Lake Tahoe
A trip to the mountains of California and Nevada
When Charlie was in San Francisco for the first time, somebody had mentioned Lake Tahoe as a possible destination for a future trip. Whenever somebody says something like that, Charlie can’t help it. The destination must be added to the bucket list!
Only a year later, Charlie returned to California for a work trip to San Diego and to board a cruise to Australia from Seattle. A trip up the West Coast would be the perfect opportunity for a little detour to Lake Tahoe. Well, “little” is relative. It was a 7-hour train ride and another hour drive.
How to get to Lake Tahoe
This wouldn’t even be worth a paragraph if Charlie could simply rent a car and go, but she doesn’t drive and that often makes these trips harder. The idea of going to Lake Tahoe required a detailed research and planning. Charlie found a shuttle from Reno airport to South Lake Tahoe. She would have to take the train from San Francisco to Reno first, stay one night in a hotel and then get on the shuttle the next day.
The journey itself was worth the trip. Amtrak trains always have a panoramic coach where the sits are turned towards a large window front. It is perfect to sit down with a coffee and just admire the landscapes. This trip did not disappoint. Mountain ranges filled with pine trees, rivers and towns that could be taken right out of a Western movie were a nice distraction from work.
The ride on the shuttle from Reno was even better than the views from the train. Around every turn was something new to see and majestic mountains surrounded the highway. Eventually, the lake came into sight and Charlie could not stop taking pictures. She doesn’t even have words to describe this beautiful nature.
Tahoe Cruise
Charlie had originally booked a day trip to some scenic spots around the lake. Unfortunately, this tour was cancelled due to low numbers of guests. There was an alternative tour which she booked immediately. That too was cancelled the day before when Charlie was just having breakfast at the hotel in Reno. The tour guide provided some tips and links for water taxis across the lake and a shuttle to scenic spots from Emerald Bay. As it turned out though, those only go during the summer months. Charlie was in South Lake Tahoe in October.
The only viable alternative to see a bit more of the lake and its surroundings was a cruise. She booked one for the sunset on the day of her arrival. That also included unlimited prosecco refills.
There was an option to book the cruise with a pick-up in South Lake Tahoe. That was handy. Charlie was picked up from the meeting point at Harrah’s and they drove to the marina. The weather was a bit unpredictable that day and there were some dark clouds, but also some blue skies. It was windy and chilly, but the crew did provide blankets and Charlie stayed at the upper deck. She wanted to soak all the views in. She did not regret it.
It was stunning and the light was mesmerizing just before sunset. The clouds made it even more special.
The cruise went into Emerald Bay where they saw a small island with a tiny hut, a castle on the shores and of course emerald-green water. Those were the views Charlie had travelled to Lake Tahoe for!
Hiking to the Van Sickle Waterfall
Just after her arrival – Charlie already knew that the tours wouldn’t happen – she asked at the reception if they could recommend some hikes that she could easily do (without having to drive anywhere). There was. From the town, it was only a short walk to the entrance of the Van Sickle Park. It was easy to find and easy to navigate. It took Charlie around 1.5 hours (with frequent photo stops) to reach the Van Sickle Waterfall. She could have hiked further, but she wasn’t in the mood. She also was sure that the views wouldn’t get any better than they already were.
As an alternative to hiking, there is also a gondola that goes up the mountain. However, over the summer and autumn it only goes on the weekends, and Charlie was there on a Wednesday in October.
Being in two places at once
There is something special about the town of South Lake Tahoe that you won’t easily find elsewhere in the world: the city (and the lake) belongs to two states. Getting into South Lake Tahoe from Reno, Charlie arrived at the Nevada side of town. The first thing she saw were huge buildings, casinos. As soon as she crossed the stateline though into California, this changed. Suddenly it was all small lodges and inns, some shops and restaurants. In South Lake Tahoe, you can be in two places at the same time.
Would you like to see a bear?
During the second day, Charlie was just working from the lobby at the inn. The comfy sofa and the fireplace made this the perfect place. Suddenly, the receptionist walked over and asked her whether she wanted to see a bear. Yes, of course!
There was a bear in the parking lot in front of the inn. It slowly moved towards the road where some people were walking by. Others from across the road starting shouting: “There’s a bear to your right!” Who would have thought that there could be a bear waiting in the bushes?
