Things to Do in Lake Tahoe

One of the greatest ways to see Lake Tahoe is via bicycle. With miles of dirt trails, bike routes and paved roads, there is fun to be had no matter what your age or athletic ability. To help make this outdoor activity simple, Truckee River Bikes is conveniently located at the corner of Highway 89 and the entrance to Olympic Valley. From cruisers to high-level mountain bikes, they have a huge assortment of bikes for rent. The shop also offers bike sales as well as access to some of the best bike mechanics Lake Tahoe has to offer.

Valhalla Tahoe shares an appreciation for the historical heritage and natural beauty of the Tallac Historic Site with visitors from all over the world. The historic Boathouse Theatre provides a stage for artistic presentations, concerts and plays. Valhalla Tahoe is a nonprofit organization operating in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to preserve Tahoe Heritage through restoration, arts, music, theatre and celebrations. In addition to hosting performances in the Boathouse and celebrations in the Grand Hall, Valhalla Tahoe curates a small Art Gallery in one if the historic cabins on the property, and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the artists. A fun aspect of the Tallac Historic Site is that there are paved paths linking the various buildings with self-guided interpretive signs. Valhalla Tahoe holds public events June through September; check out their website for a full schedule. 

Lake Tahoe, 15 minutes away, gets all the attention, but Truckee has a gem of its own: Donner Lake. While not as big and broad as Big Blue, Donner Lake offers up a good bit of watery fun too. One of the best places to access Donner is West End Beach. In summer months, there is a modest admission fee to enter the 10-acre west end area, but the sandy beach and roped-off, kid-friendly swim area is the place to take youngsters to build sand castles and splash in the water all under the watch of life guards. Operated by the Truckee Donner Park and Recreation Department, West End Beach also has paddleboards, kayaks and pedal boats available to rent. There is plenty of fun on the beach area: two playgrounds for kids to get their kicks on, a sand volleyball court, tennis court and horseshoe pits. A snack bar serves up soft drinks, hot dogs and ice cream. Get there early and stake out a picnic table and grill. There are shady group picnic areas available by reservation.