The Ultimate Lake Tahoe Luxury Guide

Bay area residents flock to Lake Tahoe for recreational bliss, of course. But since COVID and the work-from-anywhere mindset, everything has changed.

Views go on for miles in Lake Tahoe.

While it’s only 200 miles from San Francisco, Lake Tahoe might as well be a world away. “Our proximity to the Bay Area via car, train, private or commercial jet is unparalleled to any other mountain community,” says Diana Graves, Lake Tahoe real estate expert.

“Many of my clients, along with friends and family, live the bi-residential life year-round,” says Hope Daly, a luxury brand publicist who has homes in the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. “Families are back and forth through the winter season, often having children competing on local ski teams. In the summer, activities are endless for families. The ability to work and run your business from anywhere—something we learned during COVID—has made living a perfect life of equal parts mountain and city doable.”

Lake Tahoe has become a work-from-anywhere option for many Bay Area residents.

North Shore

The North Shore of Lake Tahoe is the second-most-developed shore on the lake. Nestled into the sprawling nature of the shore are resorts, quaint towns and luxury communities. With year-round adventuring, visitors to the North Shore enjoy endless miles of dirt bike trails, an epic ropes course at Treetop Adventure Park (tahoetreetop.com) and excellent beaches to sun, swim or picnic. Top beaches include Kings Beach, Dollar Point and Carnelian Bay.

Tahoe City and Truckee are the two primary towns on the North Shore, with the sleepy town of Kings Beach redeveloping by the day. All areas have seen meaningful development. The Ritz Carlton (ritzcarlton. com) at Northstar opened its doors in 2009. Truckee and Tahoe City have retained their down-to-earth roots, while welcoming San Francisco-inspired boutiques, art galleries and eco-tourism. Seattle-based evo (evo. com), an outdoor retail and experience company, opened its first California campus in Tahoe City. Built across from Commons Beach on the main promenade of Tahoe City, evo honors the historic hospitality properties that once thrived on the site by updating the rooms with sophisticated details.

Martis Camp offers exceptional home lots at prices more affordable than places like Vail, Aspen and Big Sky.

Within the thriving food scene of North Shore, exquisite fine dining spots—including Manzanita (located in the mountainside Ritz-Carlton hideaway, and wine bar Petra (don’t miss the lamb meatballs)—coexist with local favorites like Rubicon Pizza (rubiconpizzaco.com) and Jake’s on the Lake (jakestahoe. com). The North Shore offers unparalleled snow experiences. Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort (palisadestahoe.com), located in Olympic Valley, put Lake Tahoe on the world skiing scene when it hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. After joining with nearby Alpine Meadows, the ski resort boasts 42 chair lifts, 270 runs and 6,000 acres of terrain. New this year: The resorts are connected by a muchanticipated, first-of-its-kind gondola. With this seamless connection between the two, these resorts will soon become the third-largest ski area in North America.

Northstar Ski Resort (northstarcalifornia.com) in Truckee serves as a cornerstone of this upscale community. Tucked away in the trees within the Martis Valley, Northstar has perfected the art of spoiling guests of all ages and abilities.

The Martis Camp (martiscamp.com) residential community is the largest luxury housing development in Lake Tahoe, with a range of builders creating extraordinarily appointed mountain homes. Looking for a deal? “We’re still under the luxury markets in posh enclaves of Vail, Aspen and Big Sky,” says Samantha Swigard, a Martis Camp realtor.

Manzanita at the Ritz-Carlton

West Shore

Hardcore hikers and devoted backpackers launch their adventures from the West Shore, which is home to the McKinney-Rubicon Trailhead, the Black Forest Lake Tahoe and Desolation Wilderness, a 63,960-acre subalpine and alpine forest with towering granite peaks, waterfalls and glacially formed valleys and lakes. Less serious adventurers create unforgettable outdoor moments by visiting Sugar Pine Point State Park, Meeks Bay and DL Bliss State Park either by foot or by boat.

Visitors often take to the West Shore by bike using the well-kept bike path that runs from Tahoe City to Homewood. Pedaling along the trail, riders can pull off to set up a day camp at any one of the private beaches along the way.

On the way home, take in a historic West Shore dining experience. Local legend Swiss Lakewood (swisslakewood.com) thrills gourmands with many traditional dishes, including Wiener schnitzel, while adding contemporary American fare to the menu. Last year, the Vodka Garden opened on property. West Shore Cafe & Inn (westshorecafe.com), which has an exceptional boat valet, offers a dining experience akin to eating at a friend’s gorgeous lakeside home.

The Ritz-Carlton sits on the North Shore.

East Shore of North Lake

Sprawling lawns give way to sandy shores, and redwoods soar toward the stars in the exclusive East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Secluded beaches offer sparkling sand and inviting waters. Creek Beach, Secret Cove, Whale and Chimney Beach all offer pristine coves for paddleboarding and kayaking. For cyclists, the new, fully paved East Shore Trail represents a massive undertaking by local communities to create a smooth way to see the area on wheels.

The West Shore Cafe & Inn features a unique boat valet experience for guests.

The enclave of Incline Village Nevada at the tip of the gateway to the East Shore is a shopping and lakefront dining paradise. A drive, walk or bike ride along Lakeshore Boulevard reveals lovely lakefront mansions and eventually leads to the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort (hyatt.com). This hotel balances lakefront life with forest charm. The hotel’s Pier 111 Bar is as dazzling as it gets. The long pier is dotted with gar wood and sailboats and ends at an always-busy outdoor cocktail lounge. When the weather turns to less pier-appropriate days, enjoy the Hyatt’s wonderful in-house restaurant, The Nest.

This winter, don’t miss the Ullr Festival (Jan. 24 and 25) at Diamond Peak Ski Resort (diamondpeak.com). The celebration, which honors Nordic gods, includes a stunningly romantic torchlight parade down Diamond Peak’s ski runs.

Incline Village

South Shore

From nightlife to vinyasa yoga at spots like The Sanctuary (thesanctuarytahoe.com), the South Shore continues to impress. As the most developed area of Tahoe, the area has undergone an extensive renewal in recent years, sustaining its reputation as the ultimate Tahoe evening entertainment area. Casinos abound, including Harrah’s (caesars.com), Hard Rock (hardrocklaketahoe.com), Harvey’s (harveyslaketahoe.com), Bally’s (casinos.ballys com) and Montbleu (montbleulaketahoe.com)— each offering luxury hotel rooms, live shows and fine dining.

Beyond the party and gambling scene, Zephyr Cove (zephyrcove.com) has hosted guests in its lakeside private cabins and campgrounds since 1862. From the marina, visitors can book parasailing trips or join a daytime or sunset cruise around the lake aboard the famous M.S. Dixie—a 500-person, paddle-wheel boat.

Edgewood Lodge

Skiers can slalom and snowboarders can shred from one state to another at Heavenly Ski Resort (skiheavenly.com), whose ski runs cover mountains in both California and Nevada. Even nonskiers appreciate time at Heavenly. The gondola to the top of the resort is popular year-round. During winter, the vantage point often tops the list of the most unforgettable Tahoe moments.

To enjoy a more relaxed version of the South Shore, check-in to The Edgewood Tahoe (edgewoodtahoe.com). The resort, located on the Nevada side of the South Shore, promises luxury beyond limits. An 18-hole, top-rated golf course offers majestic views along with challenging holes. The hotel’s Edgewood Restaurant offers the finest sunset views on the lake.