1. Bijou Community Park
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 542-6055
Address: 1201 Al Tahoe Boulevard
Description: If you want to escape the crowds at the beaches on Lake Tahoe, you can spread your picnic at Bijou Community Park. You’ll find sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, basketball courts, a skateboard park, a world-class 27-hole disc golf course, playground equipment, group picnic areas, and picnic shelters. (For more information on disc golf, see the Recreation chapter.) The park is open from sunrise to sunset winter and summer. There are no fees. The park is located about 1 mile southeast of the intersection of Al Tahoe Boulevard and US 50.
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1 mile south of Tahoma
3. South Lake Tahoe Recreation Area
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 542-6055
Description: Close to all the casino action in Stateline, the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Area offers access to several Lake Tahoe beaches, along with picnic areas and facilities for horseshoes, basketball, and volleyball. Other amenities include a children’s playground, jogging trails, a swimming pool, fitness center, and boat ramp. The campground by the lake (open in summer only) has 172 sites for tents and RVs and provides piped water, fire rings, and flush toilets.
4. Lake Tahoe Balloons
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 544-1221, (800) 872-9294
Description: When you book a flight with Lake Tahoe Balloons, you can marvel at the majesty of the lake from two vantage points: floating over it in a hot-air balloon and floating on it in a 40-foot catamaran. After flying over verdant mountain meadows and hovering above the crystal-clear waters of the lake, the balloon lands on the boat, where you can indulge in a delicious champagne brunch while cruising back to shore. The cost of the three-hour trip is $250 per person, and reservations are required. The company offers free shuttle transportation within the South Lake Tahoe area and customized wedding services, too. All flights begin at sunrise and are seasonal.
5. Classic Cue
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 541-8704
Address: 1965 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
Description: Classic Cue calls itself the best billiard room and burger joint on the lake. Besides its 10 pool tables, there’s also indoor hoops, Foosball, and darts. This pool hall also provides patrons with a satellite TV. Mostly frequented by a younger crowd, Classic Cue also repairs and sells pool cues. The hours of operation are daily from noon to midnight.
6. El Dorado
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 542-6056
7. Tahoe Keys Marina
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 541-2155
8. Action Watersports Of Tahoe
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 544-5387
Address: 3411 U.S. Highway 50
Description: Action Watersports is located at Timber Cove Marina and rents just about anything that floats. From powerboats to floating lounge chairs, this concession rents them out at some of the most reasonable rates around the lake. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the summer months only.
9. Camp Richardson Marina
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 542-6570
Address: 1900 Jameson Beach Road
Description: This marina is open from May through the end of September from 8:00 a.m. to8:00 p.m. and offers a wide selection of powerboats, bowriders, two-person WaveRunners, pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats. Its location at Camp Richardson makes it a popular and sometimes crowded place. This is one of the only rental concessions that accepts reservations.
10. Tahoe Bowl
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 544-3700
Address: 1030 Fremont Avenue
Description: This bowling alley has 16 synthetic lanes and features lighted bumper bowling and a video arcade. It’s open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sunday, from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday, and from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It’s relatively quiet during the summer months, so open bowling is no problem. During winter, show up before 6:00 p.m. to get a lane. Rates vary but are in line with other bowling facilities.
11. Lake Tahoe Adventures
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 577-2940, (800) 865-4679
Description: This company offers off-road tours ranging from easy to rugged and challenging. Tours include riding the trails in ATVs, Jeeps, and Hummers, for varying amounts of time, such as. a six-hour tour on the Rubicon Trail or a two-hour trip to Genoa Peak. Call for prices. Other tours are available, such as the historic desert tour and tours by snowmobile in winter. A yacht is available for touring on Lake Tahoe as well. This company also provides custom tours, so if you have something special in mind, just ask. Reservations are required.
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 9 miles north of South Lake Tahoe
13. Camp Richardson Corral
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 541-3113
14. Kayak Tahoe
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 544-2011
Address: 3411 U.S. Highway 50 and Ski Run Bouleva
Description: For just $30 per person, you can enjoy the splendor of sunset on Lake Tahoe as you take a guided tour along the shore with the experts from Kayak Tahoe. This outfit also offers wildlife tours on the Upper Truckee River for $45 and trips to Emerald Bay for $65. The company rents kayaks for $15 per person (with a 10 percent discount for early birds) and gives lessons. Kayak Tahoe has several locations, including Timber Cove Marina and on El Dorado Beach.
15. Magic Carpet Golf (South Lake Tahoe)
City: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (530) 541-3787
Address: 2455 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
Description: The South Shore of Lake Tahoe also has a Magic Carpet, also with 19- and 28-hole courses. It’s open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. during summer and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends during spring and fall. It’s closed during winter.