The Perfect 3-Day Winter Weekend in Lake Tahoe: Epic Ski Runs, Lakeside Lodges, and Sunset Cruises

No matter the season, Lake Tahoe is heaven on Earth. “The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine,” Mark Twain wrote. “Bracing and delicious. And why shouldn’t it be? It is the same the angels breathe.” Year after year, the dual-state wonder lures some 15 million travelers to its sparkling shoreline. Straddling the California-Nevada border, America’s largest alpine lake (one of its clearest too) takes a bit of a backseat once temperatures plummet, the cottonwoods and aspens have shed their summer leaves, and fresh pow begins to dust its slopes. The lake itself is never not a sight to behold, but come winter, adventure shifts from the water (boating and waterskiing) to terra firma (downhill skiing and snowshoeing), headlined by the majestic Sierra Mountains shining in all their snowcapped glory.

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Tahoe is ringed by over a dozen ski resorts within a 60-mile radius of the lake. Collectively, they're famous for having some of the longest ski seasons in the country, often extending into May, even June—scratch that, July, following last season’s record-setting accumulation when closing day at Palisades Tahoe coincided with fireworks on the Fourth! Certain to leave you open-mouthed are its conifer-dotted ridgelines and towering granite peaks, which rise to the tune of 10,000 feet around the lake while sending your stoke level into soar mode.

Whether you’re an adventure sports junkie (ready to shred the gnar, the whole gnar, and nothing but the gnar), a couple eager for a cozy fireside weekend, an après-ski afficionado, a foodie, a family, or most of the above, Tahoe is a destination for everyone. Here’s how to whisk three perfect days to new heights in one of the world's most stunning winter wonderlands.

How to Get to and Around Lake Tahoe

Tahoe’s convenience for Californians makes it a popular and easy-to-reach destination for Bay Area residents, who can drive there in a little over three hours—and Sacramentans (under two hours). To Tahoe City, on the lake’s north end, it’s a straight shot up Interstate 80; to South Lake Tahoe, take Interstate 50 once you hit Sacramento.

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For the rest of us, flying into Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the closest option for commercial service (unless you can swing a charter fare into the tiny Truckee Tahoe Airport), with 11 airlines operating out of the Nevada airport. From there, you’ll reach the lake in an hour or so, whether by rental car or shuttle services, such as the South Tahoe Airporter or the North Lake Tahoe Express.

For travelers looking to extend their trip and explore more of this stunning nook of the country (pick a direction, any direction), air travel via San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) provides alternate landing pads. No matter where you arrive, once in Tahoe, you’ll want a car to give you freedom to bounce around the lake. There's a public bus system, and most hotels offer courtesy shuttles to and from ski resorts, but having your own rig, which needs to be a four-wheel drive, is the primo play in Tahoe.

When to Visit Lake Tahoe During the Winter Months

Like any alpine destination, Tahoe winters hinge on the slopes. January and February are peak months, luring an influx of visitors and sporting diehards to towns encircling the lake. Save for last winter’s record-setting snowfall, when 700 inches of fresh powder (and in some spots, north of 900 inches) pounded the region, typical winters see an average of 200 inches and above. If you want to ditch the crowds and get more runs in, late March is a great window on the calendar for bluebird days and snow still aplenty.

Where to Stay in Lake Tahoe

In Stateline, NV, the upscale Edgewood Tahoe has a bit of everything for the upscale traveler: lakeside frontage, a first-class spa, three tasty restaurants from casual bites to elegant fare, a heated pool, and sublime cross-lake views of the snow-tinged Sierra Mountains. This five-star shorefront retreat tucked near South Lake Tahoe (just a few blocks from the California border, and a string of casinos and entertainment) is a must-book come winter. The 235-acre winter wonderland comes with an ice rink, snowshoe trails, and ski butlers who'll fine-tune (and deliver) your gear for an epic powder day before a ski shuttle buzzes you up to nearby Heavenly Mountain in just a few minutes.

A hop, skip, and a jump from both Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) and NorthStar ski resorts is Gravity Haus Truckee-Tahoe, a fun (and pup-friendly) social hub in the historic, and down-home, Cali-mountain town of Truckee. The boutique basecamp dresses the part too, with its woodsy snow-lodge exterior and menu of après-ski offerings: hot tub, barrel sauna, and in-house restaurant, Stella, which slings avocado toast and breakfast burritos by morning and elevated mountain grub, like beef short rib and white-cheddar grits, by evening—best paired with a cold one from Truckee Brewing.

Where to Eat in Lake Tahoe: Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Before your romp on the slopes, Red Hut Cafe, a breakfast hangout for locals since the 1950s, has your day’s most important meal covered. Go with the waffles or biscuits and gravy with a side of hash browns.

For a top-notch soup 'n sandwich, get your midday pick-me-up at Tahoe City’s West Shore Market & Deli, a gourmet grocery store with a full-service coffee bar (plus gelato and draft beer when you need them). For a sit-down meal and vacay cocktail, Tahoe Tavern & Grill cooks traditional plates with a fun spin and big portions in a no-frills setting in Stateline.

Where to Drink in Lake Tahoe: Best Bar

There’s no dearth of microbreweries and beer gardens in mountain towns like Lake Tahoe, but for an adult concoction in a one-of-a-kind watering hole, head to Community Speakeasy inside of Social House in Heavenly Village, where your ticket to a tipple means being guided through a freezer door to the hidden bar. Once you’ve entered the Promised Land, a mouthwatering selection of house-barreled cocktails awaits your taste buds.

