The north and south shores of Lake Tahoe are as opposite as night is to day. Where South Shore is much more crowded and commercialized, North Shore is low-key, quiet and less developed. All along the lake front, from just beyond the state line at Crystal Bay to the smaller enclaves beyond Tahoe City to Truckee, there is an almost home-town feeling to this side of the lake.
Life at North Shore Tahoe in summer is warm and wonderful. Leave your dressy duds at home; dinner out at one of the finer restaurants in the area will be the sole occasion to dress up a bit. Evenings can be cool in the mountains, so be sure to pack some sweats and light jackets.
To become a part of the area during your North Shore escape, rent a condo, home or one of the older, charming Tahoe cabins; cute but be prepared to wash your own dishes! Be sure you rent an abode with outdoor deck or garden; space for relaxation, reading or quietly enjoying the climate and beauty of the mountains and lake; all of which are my favorite Tahoe summer activities.
Tahoe's North Shore has been our home away from home since the "60"s. The gaudy glitz of the casinos at South Shore is not the focal point here. That is not to say that there is no night-life at North Shore. There are, in fact, several small casinos in which to party, but they are found only at “Stateline,” in Crystal Bay.
About one mile North of Crystal Bay is King's Beach. In recent years, this area has become quite desirable; at least on the lake side of the highway. The beach itself is dirty and not great for sunbathing; choose your lodging with lakefront or pool by which to relax and lounge.
If you would like to participate in water activities, King's Beach is where you can find wave-runner rentals, take water-skiing lessons or parasail. As you are floating high above the lake, tethered to the boat by a single line, look down; I'll be the one on the deck at Jason's, with a margarita in hand, watching you sail! There is a boat launch at King's beach, and a place to park your car and trailer while you enjoy cruising the gorgeous lake.
Just a note: If you do plan to water ski on Lake Tahoe, you need to do some major squats and build up those quads before you go! Skiing on Tahoe is more like ocean, rather than lake skiing, and I'm not exaggerating! Even in summer, bring your summer-suit (a short wetsuit) for the summer season. The water is quite COLD, even in summer.
Farther north, just a few minutes drive, is Tahoe City. Tahoe City is Family-friendly, as it is easy to walk to restaurants, from fine dining to fast food, and there is a movie theatre for a family night out. I find Tahoe City a bit more trafficked and crowded than other enclaves to the south such as King's Beach, Tahoe Vista and Carnelian Bay. However, if you like a more upbeat, young crowd, Tahoe City may be attractive to you.
There are miles and miles of hiking trails at the north end of the lake, fishing both in the lake and on the river, and the best activity of all; lounging or walking in the warm Tahoe sun, breathing in the fresh mountain air, and taking in the awe-inspiring views of one of the world's most beautiful lakes.
