Lake Tahoe Winter Activities

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 on all the various areas of the Tahoe Basin from South Lake Tahoe to Truckee, including their Comstock Tour that travels to Virginia City in Nevada. Each tour gives special attention to the highlights and gems of the area. 

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.

The Flume Trail above Lake Tahoe is a mountain biking trail with a well-earned reputation. Between its historical significance and the incredible views that it offers, it is a route that practically everyone in the basin knows about, even people who have never once touched tire to trail. But for those who actually do like to get out and explore the backcountry on wheels and gears, Flume Trail Mountain Bikes helps make the shop's namesake a bit more accessible. Located at the end of the Flume Trail in Incline Village, they rent well-maintained and lightweight bikes and e-pedal assist mountain bikes. Helmet, pump and spare tube are included in the package. And just as important, they offer a shuttle service to the start of the route for a one-way ride back to Incline Village, ensuring that a fun day on the trail doesn't become a logistical hassle. If you're looking for something different, they offer Tahoe Rim Trail shuttle service on select days during the season to ride one way back to Incline Village and the bike shop. Bikes can be rented for a single day or more, and you can rent as a group. Be aware, however, that due to snow conditions on the trail, bike rentals are seasonal, usually beginning in May. Flume Trail Bikes also offers rental bikes and e-pedal assist bikes for the East Shore Paved Path along the shore of Lake Tahoe. This trail starts next to the bike shop and goes 3 miles to Sand Harbor State Park. It is a great way to get into Sand Harbor if the parking lot is full.  

Nor-Cal Charters specializes in once-in-a-lifetime Tahoe fishing excursions. On their boats, Upside and The Professor, the professional guides can get you to whatever type of lake fishing you want, such as Mackinaw, rainbow trout or Kokanee salmon, or even mix it up mid-cruise. The Professor is a 35-foot custom fishing vessel with twin Mercury Verados providing 700 hp, making it one of the fastest boats around. It offers a heated cabin, a large head, cushioned seating and spacious accommodations for up to 12 passengers plus two crew (but fishing charters are limited to six anglers). The boat is licensed to fish on both the Nevada and California sides of the lake. Upside accommodates six anglers and offers a walk-in head, coolers, shade, a sound system and more. Both boats are equipped with the latest and greatest in marine electronics and fish finders. The captains and mates are experienced and passionate about Tahoe fishing, and they welcome anglers of any experience level, from grizzled veterans to complete novices. Nor-Cal offers year-round charters for one to six people, and the vessels can be chartered for special events.

Are you ready for a little pampering? Get yourself down to the Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Lake Tahoe and prepare to relax. The philosophy of the spa reflects the tranquility of the natural surroundings, incorporating the clear waters of the lake and the pure mountain air balanced with the elements of earth and fire in treating your body, mind and soul. Massage styles include deep tissue, sports and hot stone therapy performed in one of their 16 treatment rooms with alpine views. Other body treatments include detoxing mud or herbal wraps, wellness scrubs and facial treatments. Hair, nails, waxing and airbrush tanning are performed in their salon. Choose from several packages with a combination of services including a couple’s treatment for you and your honey in a fireplace suite. Or maybe you just want to relax, take a steam and a sauna and sip a cup of herbal tea.

Tahoe Boat & RV Rents makes having fun in Lake Tahoe a breeze. This is a family-run business providing the tools needed to access the water and the great outdoors. Offering rentals of both RV motorhomes and water-ski boats, they take the fuss out of enjoying Lake Tahoe. They offer different power boats that seat between eight and 12 people. For sleeping accommodations they provide the glam camp motorhome in the 24-foot version, sleeping up to four people. 

Tahoe Forest Baths offers Cedar Enzyme 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 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.

Tahoe Sport Fishing is Lake Tahoe's only U.S. Coast Guard-certified fishing fleet. An experienced crew and a fleet of seven boats put you right where the fish are biting for year-round adventure. The boats leave from both Zephyr Cove Marina (Memorial Day to Labor Day only) for private charters and Ski Run Marina (year-round) for public and private charters. They cater to single anglers, families, bachelor parties and corporate groups.

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.

Trout Creek Outfitters ­– Truckee’s local fly-fishing hub – has everything you need to get outfitted and ready for your time on the water. They have a friendly and helpful staff with decades of experience fishing the streams and lakes in the Tahoe Truckee region. With a thoughtfully chosen selection of fly-fishing gear and supplies, Trout Creek is stocked up for the summer. Whether you’re eager to try fly-fishing for the first time or just excited to get out there more, Trout Creek in Historic Downtown Truckee can help. The shop is open seven days a week.

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, 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 programing and facilities that continue to provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities in the Truckee area.