around and it’s clear that Truckee is a special town: history, mountains, lakes, river and forests. But there are many hidden gems known mostly to locals. Those gems are kept shining by the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District for the enjoyment of locals and visitors. Some of the amenities and facilities managed by the district are accessible for free, others for a fee. The district has deservedly received awards for its facilities, from the nine-hole Ponderosa Golf Course and an ice rink in winter to super-kid-friendly West End Beach and the public piers on Donner Lake. The crown jewel is the 40,000-square-foot Community Recreation Center with, among other things, a two-court gymnasium, a state-of-the-art indoor aquatics center, an indoor running track, exercise equipment, two climbing walls (one is 29 feet tall) and a state-of-the-art aquatics center. Want to find Truckee’s soul? Check out the bike park at Riverview Sports Park and the popular disc golf course and skate park in Regional Park. Be sure to explore all of Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District's programming and facilities that continue to provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities in the Truckee area. 

Explore the untouched meadows and woodlands of Washoe Meadows State Park, offering serene trails and breathtaking views at the base of Echo Summit's escarpment. Named in tribute to Native Americans who thrived here for millennia, the park remains undeveloped, preserving its raw beauty. Enjoy dog-friendly trails while abiding by leash regulations. As a part of the Sierra State Park Foundation, please lend a hand and help keep this treasured part of our heritage cleaner than you found it.