Free Guided Snowshoe Hikes

Looking for a great Winter adventure, but don't want to spend too much? Try taking a guided snowshoe hike some Saturday in the Tahoe Meadows. Tahoe Rim Trail, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service are offering free, snowshoe hikes.

Saturday, March 7th
Where: Tahoe Meadows
Distance: 4 miles
Level: Easy
Hours: 3-4
The Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol will join us today!
Tahoe Meadows
10am

Wednesday, March 11th
Full Moon Snowshoe Trek
Where: Tahoe Meadows
Distance: 4 miles
Level: Easy
Hours: 2
Sorry, this is now FULL with waiting list...
Tahoe Meadows
7pm

Saturday, March 14th
Forest Service Guided Hike at Tahoe Meadows:
Where: Tahoe Meadows
Distance: 4 miles
Level: Easy
Hours: 3-4
Contact 775-884-8103 for details and to sign up.
Tahoe Meadows
10am

Saturday, March 21st
Where: Tahoe Meadows
Distance: 4 miles
Level: Easy
Hours: 3-4
Tahoe Meadows
10am

Saturday, March 28th
Forest Service Guided Hike at Tahoe Meadows:
Where: Tahoe Meadows
Distance: 4 miles
Level: Easy
Hours: 3-4
Contact 775-884-8103 for details and to sign up.
Tahoe Meadows
10am

Gear to Bring on snowshoe hikes:
1. Snowshoes
2. Snow Boots (recommend gators to keep snow out of boots)
3. Trekking poles with snow basket (ski poles are fine)
4. Water - 2 quarts minimum per person
5. Lunch and snacks
6. Warm clothes (synthetics blends, such as fleece, polypropylene, & wool. Cotton and jeans are not acceptable clothes for the backcountry in winter, this includes cotton socks!) Water and wind resistant pants and jacket are essential.
7. Gloves
8. Ski hat
9. lip balm
10. sunscreen, SPF 30 or greater
11. sunglasses and/or goggles for blowing snow
12. map and compass (if you have them)

Today Was a Day at the Beach!

by: TahoeKidsGuide.com

What an incredible day it is today at Lake Tahoe. Fresh powder, virtually no wind (where we were) and bright sunshine all around. While many families are, no doubt, having a wonderful time on the slopes today, we headed to the beach.

Yes, that's right, to the beach. Many beaches at Lake Tahoe and parks and playgrounds make wonderful snowplay areas. The pictures shown below were taken at Commons Beach in Tahoe City. A few words of caution: make sure the kids are dressed warmly, and be cautious about slipping on any ice that might be on the play equipment.

We were joined by two other families that came to play and enjoy a picnic at the beach. They did need their shovels to clear the snow from the picnic tables and benches. Once they were all set up, it was delightful.

Tahoe Discounts (February 2009)

by: TahoeKidsGuide.com
New snow fell on February 5th and 6th, and February Ski Week Vacation is approaching for many California and Nevada schools. With family budgets in mind, here are our family's favorite Tahoe Discounts (as of today-February 6, 2009):

Ski Tahoe North Interchangeable Lift Ticket: At only $62 per day, with no blackout dates and 2-for-1 purchasing power at Diamond Peak, this is likely to be the best deal around during the February Ski Break. Ski at any or all of the following resorts: Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak (2 for 1 value), Homewood Resort, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA and Sugar Bowl. Call 1-877-949-3296 and press 1 for more information.

Diamond Peak Ski Resort has an entire page of discounts. Buying tickets at participating Costco stores is a great savings: $72.99 for two tickets. (Compared to $99, if you wait until you get here.) If it's your birthday...you ski free! Remember the Interchangeable Parents' Pass. With this ticket, mom and dad can share one ticket ($49), by trading off during the day. If you're taking an airplane to get here, Diamond Peak is offering 50% off a ski or snowboard rental when you show your airline boarding pass. Take out the hassle of flying with your ski equipment! Military discounts: Active, Retirees ski free midweek and non-holidays. Active, Retirees and Dependents can purchase a $39 ticket on weekends and holidays. Show a season pass from another resort, and ski for $35.

Homewood Mountain Resort offers a list of deals too. By skiing on selected days, you can ski 29 days for $29; even if you're only skiing a few of these days, this is a bargain. You must buy this ticket on-line. Show a season pass from another resort and ski for $25. Active military personnel ski free any day, including holidays. Get $5 off when you show you skied the day before, or when you ride the Tahoe Area Rapid Transit (T.A.R.T.).

Northstar-at-Tahoe offers quite a few discounts. Many of them, however, are not offered during the Februay Ski Break (Feb 14-20). The new Quad Pack Tickets are valid during this time period. Purchase your lift tickets at participating REI stores for a discount. If you start out early in the morning, and decide to quit early, turn in your single-day lift ticket by 12:30 p.m. to the ticket and pass office at the Village Center and receive a partial credit coupon for your next all-day visit. With the "Parent's Predicament Ticket", mom and dad can share one ticket ($83-two days required with a one day grace period.) by trading off during the day.

