I was looking forward to doing vacation this summer after spending last summer at home. What I was not looking forward to was getting on a crowded airplane and paying a hundred dollars a day for a rental car. If we could find one. I was looking for relaxation, not stress and frustration, so the D-Man and I looked for another road trip.
We decided on Lake Tahoe. We had been there years ago in the winter for a weekend, but since neither one of us ski, it was something of a waste.
I asked around and heard some great things about Lake Tahoe in the summer, so we started investigating VRBOs and Airbnbs.
I must admit, I was late to the VRBO party, but we have done four of them and they all turned out great. We chose a two-bedroom one bath cabin that was a five-minute walk from Regan Beach, was pet friendly, had a hot tub and came with bicycles. It even had a wood burning fireplace that we used one night after a rainy day.
Doing a VRBO also means we don’t have to leave Kody and Aja behind. Aja, my just over a year cat, has become quite the traveler. She has been to Northern California twice, Palm Springs and can now add Lake Tahoe to her list!
We spent the week walking Kody to the beach, hanging out, and just relaxing. We found Pick Six Sports Bar to be a great place for an afternoon snack and happy hour on the rooftop bar.
We did find time to do a few activities. Here are the three things I would recommend if you are spending some summer time in Lake Tahoe.
Bike Ride to Camp Richardson:
From our VRBO, Camp Richardson was about 14 miles round trip on a mostly flat bike trail. Lots of scenic views and almost off street all the way. Camp Richardson itself has some beautiful beaches. We hadn’t really planned to stay there. In hindsight, I wish we would have packed a lunch and hung out for the entire day. On my list for when we go back.
Rent A Boat
The D-Man and I had a funky experience when we rented a boat on our last lake trip, so this time, instead of a pontoon boat, I rented us a smaller version. D-Man usually does most of the boat driving and even though this one was smaller, he thought it was a little harder to manage. Adding to the fact that the lake was at an old time low, we hung close to the middle, so we didn’t damage the propeller. Even with all of that, nothing beats spending the day on the lake in a boat. We had yet another adventure when we got a little turned around and ended up in the wrong marina waiting for someone to come and get us. We ended up turning the boat in an hour late, but the crew at the Action Water Sports Lakeside Marina were wonderful and didn’t charge any extra. We left Kody home this time, but they welcome dogs and don’t add any additional fees.
MS Dixie II Dinner Cruise
Yes, this is as touristy as an event as you will probably do in Lake Tahoe. The food on the dinner cruise is average and the live band does the traditional cover music, but it was still worth the time and money. Having someone else drive you around the lake while you enjoy a cocktail, and some dessert was well worth it. It didn’t feel overly crowded and we got to see a bear jump in the lake from the beach and take a little swim. Bears swim a lot faster than I ever thought they could. A good piece of info if I ever see one swimming behind me!
Driving home, we took a more scenic route along the stateline. A tougher drive from a mountain perspective, but the scenery was breath taking. The one thing we kept talking about on the drive, was when can we go back again!
We decided on Lake Tahoe. We had been there years ago in the winter for a weekend, but since neither one of us ski, it was something of a waste.
I asked around and heard some great things about Lake Tahoe in the summer, so we started investigating VRBOs and Airbnbs.
I must admit, I was late to the VRBO party, but we have done four of them and they all turned out great. We chose a two-bedroom one bath cabin that was a five-minute walk from Regan Beach, was pet friendly, had a hot tub and came with bicycles. It even had a wood burning fireplace that we used one night after a rainy day.
Doing a VRBO also means we don’t have to leave Kody and Aja behind. Aja, my just over a year cat, has become quite the traveler. She has been to Northern California twice, Palm Springs and can now add Lake Tahoe to her list!
We spent the week walking Kody to the beach, hanging out, and just relaxing. We found Pick Six Sports Bar to be a great place for an afternoon snack and happy hour on the rooftop bar.
We did find time to do a few activities. Here are the three things I would recommend if you are spending some summer time in Lake Tahoe.
Bike Ride to Camp Richardson:
From our VRBO, Camp Richardson was about 14 miles round trip on a mostly flat bike trail. Lots of scenic views and almost off street all the way. Camp Richardson itself has some beautiful beaches. We hadn’t really planned to stay there. In hindsight, I wish we would have packed a lunch and hung out for the entire day. On my list for when we go back.
Rent A Boat
The D-Man and I had a funky experience when we rented a boat on our last lake trip, so this time, instead of a pontoon boat, I rented us a smaller version. D-Man usually does most of the boat driving and even though this one was smaller, he thought it was a little harder to manage. Adding to the fact that the lake was at an old time low, we hung close to the middle, so we didn’t damage the propeller. Even with all of that, nothing beats spending the day on the lake in a boat. We had yet another adventure when we got a little turned around and ended up in the wrong marina waiting for someone to come and get us. We ended up turning the boat in an hour late, but the crew at the Action Water Sports Lakeside Marina were wonderful and didn’t charge any extra. We left Kody home this time, but they welcome dogs and don’t add any additional fees.
MS Dixie II Dinner Cruise
Yes, this is as touristy as an event as you will probably do in Lake Tahoe. The food on the dinner cruise is average and the live band does the traditional cover music, but it was still worth the time and money. Having someone else drive you around the lake while you enjoy a cocktail, and some dessert was well worth it. It didn’t feel overly crowded and we got to see a bear jump in the lake from the beach and take a little swim. Bears swim a lot faster than I ever thought they could. A good piece of info if I ever see one swimming behind me!
Driving home, we took a more scenic route along the stateline. A tougher drive from a mountain perspective, but the scenery was breath taking. The one thing we kept talking about on the drive, was when can we go back again!
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