You don’t always have to stay in a hotel when you decide to go on a holiday. In fact, there are many places to choose from which are a bit secluded and close to where the action is should you decide to spend a Lake Tahoe vacation. If you don’t believe this can happen, check out these places.

Along the lake, there are a few lakefront properties you can rent. Some are condominiums while others are houses.

When you wake up in the morning and look out the window, you can already see the lake inviting you for a dip. This breathtaking view can be seen in any room of the house and if the weather gets cold, you can sit down by the wood burning fireplace.

Nearby, you can swim in the pool, play tennis or rent a boat and just sail around the lake. The rates of these places vary depending on the number of guests. Some charge more if there are less than 4 people in your group.

If there are no vacancies available, there are some properties secluded within the forest. Nestled in the pines are a few condos you can rent. Some of these come with queen sized beds, reading lamps, an entertainment system, a dining table and a fire place. You can cook your own wood using the oven or make some hamburgers and hotdogs using the gas BBQ.

The rates here are nightly and it is much cheaper to come during spring and fall compared to winter and summer. On top of that, you will also have to pay a $60 cleaning fee.

For those who plan to stay longer than a week, there are places here that are being rented on a monthly basis. Each one comes with a two car garage, more than three bedrooms and baths and great views of the mountains and the forest. Places like these have sprung up all around the lake. You just have to look around and compare the rates before deciding to stay here for several days.

The nice thing about staying here is the opportunity to be close to nature. You can go on long hikes, go fishing, smell the wildflowers and drink some fresh water from the mountain streams.

When you want to have some fun, the resorts are less than 10 miles away. You can rent equipment if you want to go skiing or tubing. For those who love the water, you can head down to the pier and rent a boat or kayak. There is also a cruise around the lake which you can avail of and that may already include dinner.

For those who want gamble, they can drive further south and then check out the south shore casinos but if you want to watch the sunset, you can ride a gondola or cable car all the way up the mountain. You can get a discount since coupons are handed out so you don’t have to pay the full price.

There is a lot to do here in Lake Tahoe vacation and it does not matter what time of the year you decide to go. You might even say that this the best outing your family has had especially when the environment is quiet and peaceful.

A packing list for your winter Lake Tahoe vacation would be the best solution for you if you are planning to have a winter getaway of skiing or snowboarding activity at Lake Tahoe.  Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts know what to bring along, but for first time snow sporting fans, here is a checklist of what to bring along.

This checklist will also be useful for anyone, especially on basic items one needs to bring along regardless of whether you are out for a snow sporting getaway, or simply enjoying the Lake Tahoe outdoors during winter.

For skiers and snowboarders, of course, you need to tag along your Alpine and Nordic Skis, Boots and Poles, as well as snowboards and boots, helmets, ice skates and snowshoes.

For clothing and footwear, one should need to bring along a waterproof jacket or parka, waterproof pants or shells (to wear over a warm base layer), breathable under layers (long underwear, non-cotton fabrics to prevent from absorbing melted snow subjected to body heat), fleece, sweaters, turtlenecks, gloves/mittens, neck gaiter, hat or helmet, ski or snowboard socks, goggles and sunglasses. Be sure to pack extra layers of clothing to accommodate for the mountain climate, since the weather can change quickly.

For those who may not want to lug along bulky equipment, a lot of rental shops offer offers ski and snowboard rentals, overnight equipment storage, and season-long
lockers for those who don’t want to worry about transporting their gear to and from the mountain.

For your basic winter needs after skiing or riding the snow, you may need to have with you long pants, sweaters, warm jacket, casual shoes, warm socks, snow boots, warm base layer undergarments, scarf, warm sleepwear, accessories and casual wear

Here are other key items you may need to have handy with you like sunscreen, lip balm, aloe cream, sunglasses, eye glasses or contact lenses, camera and film or digital camera and batteries, medical insurance cards, credit cards, cash or travelers checks, ID or Driver’s License, travel alarm, prescriptions or medications, itineraries and confirmations, maps and directions, bathing suit, baby’s needs, diapers, swim diapers, adress book, story books for bedtime, games for the ride, toothbrush/toothpaste, cosmetics, spare car key and ski tickets or passes.

