What are your favorite things to do in Tahoe? That’s the question – posed countless times to me – that spurred my first Bucket List 15 years ago.
After more than two decades covering the Tahoe Sierra for several media outlets in both print and online, I’ve become a self-proclaimed expert on what to do when visiting. And I’m always looking for new trails, new historic sites and new activities to add to my recommendations.
While I’ve penned my winter bucket lists and family fun bucket lists the last two years during the pandemic, I refrained from publishing my summer bucket list to be mindful of Covid concerns and restrictions. Alas, we’re now living long-term with what is likely an endemic disease.
And the medicine we all need most is fun and frivolity. So make a plan to start checking off my bucket list (it will take you many, many trips to Tahoe to scratch the surface) and have fun.
Adventures await
- Ski and ride at Palisades Tahoe until May 30.
2. Take in the show during the Perseid Meteor Shower from Aug. 11 to 13.
3. Explore the night sky with Tahoe Star Tours.
4. Freefall at 120 mph skydiving with views of Big Blue.
5. Enjoy one of our local mountain bike parks.
6. Cycle around Lake Tahoe.
7. Explore the Sierra Valley by bike.
8. Ride from Donner Lake to Cisco Grove. It’s gnarly.
9. Enjoy a serene cycle to Blue Lakes.
10. Go big. Bike The Triangle made famous as part of the Lake Tahoe Ironman. Bike Tahoe City to Truckee to Kings Beach and back to Tahoe City. The climb to the top of Brockway is a doozy.
11. Explore the OHV trails at Prosser Hills.
12. Try rock crawling on the Rubicon Trail.
13. Hunt for Tahoe’s Big Trees; you’ll need the Big Tree Register.
14. Enter the Labyrinth at Black Wall.
15. Scale Tahoe’s Via Ferrata.
16. Go birding with Tahoe Institute of Natural Science.
17. Sink your toes into the sand dunes at Washoe Lake State Park.
18. Search for the Chinese Catfish Pond on Donner Summit.
19. Go hang gliding over Big Blue.
20. Take a hot air balloon ride.
21. Enjoy a round at one of our 11 disc golf courses.
22. Try an endurance race – a marathon, a tri, swim races, mountain biking races. There’s usually several every weekend.
23. Try something new: rock climbing, kayaking or paddleboarding. There are guides for anything you want to try; you don’t have to do it alone.
24. Take your dog with you. That’s what locals do.
Explore the trails
25. Search for Monkey Rock on the Flume Trail.
26. Look for the face of the Bard at Shakespeare Rock.
27. Hike to Martis Peak Lookout.
28. Enjoy the quiet beauty in Granite Chief Wilderness.
29. Take in the views from Thimble Peak.
30. Enjoy the trails on horseback.
31. Make the trek to Hungalelti Ridge.
32. Explore the wonders of Coons Canyon and Basin Peak.
33. The wilds of the aptly-named Thunder Mountain await.
34. Trek the high peaks and deep canyons of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.
35. Climb the Sierra Buttes.
36. Hike to the Rubicon Point Lighthouse.
37. Bike through South Shore on the Forest Bicycle Trail passing a string of beaches from Stateline, Nev., to the Taylor Creek Visitor Center.
38. Mountain bike the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail to Reno.
39. Ride the Powerline Trail; it’s great for beginners.
40. Hunt for Machados Post Pile at Silver Lake.
41. Backpack the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Take to the water
42. Paddleboard around Lake Tahoe.
43. Take in the tranquility of boating camping in Emerald Bay.
44. You’ll need your scuba certification to explore the Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail.
45. Go whitewater rafting on the American or the Truckee rivers with our local outfitters.
46. Kayak or boat to Fannette Island in Emerald Bay. Climb to the Tea House and have a picnic. (Closed until June 15 for nesting birds.)