Don’t-Miss: Top Attraction in Lake Tahoe

You’ll find plenty of surreal lookouts during your time in Tahoe, but the 2.4-mile ride up the Heavenly Mountain Gondola more than lives up to its name, taking the cake for best view of America’s clearest lake. Kick back in your glass cabin as you coast through the heart of the evergreened Sierra Mountain landscape, ascending to 9,136 feet. Be sure to stop at the observation deck for a hot beverage and a multi-state selfie.

Savvy Tip for Visitors to Lake Tahoe

With a bevy of hairpin turns, stiff elevation changes, an inflow of out-of-towners, and more winter storms a-comin’ (fingers crossed), pack your patience and allot adequate time to get to Tahoe and travel around its 72-mile scenic lake drive and from one activity and resort to the next. Tahoe is spread out, and tourists and snow mean traffic and slower driving conditions. Plan ahead, check the road and weather conditions, and stay safe out there.

Day 1: Pick Your Line at Palisades and Throw a Few Back in Truckee

Strap on your gear and get after it bright and early at Palisades Tahoe, California’s largest ski resort. Home to the 1960 Winter Olympics, the North Lake gem features 42 lifts, 400 inches of average annual snowfall, and a dizzying 6,000 acres of skiable terrain that make it the crème de la crème in the greater Tahoe area. Plus, you now get two unique mountains for the price of one. Back in 2012, it merged with sister peak, Alpine Meadows, now connected by Base Gondola, a new state-of-the-art lift that gives you unbridled access to both valleys at one of North America’s largest ski parks. Seasoned vets (and former Olympic greats) love the challenge of its famed KT-22 run and off-piste terrain. But the slow and steady among us shouldn’t worry, as over a quarter of this massive mountain rates as beginner-friendly.

For non-skiers, take the Aerial Tram up to High Camp (elevation: 8,200 feet) from Olympic Valley for a spectacular panoramic vista. While up there, check out the Washoe Display, an exhibition with artifacts, historical maps, and language lessons from Tahoe’s original inhabitants, who considered the lake a sacred place with immense healing powers. Then, pop into the Olympic Museum, which showcases news articles, authentic memorabilia, and a five-minute film paying homage to the 1960 Winter Olympic Games.

After a day on the mountain, kick off your ski boots, buzz over to the tiny town of Truckee, and knock back a few pints at one of its local brewpubs—The Good Wolf for hoppy suds, FiftyFifty for their barrel-aged stout, and Truckee Public House by Alibi Ale Works for a brewski made with Lake Tahoe water. Snag comfort food at Cottonwood, located in an old ski lodge, or a wood-fired pizza from Old Town Tap, highlighted by an A-plus lineup of bourbons and whiskeys.

Day 2: Hit the Trails, Soak in Hot Springs, and Dine in Incline Village

Start your second day in Tahoe with breakfast at Fire Sign Café, a landmark in Tahoe City since 1978, famous for their many versions of eggs Benedict. Up the street, drop by the Gatekeeper’s Museum to see one of the largest collections of Native American baskets in the country, nestled on the water’s edge, where Lake Tahoe meets its lone outlet, the Truckee River.

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By mid-morning, it’s time to hop in your car and head to Royal Gorge in Soda Springs for a few hours on the trails of North America’s largest cross-country skiing resort. With six different trail systems—a mix of groomed and ungroomed networks—across a staggering 6,000 acres of terrain, you can soak up and glide through the pine-towering wilderness on skis or snowshoes. Later in the afternoon, head to Sierra Hot Springs, 26 miles north of Truckee, for a sybaritic stop in one of its toasty, mineral-rich pools. Or head toward Reno for more hot spring options.

For the evening, book a table at Lone Eagle Grille, a fine dining restaurant in Incline Village where the elk loin and grilled bison filet could go pound for pound with the sunset. Prefer to dress down? Head to Bite for some halibut fish tacos and a Spanish Smoke Show—a mezcal potion you won’t forget.

Day 3: See an Emerald Sunrise, Head to Heavenly, Take a Sunset Cruise

Rise and shine with an early wakeup call to witness one of the best sunrises in America. Inspiration Point’s lookout in Emerald Bay State Park is a surefire way to stir your wintry morning soul before the short 12-mile drive to South Lake Tahoe—where you can comb through your sunrise pics over a breakfast burrito at Driftwood Café in the heart of Heavenly Village.

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Skiers and snowboarders will want to have a go at Heavenly Mountain Resort, which straddles 4,800 acres of prime Nevada and California real estate, gifting riders with the highest elevation (10,067 feet) and arguably the most sprawling Tahoe views on the Cal Trail and Ridge Runs, the latter being one of the best groomed runs this side of anywhere. For a skis-free mountain thrill, take the gondola to the top and drop 65 vertical feet down its tubing hill. Tacos at Azul Latin Kitchen or a pie from Base Camp Pizza are solid lunch spots in the Village.

Off-mountain entertainment gestures you to Nevada, just a couple of blocks from Heavenly, where Bally’s Lake Tahoe, Harveys Resort and Casino, and Harrah’s, with its Caesars Sportsbook, make for a fun hour spent indoors testing Lady Luck. This is your prelude to one last outdoor delight: a two-hour sunset cruise on the Tahoe Bleu Wave, a 70-foot yacht with a stocked bar that carries passengers over to Emerald Bay.

As the water’s reflection changes before your eyes, keep an eye out for ospreys and bald eagles perched above the shore. When you’re back on dry land, cap your trip off with a smash burger and a beer at The Libation Lodge by South Lake Brewing. Your sendoff meal isn’t a farewell, but a see-ya-soon. Before you know it, the snow will melt in these parts and a Tahoe reunion will squeeze its way into your summer calendar.