Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is the largest mountain lake in North America, at about 1,900 meters elevation in the Sierra Nevada. It is roughly 35 km long with a maximum depth of nearly 500 meters, and is famous for very clear water that ranges from deep blue in the center to light green in the shallow coves. Two-thirds of the lake lie in California and the remainder in Nevada.

On the California side, South Lake Tahoe, to the south, is the largest town, next to the Nevada border, with hotels, beaches and the Heavenly ski area's gondola. To the west, Highway 89 skirts Emerald Bay, the most photographed cove on the lake, with tiny Fannette Island and the Scandinavian-style house Vikingsholm.

On the west shore, among pine trees, there are state parks with early 20th-century summer mansions, such as Sugar Pine Point. To the north, Tahoe City sits where the Truckee River leaves the lake, near the Palisades Tahoe valley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games.

Summer, from June to September, is the season for beaches, kayaking, boating and trails, with dry days and cold water. Winter brings snow and skiing, from December to March, and mountain roads may require tire chains.

This destination brings together 2 cities: South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City.