Although many people have heard the wondrous and captivating beauty of Lake Tahoe and many would still ask this age-old question, When is the best time to take a Lake Tahoe vacation? Lake Tahoe is nestled high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with an elevation of a little over 6,000 feet.

Winter storms are common and it’s easy to get caught unprepared, as Lake Tahoe weather quickly changes from clear skies to blizzards. Winter and summer storms are usually common from September through June and drivers should be sure they have chains with them to tie around the tires especially when passing through snow-drenched roads high up in the alps.

As a precaution, it pays to check out the Lake Tahoe weather forecast frequently and be prepared. No matter when and where you go at Lake Tahoe, always expect colder temperatures and more snow especially at higher elevations. Still, Lake Tahoe weather is generally nice, since it gets an average of 250 to 300 sunny days a year and humidity is very low, especially during summer. Water temperatures range from 32 degrees Fahrenheit in winter to 68 degrees in the summer.

So, whether  you plan to go skiing, mountain biking, paying golf or simply relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking view, experience the enjoyment of your Lake Tahoe vacation. Proper planning is key to make you enjoy your vacation. From what things to pack, how to save time and money, preparing for high altitudes, it does help a lot to make your vacation as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible.

You can save money with Lodging Packages and Deal, and still enjoy a worthwhile vacation at Lake Tahoe at lesser costs. Many resorts and hotels offer a variety of pre-arranged packages that include activities, lodging and often meals, all for one low price. Lodging packages also offer quick and convenient one-stop vacation planning.

Many resorts also have recreational facilities that could help make your stay enjoyable and worthwhile, if you are not a, outdoor junkie or would just like to just take a break from the busy routines of everyday living. These resorts provide complimentary access to recreational facilities including swimming pools, gyms, spas, playgrounds, ski and sledding lessons and a whole lot more families on vacation will enjoy.

For solitary sojourners or couples wanting to have an intimate time, there are also a lot of fine dining establishments to enjoy a romantic dinner, as well as a good number of spas where you could pamper yourselves and enjoy the bliss of a good weekend or vacation getaway.

Many hotels and lodgings also have their own kitchens which could be a great way to save money, since there are a great deal of bakeries and gourmet shops that provide good food for take out or groceries that are delivered right at your hotel doorstep after placing an order online or by simply faxing orders in. Or simply order ahead of time and have it picked up by the time you arrive for check-in.

If you are feeling lazy or just would like to spend the day inside your room, there are also daily DVD rentals conveniently available with new releases with a wide variety of titles to suit the entire family.

Lastly, take advantage of free shuttle service provided by your hotel, that way you need not worry about driving and getting to where you want to go. Most hotels in the Lake Tahoe area provide day shuttle service, as well as night shuttle service to service guests wanting to experience the sights and sounds of Lake Tahoe.

So ask yourself when is the best time to take a Lake Tahoe vacation? The answer is all up to you.

For starters, the Lake Tahoe Basin took form as a geologic block fault about 2 million years ago. A geologic block fault is a fracture in the earth’s crust causing blocks of land to move up or down, which is a primary cause of earthquakes. It is this fault movement where uplifted blocks created the Carson Range on the east and the Sierra Nevada mountains on the west, while the down-dropped blocks, also called a graben, created the shear between the Sierra Nevada Microplate and North America.

On the other hand, the Lake Tahoe basin is formed by a series of large down-to-the-east normal faults, including the West Tahoe and Dollar Point fault, the Stateline and North Tahoe fault and the Incline Village fault. Most of the highest peaks that can be found of the Lake Tahoe Basin that formed during the creation of process of Lake Tahoe creation are Freel Peak at 10,891 ft, Monument Peak at 10,067 ft, Pyramid Peak at 9,983 ft in the Desolation Wilderness and Mount Tallac at 9,735 ft.

As the geologic formations began to take shape, eruptions from the now-extinct volcano Mount Pluto formed a dam on the north side, as melting snow filled the southern and lowest part of the basin to form the ancestral Lake Tahoe as rain and runoff added more  water to the lake.

Lake Tahoe was shaped and landscaped by scouring glaciers during the Ice Ages, which began a million or more years ago and is fed from 63 tributaries with the Truckee River as the main and only outlet. The Truckee flows northeast through Reno, Nevada and into Pyramid Lake, which has no outlet. The soil found on the basin come primarily from andesitic volcanic rocks and granodiorite, with minor areas of metamorphic rock.

Some of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are covered with glacial moraines, or glacial outwash material derived from the parent rock. With the great depth of Lake Tahoe, as well as the locations of the normal faults within the deepest portions of the lake, suggests that earthquakes on these faults can trigger tsunamis with wave heights predicted to be around 10 to 33 ft in height, capable of traversing the entire lake in just a few minutes.

This may be evident with the massive collapse of the western edge of the basin that formed McKinney Bay around 50,000 years ago which was thought to have generated a tsunami wave with an estimated height of no less than 330 ft.

Although Lake Tahoe is a natural lake and with most areas consider protected, it is also used for water storage by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, for which the lake level is controlled by a dam at the Truckee River- the lake’s only outlet- at Tahoe City. The 6 foot high dam can increase the lake’s capacity by 732,000 acre/ft.

So if you think that lake Tahoe is just a vacation spot, think again, there’s more to discover in a Lake Tahoe vacation.

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.

