My Husband and I recently had our 5-year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we wanted to do something out of the ordinary. We talked about taking a trip somewhere out of state where we could be away from the daily grind of work and stresses of parenthood.
We had often heard about Lake Tahoe and how beautiful the scenery was and we wanted to see it for ourselves. I in particular had recently seen a gorgeous photo of the lake posted online and saved it on my travel vision board. Little did I know we were to be going there just a couple of short months later!
For those who don’t know, Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous, deep, crystal-blue lake located among the Sierra Nevada. This region straddles the border of California and Nevada. It’s a very popular destination both summer and winter and activities include skiing, fine dining, hiking, golfing, shopping, casino gambling, and simply enjoying the breathtaking scenery.
Benefits of traveling mid-week
We decided to take our trip mid-week which ended up being perfect since there were less crowds both while traveling and at our destination. Our hotel wasn’t nearly as crowded as it might have been had we gone on a weekend.
Upon arrival to the airport, we utilized the South Tahoe Airporter round-trip shuttle which was about an hour drive to the area we were staying in.
The shuttle trip offered magnificent views and really set the tone for the experience we were about to have. I also love that we didn’t end up needing to rent a vehicle during our time there.
Where we stayed
We decided to stay at the only all lake-front property there, the Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge & Spa located in South Lake Tahoe. To say that this was the PERFECT location was certainly an understatement. This hotel was literally perfect. A simple, vintage-style hotel located on the sand over-leaking the beautiful lake.
The room itself was clean, well-kept, and had all the amenities one would expect including a fridge and stove. The sliding door lead directly to the sandy beach where we started our day watching the gorgeous sunrise peak from behind the mountains. We ended our nights watching the sunset which was equally as breathtaking.
Although we took our vacation towards the end of August, the weather was still gorgeous and sunny with no cloud in sight. The night temps did however drop to the 40’s so it was crucial to wear a light sweater or fall coat when walking outside.
We stayed there 2 nights and 3 days, but it was more than enough time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and experience some really great restaurants. Our first day there, we walked around our hotel, basking in the california-nevada sun and really just unwinding until dinner time.
Freshies Restaurant
For dinner, we walked to a nearby treasure called Freshies– a local favorite which serves the tastiest and freshest food in South Lake Tahoe. Their menu offers delicious and organic dishes prepared fresh by their skilled chef and cooking team.
I loved that they offered vegetarian, vegan, as well as gluten-free options as well. Perhaps my favorite part of this restaurant was It’s scenic views. We chose to sit outside which was a wonderful option. On the rooftop, we had a delightful view of the lake trees, and mountains.
I ordered the teriyaki beef stirfry which came with top sirloin tossed with onions, peppers and stir-fried veggies over rice with our house made Teriyaki sauce. It was delicious and I ended up eating every last bite! My Husband ordered the fish tacos which he claimed were “the best he’s ever had”. Coming from him, that is a huge compliment as he is very picky with his fish tacos.
To drink, we ordered mimosas and for dessert, I got a decadent flourless-brownie and my Husband ordered the Butterfinger ice cream pie. Both were absolutely delectable and I highly recommend ordering one or both if you ever visit.
At night, we took an uber to downtown Lake Tahoe where we did some gambling at the Harrah’s casino. They had live entertainment as well so we stayed a bit and had a bite to eat. Afterwards, we decided to get our blood flowing by walking back to our hotel–a 2 mile walk which was relaxing and much-needed after sitting for a 4-hour flight.
Upon returning to the hotel, I decided to sit outside our room in a sweater wrapped in a blanket and stared out to the pitch-black lake. The sound of the waves was both exciting and relaxing at the same time and I found myself longing for a view like that on a regular basis.
Day 2
On day-2, we woke up around 5am just before the sun came up. We got ready, changed, and went outside to watch the gorgeous sunrise. There are no words to describe the beautiful scenery and no picture could truly do it any justice.
After we had enjoyed the view, we set out to rent the readily-available limebikes which in my opinion is the greatest idea ever. For those who don’t know, Limebike is a service which offers easily rent-able bikes and electric scooters.
Using their app, users are able to easily unlock a docked bike and pay for it through the app based on how long the bike or scooter is borrowed. When done, the bike can easily be left, practically anywhere (usually somewhere in plain site for others to easily find).
I got the bike and my Husband rented the scooter. We rode around the lake for a couple of hours exploring the area and getting a great workout in the process.
Sprouts Natural Foods Cafe & Juice Bar
Perhaps my now favorite restaurant in Lake Tahoe, the Sprouts natural foods cafe and juice bar was an absolute delight. Featuring clean, wholesome food which is not only prepared fresh daily, but also completely organic. There were so many amazing options to choose from.
For breakfast, my Hubby and I both ordered the egg melt which was basically an open-face bagel topped with avocado, eggs, tomatoes, onions and melted cheese. This was literally the best breakfast sandwich I had EVER eaten. With it, I ordered some fresh pressed orange/carrot juice which was equally satisfying.
We also ended up going there for dinner as we just couldn’t resist. We ended up sitting outside as the weather was perfect, not too hot, and definitely not cold. I ended up orderig the Rice Bowl Cadillac which was Short grain organic brown rice, beans (black, kidney & pinto), carrots, red cabbage, melted Monterey jack cheese, homemade salsa, green onions, and chips & guac. It was amazing.
Hubby ordered the classic burrito which was a vegetarian burrito filled with delicious veggies guac and cheese and served with organic tortilla chips.
Heavenly Gondola Ride
After lunch we took an Uber to the Heavenly Gondola Ride which turned out to be a breathtaking experience. This 2.4 mile ride up into the mountains gave us complete panoramic views of the beautiful Lake Tahoe.
On our way up, we stopped at the observation deck for photos and hiked up and down the mountains. It was truly a unique experience which left us absolutely speechless. We couldn’t believe such a gorgeous place was located so close to us.
The photos from this experience still leave me in awe today as I look back. I HIGHLY recommend this attraction for anyone visiting South Lake Tahoe.
Blue Angel Cafe
For lunch on day 2 after our gondola ride, we took an Uber to the Blue Angel Cafe. We sat outside as the weather was perfection and we were even personally greeted by their ultra-friendly chef.
We ordered a delicious hummus platter as an appetizer which also had fresh cut veggies and a sun-dried tomato spread which was exquisite. My main course was a deliciously cooked salmon prepared on top of a bed of rice and fresh cooked veggies.
My Husband ordered their chicken Cesar salad which he ranted and raved about for hours saying that the chicken was “perfectly seasoned”. Overall, our experience here was nothing short of amazing and I highly recommend checking it out for either lunch or dinner!
Overall thoughts
After all was said and done on day 2, we ended up back in our hotel room and packed for our departure back to Chicago the next day.
We both looked at each other sad that we were leaving but excited to get back to our boys. We vowed that we would take our boys back there with us someday so that they could also experience the simplistic, yet stunning beauty of South Lake Tahoe.
With so much to do in all seasons, this is perfect for anyone traveling with or without the children. We were so thankful we got to experience this nearby treasure and highly recommend it as a travel destination!!!
**This post was sponsored by South Lake Tahoe but ALL opinions are my own.