Squaw Valley: Kids ages 12 and younger ski and snowboard for only $10 every day all season. Kids don't need a lift ticket if they're enrolled in an all-day ski school program. Squaw also offers multi day packages.

Alpine Meadows: The Alpine Club offers the bulk of the savings at Alpine.

Heavely Mountain Resort: Visit a participating Save Mart or Lucky store, and walk out with an Adult Heavenly direct-to-lift ticket for just $70 - a savings of up to $16*. Teen and Youth Lift Tickets are also available .

Attention Tahoe Businesses: Contact Us with your discount offers; we'll add them to our Tahoe Discounts page, at no charge to you!

Tahoe in Winter - Top 5 Places to Visit Before You're 5

As parents, we know it's not always easy to find fun activities for your kids, especially when they are between the ages of birth and 5 years old. Here are the places at Lake Tahoe in the Winter that our kids and their friends liked best during these years:

Kidzone Museum: "Big Kids" aren't allowed in the special padded play area just for infants. Toddlers will love everything else in this delightful museum though. The feature exhibit this Winter is "Into Africa." Draw, paint or play with play with play dough with your toddler!

Children's Museum of Northern Nevada: Tired of saying "Don't Touch"? Let your toddlers toddle, push, pull, explore and giggle with the many exhibits at this children's museum.

Tahoe Childrens Foundation: Learn and play with other parents of children birth to 42 months old. Open gym hours are every Saturday morning.

Tahoe Tot Spot: Tumble, crawl, bounce and explore! Toddlers will feel free and inspired in this gym just for them.

Libraries: Each library around the lake has a designated storytime for kids and their parents to listen to wonderful tales. Families can also choose a book and cuddle up together in the reading area to read together.

Lake Tahoe Family Fun All Around the Lake

Lake Tahoe is a very family-friendly destination. The natural wonder of Lake Tahoe is great for exploring outside. Where your family chooses to stay at Lake Tahoe depends upon what your family likes to do and in what setting.

Generally speaking, South Lake Tahoe is more "developed" with large chain hotels and brand name stores. Most of the activities are centered around Heavenly Mountain Resort.

Further to the south, however, families will find Camp Richardson, an "old Tahoe" family resort, open all year. Nearby, is Taylor Creek, and of course the incredibly beautiful Emerald Bay.

Activities families can enjoy in the Winter at South Lake Tahoe include: ski or snow board lessons, a sleigh ride, sledding and tubing, snowmobile tour, ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bowling, and so much more. Summer, Spring and Fall each offer distinct and wonderful family activities at South Lake Tahoe.
Heading north along the east shore of the lake is the Zephyr Cove Resort. Year-round families can enjoy a cruise on the lake aboard the M.S. Dixie. In the Winter, the snowmobile tours offered at resort are truly amazing. In the summer, the beach at Zephyr Cove is stunning. Lodging is available in small individual cabins, or at the campground and RV park across the street.
The North Shore of Lake Tahoe is much quieter than South Lake Tahoe. Incline Village features the Hyatt Regency Spa and Resort. Just up the road from the Hyatt is Diamond Peak Ski Resort. It is much smaller than Heavenly, but ideally suited for beginning skiers and families. Diamond Peak has a great Childrens Ski Center, and even offers an opportunity for the entire family to take lessons together.

Parents with children 0 to 3.5 years old can find fun activities at the Tahoe Childrens Foundation. Families can also go out for an evening of bowling, visit the Incline Skate Park in the Summer and Fall. In the Winter, head up Mount Rose Highway to the Tahoe Meadows to enjoy sledding, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. The hiking is great from Tahoe Meadows in the Summer and Fall.

Heading around the lake from Incline Village on the North Shore towards Tahoe City, don't miss a couple of locals' favorites. North Tahoe Regional Park offers the best machined groomed sledding hill for your money. Tahoe Cross Country is also a good deal for the money and one of the best groomed cross-country venues at the lake.
Tahoe City, along the west shore, offers plenty of activities, but not on the scale of South Lake Tahoe. Tahoe City is more along the lines of a mountain village with charming storefronts and local restaurants. Tahoe City, and really the entire lake, feature beautiful beaches. Among the favorite activities for families offered in Tahoe City, in the summer, is rafting down the Truckee River. (remember the sunscreen!)

Heading over the Truckee River in Tahoe City is traditionally done on "Fanny Bridge." The bridge earned this nick-name because visitors can be seen leaning over the bridge railing gazing at the beautiful water and fish in the river.

Continuing around the lake, families will soon arrive at the Homewood/Tahoma area of the lake. Homewood Mountain Resort is among the family-friendly venues in this area. Just next to Homewood Mountain Resort is the Tahoe Maritime Museum, a beautiful collection of wooden boats and other exhibits which highlight the lakes maritime history. This museum offers special activities for children (see an example in the picture to the right.)
Continuing still further south around the lake brings your family back to Emerald Bay. A magical adventure throunh nature, if not back into Lake Tahoe's history, is the one mile (each way) hike down to Vikingshom. Here's a fun fact to share with friends: Did you know the island in the middle of Emerald Bay is called Fanette Island?

Enjoy Your Visit to Lake Tahoe!