There’s a boundless number of things to do and explore in the Tahoe Sierra this summer, and we’ve featured many great Kids’ Bucket Lists through the years, but this year, I’ve drilled it down to a Top 10 list. You can find our Bucket Lists at TheTahoeWeekly.com if you’re feeling ambitious.
My tip for any outing is to find something that interests the child and use that to encourage them to try something new.
Try the iNaturalist app to identify plants and animals, hunt for rocks or encourage them to make up stories about what caused trees or mountains to topple over (my nephew Anikin often comes up with intricate stories involving asteroids and lava that are pretty close to being true).
Check off #23, #80, #84, #85, #94, & #95 on our Ultimate Tahoe Summer Bucket List
Head to the beach
Swimming is at the top of most kids’ summer fun list and fortunately, we have a lot of options for swimming in the region.
There are scores of beaches just on Lake Tahoe, not to mention the surrounding waters: Donner Lake, Webber Lake, Boca, Stampede and Prosser Reservoirs, Blue Lakes, Caples Lake, the 20 lakes of the Lakes Basin in the Lost Sierra, and the list goes on.
Check out some of our favorite family beaches in this guide and our Beaches & Parks chart in this edition and start exploring.
Go tubing on the back of a boat
There are boundless water activities to enjoy in the summer, with tubing on the back of a boat probably at the top of that list. If you don’t own a boat, you can rent one.
Kayak or paddleboard
Take the kids paddleboarding or kayaking. While Anikin sometimes complains about kayaking with me, he always enjoys himself in the end. The trick is to plan on doing most of the paddling yourself, encourage them to help and give them tips. I’ve also gone out before with my sister, put Anikin in a raft when he was little and tied the raft to our kayak and he enjoyed the ride.
Float the Truckee
It wouldn’t be a summer in Tahoe without floating the Truckee River from Tahoe City to Alpine Meadows. You can buy a raft and paddles and figure out your own transportation, but you’ll likely enjoy yourself more if you join one of the local outfitters in Tahoe City.
It will be hard to get a reservation on the weekends, but there’s plenty of space on the weekdays. Don’t forget to stash some money in a waterproof bag for lunch when you reach River Ranch at the end.
Explore the parks
There are a dozen California and Nevada state parks in the area with trails to explore and local and natural history to learn about.
Both states also have Junior Ranger programs offering guided activities at some of the local parks for kids to enjoy and they can earn Junior Ranger badges. Anikin likes a challenge and enjoys learning about nature, so he was a vest full of ranger badges.
If a park you’re visiting doesn’t offer a badge, come up with one yourself. Most parks have visitor centers with collectible pins, stickers and other souvenirs that can take the place of an official badge. Make up your own scavenger hunt while you’re at the park and award them with a badge. It’s a great opportunity to teach the Leave No Trace principles, as well.
Learn local history
Depending on the kids’ age, learning about local history can be enjoyable and the region has several local spots kids will enjoy – the historic jails in Tahoe City and Truckee, Tahoe Tallac and the Lake Tahoe Museum on the South Shore, Thunderbird Lodge on the East Shore, and the Emigrant Trail Museum to name a few. Check out our Sightseeing page in this edition for places to explore.
Learn how to protect Lake Tahoe
Kids learn about protecting the environment at an early age in school and you can foster that by also teaching them about protecting Big Blue. The Tahoe Environmental Research Center has an amazing center open to the public in Incline Village, Nev., with exhibits, films and the ever-popular Shaping Watersheds Interactive Sandbox. Learn about lake clarity, invasive specifics and its research on Lake Tahoe.
Family-friendly events
Many favorite summer events are finally returning after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. There are many great events to enjoy as a family with three mountain bike festivals on tap in the coming weeks and free summer concerts around the Lake and in Truckee kicking off in early June. Find details on both in this edition. Look for our Tahoe Music, Events & Festivals summer guide in our June 22 edition for lots more to enjoy.
KidZone Museum
These last two are for the smaller kids. The KidZone Museum in Truckee provides creative play to children from newborns to 7 years old and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
The museum currently is featuring its Sierra Settlers imaginary play exhibit, has an indoor playground and art studio, and offers kids camps.
Ride the train
The Truckee Donner Railroad Society runs two scale trains through the Truckee River Regional Park that is a hit with small kids. It only operates in the summer on select dates and features a reproduction of the old Sierra summit and wooden snow sheds. Find upcoming dates in our Events calendar.
Read our 2022 Family Fun Guide to summer at issuu.com/TheTahoeWeekly.com.