47. Take a cruise, rent a boat, go sailing. It’s not a trip to Tahoe if you don’t get out on the water.
48. How many lakes can you visit: There’s 87 named lakes in Desolation Wilderness alone.
49. Star Lake at 9,200’ is the highest elevation lake in the region.
50. Take a guided kayak or boat tour to Thunderbird Lodge.
51. Go bar hopping by boat on Lake Tahoe. You’ll need a designated driver.
52. Go kayaking under the light of the moon.
53. Explore the hidden beaches of the East Shore by SUP.
Wildflowers & waterfalls
54. Enjoy the wildlife and wildflowers at Martis Creek Wildlife Area.
55. Explore Webber Falls, Webber Lake & Lacey Meadows in one day. Or camp overnight.
56. It’s a wildflower wonderland on the Mount Judah Trail in mid to late July.
67. Enjoy wildflowers and single track at Burton Creek State Park.
58. Ward Creek State Park is an easy hike for everyone. Early season it’s bursting with wildflowers.
59. Enjoy wildflowers at Meiss Meadows.
60. Explore Hawley Grade Falls in Meyers.
61. It’s 13 miles to Heath Falls in Soda Springs, but it’s worth it.
62. Explore the easy hike to Cascade Falls.
63. Shirley Canyon offers cascading falls from Shirley Creek. Explore for a short distance or trek to the top at High Camp and take Palisades Tahoe’s Tram back down (check the schedule first).
64. Fontanillis Falls in Desolation Wilderness is worth the 12-mile roundtrip hike.
65. Galena Falls is an easy, 2-mile hike on the Tahoe Rim Trail from Highway 431.
66. Glen Alpine Falls are easily accessible for all ages at Fallen Leaf Lake.
67. Meeks Creek Falls is an easy 4-mile hike for families.
Take in the sights
68. Look for the Truckee Memorial Masonic Arch in downtown.
69. Explore the gardens and tour the historic Watson Cabin in Tahoe City.
70. Look for the Washoe Galis Dungals, or traditional winter homes, erected in locations throughout Tahoe.
71. Step back in time at the Pope-Baldwin Estates at the Tallac Historic Site.
72. Explore the Boca Historic Townsite. All that remains is an interpretive trail.
73. Drive to explore the 20 Mile Museum.
74. Take a walking tour of historic downtown Truckee.
75. Take a guided free walking tour in Truckee or Tahoe City.
76. Take a tour of historic Markleeville.
77. Explore the Lake Tahoe History Museum featuring a 1930s log cabin.
78. Pick up one of their historic walking tour maps and explore South Shore.
Family fun outings
79. Boulder at D.L. Bliss State Park with the family.
80. Earn a Junior Ranger Badge at one of Tahoe’s six state parks.
81. Go for the U.S. Forest Service’s Junior Forest Ranger badge, too, at Taylor Creek.
82. Visit the Stream Profile Chamber for an underwater look of Taylor Creek.
83. Foster young pilots. Take a free flight with the EAA Young Eagles.
84. Explore creative play at the KidZone Museum.
85. Take a ride on the kids train at Truckee Regional Park.
86. Pack a picnic and enjoy the free summer concerts around the Tahoe Sierra with the family.
Enjoy the best of Tahoe
87. Shop local. Our small businesses rely on you, so spend freely.
88. Support local artists and buy locally made artwork.
89. Interact with artists at the Art Tours in July (and buy more art).
90. Enjoy Tahoe’s public art; it’s everywhere.
91. Eat out, a lot.
92. Explore the farmers’ markets (we have a lot of them).
93. Visit our 17 local wineries and breweries. Download our Sierra Sips map to visit them all.
94. Plan a day of doing absolutely nothing at one of our breathtaking beaches.
95. Enjoy the festivals – food, art, wine, beer, dance and, of course, lots of music.
96. Dine out at one of Tahoe’s oldest restaurants: Swiss Lakewood (1925), Chambers Landing (1875) or Bacchi’s Italian Dining (1932).
97. Take a tour of Tahoe’s Best Burgers; try our picks at TheTahoeWeekly.com.
98. Golf one of the historic courses: Tahoe City Golf (1918), Bijou (1920), Old Brockway (1926), and the private Glenbrook Golf Course (1925).
99. Take on the Tahoe Grand Slam: Play all 22 public courses in the Tahoe Sierra. Read our 12th Annual Tahoe Sierra Golf Guide.
Take care of Tahoe
100. Take only pictures. Leave the rocks & flowers. They belong to everyone.
101. Pick up litter.
102. Tip your servers and your guides.
103. STOP for pedestrians; they have the right of way.
104. STOP flicking cigarette butts out of car windows & douse all fires with water; that’s how wildfires start.
105. Don’t feed the bears. They don’t learn to forage for themselves and can’t survive. (Also, nuisance bears are shot.)
106. Bag the poop and pack it out – yours and your dogs. Seriously. There are no magic forest gnomes picking up those doggie bags on the trails.
107. Come back and see us again.
