Flytographer Lauren has called Lake Tahoe home for over a decade. Although she mostly focuses on wedding and portrait photography, Lauren also loves ski and concert photography — she has photographed Dave Matthews Band, Janelle Monae and Snoop Dogg! We chatted with Lauren to get her top picks for what to eat, see, and do during a visit to her neck of the woods in Lake Tahoe.
Best Restaurants in South Lake Tahoe
Artemis Lakefront Cafe is a super relaxed Mediterranean eatery offering outdoor seating, a view of the lake, and beer, wine, and cocktails. Their Greek breakfast is my favorite breakfast in town!
Blue Angel Cafe combines family-friendly dining with a wide variety of options for when you can’t decide on what you’re interested in eating. It’s family run and offers a beautiful lawn to sit on and a relaxed rush-free dining experience.
Lake Tahoe AleWorX is part taproom, part restaurant offering brick oven wood-fired pizzas, a ton of serve-yourself local beers and craft brews on tap, and a massive outdoor patio with fire pits and live music almost daily.
Must See Attractions in South Lake Tahoe
While everyone’s favourite sunset viewpoint might be Emerald Bay, I would skip the crowds and parking nightmares and do the short hike up to Cave Rock for sunset.
If you must see Emerald Bay, park at Camp Richardson Resort and grab a ride to the state park on the Nifty 50 trolley, which runs daily. It’s inexpensive and a much more relaxed way to see the bay while avoiding the traffic nightmares! When you return, order the calamari and a rum runner at the infamous Beacon Bar & Grill on their lakeside deck.
Sugar Pine Point State Park is a great spot to spend the afternoon. Extensive bike paths, on-site kayak and paddle board rentals, and beautiful grounds make it a great spot to while away the afternoon with your family. It’s also one of my favourite family portrait locations on the lake!
Things To Do in South Lake Tahoe
Tours of Thunderbird Lodge are one of a kind. For a special experience and to learn about the quirky history of one of Tahoe’s founding residents, George Whittell, Jr., book a tour out of Zephyr Cove on a vintage wooden boat. Reservations required.
Live at Lakeview is South Lake Tahoe’s free summer concert series on the beach. It runs every Thursday night from mid-June to Labor Day at Lakeview Commons from 4:30 pm-8:30 pm.
For the adult-only trips, Tahoe Tastings offers daily wine tasting boat cruises to Emerald Bay in their vintage wooden boat out of the Tahoe Keys Marina. Experience the beauty that Lake Tahoe has to offer while learning about wines from nearby Amador County, Fairplay, and Napa, along with a few of their favourites from the Pacific Northwest.
Lake Tahoe Yoga offers paddleboard yoga seasonally in the summer when the weather permits out of Lakeview Commons from 8:00-9:30 am.
Anything else you’d like to share?
In the event that you end up with a rainy day afternoon, Tahoe Modern Makers offers an indoor crafting environment that is fun for all ages. No reservations required!
Tahoe Bowl offers bowling and a full bar daily until midnight and will take lane reservations for large groups.
We also have an indoor ice skating rink adjacent to an outdoor pool, playground, and library. All three of these buildings can be found on Rufus Allen Blvd.