Here’s a helpful tip, pack ski tickets or passes with ski or snowboard boots so they won’t be forgotten. Other handy things that would be nice to have along would be a CD or MP3 player, CDs, headphones and batteries,  DVD’s, guidebooks and brochures and pillows for the ride.

Finally, before leaving home for the vacation, make sure that you leave a trip itinerary, contact info, spare house and car key with your neighbor or a relative, arrange for your mail and newspapers to be picked up, turn off gas lights and water, lock all windows and doors, arrange for pet care and water the plants.

And if you are traveling with children you should allow for extra travel time and be flexible – plan to make frequent stops, bring water and snacks, bring along wipes or a towel handy in car for messes and spills, ensure that car seat is properly installed, bring toys and games to keep children occupied during the long trip and show your child photographs of your destination to get your child excited about your vacation.

So take note of this packing list for your winter LakeTahoe vacation, you will definitely need it.

Wouldn’t it be a fulfilling getaway when you get to learn a bit about of history during your Lake Tahoe vacation? It wouldn’t hurt so much to dig in to the culture or know the history of the place you are enjoying your vacation in, since this will provide you with helpful key trivia items that you can boast about with friends when you come back to school or work.

Lake Tahoe’s history is one for the storybooks. It started out as a land mass of shifting, grinding, sliding earth with imperceptible, perpetual movement which later on became the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the massive water basin that came to be knows as Lake Tahoe. Here are some more interesting information about Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe’s elevation is 6,229 feet, making it the highest lake of its size in the United States. The water depth measures 1,645 feet at a portion of the lake in the Crystal Bay area, making it the tenth deepest lake in the world and third deepest in North America.

Lake Tahoe also boasts of water clarity to a depth of 75-feet. The lake covers a surface area of 191 square miles with 71-miles of exquisite shoreline, while the Nevada/California border traverses lengthwise with a greater portion being on the California side.

Average snowfall in some areas is 300-600 inches and melting snow finds its way to the lake via 63 streams entering the basin. But what would strike you as odd is the fact that there is only one outlet, the Truckee River. Because of the huge volume and constant movement of the water, Lake Tahoe never freezes despite the drastic winter temperatures. Back in the old, old days summer vacationers began arriving more than 10,000 years ago when the American Indian Washoe tribe camped along the cool lake shores.

One of their favorite places is known today as Camp Richardson and the men of the tribe were skillful hunters and took advantage of the abundant wildlife. The Washoe women were noted for their intricate and artistic basket weaving and this idyllic lifestyle spanned generations of the peaceful tribe, however, it would not last.

The first European American to see Lake Tahoe was John C. Fremont, whose exploration party was led by Kit Carson in 1844. In 1859, the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, changed the face of the lake would affect it forever. With mines, towns and the railroad invading the territory, wood was the primary fuel source wand was also needed to supply building materials.

The east shore, from what is now Incline Village to Glenbrook, became a vast logging empire and the ravages of clear-cutting would remain evident for years to come. The Comstock silver lode made hundreds of people during the California and Comstock mining days and many were attracted to the pristine lake.

This was how tourism started and the resulting resorts soon to dot the lush landscape.

The Tahoe Basin managed to remain in relative obscurity with only a few people knowing about its existence until the 1950s when Bill Harrah and Harvey Gross built the first casinos on the south shore. With their gaming expertise they learned over the years back in Reno, they knew how to attract business for their establishments and became mainstays up until today, Known as Harvey’s and Harrah’s

Back in 1960, the Winter Olympic Games were hosted at Squaw Valley on the west shore and with the resulting publicity, the area was soon recognized as a world-class winter playground, as well as the premier summer vacation venue. The Olympic Rings still remain at Squaw Valley Resort and the place is renowned for year-round sporting activities.

So does it hurt a bit to learn about pieces of history on your Lake Tahoe vacation? Not a bit.