Lake Tahoe is popularly known as the perfect year round vacation and wedding destination with relatively stable weather conditions, breathtaking scenery and a variety of environments suitable for a wide range of sporting activities.

Located between the borders of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe boasts of over 300 days of warm sunshine,  396 inches of annual snowfall, 18 world-class ski and snowboarding resorts, incredible golf courses,  fantastic hotels, casinos and many, many more.

For a relaxing and romantic getaway, one can find many romantic destinations that boast of world-class service, elegant decors and scenery, superb cuisine and a wide array of choices to select from. From five star to first class, standard and deluxe, even economy accommodations, a large number of hotel and motel establishments are more than willing to provide free information about Lake Tahoe and how it could be best enjoyed.

For the chivalrous, Lake Tahoe is also a romantic and serene getaway destination, to rekindle the spirit of romance. There are several hotels, parks and resorts that provide an atmosphere of calm and peaceful respites.

For the avid and risky sports enthusiast, Lake Tahoe also offers a wide variety of venues for a broad range of events and alternative sports. There are hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails all around the lake, ranging in length, difficulty, and popularity.

One of these is the Granite Chief Wilderness, which provides great hiking and wilderness camping, if roughing it is your kind of vacation. Meanwhile to the southwest is the very popular Desolation Wilderness, from where one of the most popular Tahoe trails, the Tahoe Rim Trail, is located. The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 165 mile or 270 kilometer trail that circumnavigates the lake.

Directly to the west of the lake is the Eagle Lake Trailhead, where one could find several paved off-road bicycle paths. To get started off with looking for the right place to stay and activity to enjoy, look up reliable and established travel and tourism guides.

You might be surprised that with a place as popular as Lake Tahoe, you could find good deals and affordable packages that would suit your budget. There are hundreds of lodging options to choose from that include economy to moderate hotels and motels, casinos, inns, cabins, full service luxury resorts, and luxury vacation rentals.

One could also find five star or world- class amenities and accommodations that one could choose from, with mostly almost all establishments equipped with windows, terraces or balconies facing a magnificent view of breathtaking scenery and majestic natural beauty.

All over Lake Tahoe you could also find resorts with plenty to do be it skiing adventures, golf courses, beaches, hiking & biking trails, camping, fishing and boating options and restaurants.

With all this and more, it’s no wonder people from all over the world make Lake Tahoe one of the most popular year-round vacation destinations in the world today. So now, don’t you think it’s about high time to take a lake tahoe vacation?

Image by Leto A. via Flickr

Who would ever have thought that you can have a taste of Hollywood on your Lake Tahoe vacation? A lot of big screen films and television shows have been to various filming locations in the majestic Lake Tahoe, and who among Hollywood’s biggest names in tinseltown could resist the beauty of Lake Tahoe.

Indeed, only to name some, the famous Ponderosa Ranch of the TV series Bonanza is actually located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. And another bit of film trivia is that the opening sequence of the famed TV series was filmed at the McFaul Creek Meadow with the beautiful Mount Tallac in the background.

In the highly acclaimed motion picture The Godfather Part II, the Corleone family lived in a compound on the shores of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. In one of the famous scenes during the final minutes of the film, Fredo Corleone is taken out onto the lake for a fishing trip, on the orders of his brother Michael (Al Pacino) to be executed for treachery, where Michael stands by the shore watching the deed being done.

The house and grounds portrayed in the film are also located on the California side of Lake Tahoe in the summer estate of Henry Kaiser known as Fleur du Lac. The only structures used in the movie that still remain are the complex of old native stone boathouses with wrought iron gates. And although Fleur du Lac is private property and no one is allowed ashore there, the boathouses and multi-million dollar condominiums are easily viewed from the lake.

In the film Smoking Aces, most of the scenes were filmed in South Lake Tahoe and Stateline.

Many of the hotels and casinos are visible in the film with their older names. The climactic scenes of the 1987 Charles Bronson film Assassination were filmed around Lake Tahoe.

Top Gear a British TV program on state-of-the-art cars and gadgetry filmed one entire episode at Lake Tahoe sometime this year.

Located between the borders of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe boasts of over 300 days of warm sunshine,  396 inches of annual snowfall, 18 world-class ski and snowboarding resorts, incredible golf courses,  fantastic hotels, casinos and many, many more.

For a relaxing and romantic getaway, one can find many romantic destinations that boast of world-class service, elegant decors and scenery, superb cuisine and a wide array of choices to select from. From five star to first class, standard and deluxe, even economy accommodations, a large number of hotel and motel establishments are more than willing to provide free information about Lake Tahoe and how it could be best enjoyed.

And this is how Lake Tahoe has indeed captivated filmmakers and movie buffs alike. So now you can also have a teste of Hollywood in your Lake Tahoe vacation.

Tahoe’s depth is 1,645 feet and makes it America’s second deepest freshwater body and the largest alpine lake in North America. Historically, the lake was formed around 2 million years ago and forms part of the Lake Tahoe basin, for which the lake has been shaped during the Ice Ages.

One of Lake Tahoe’s distinct features is the clarity of its water and the breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. The lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions, both from domestic and international tourists. Lake Tahoe also plays host to a broad range of year-round activities and sporting adventures, including a significant number of ski resorts, a wide variety of tourist attractions and summer outdoor recreation resorts and facilities.

For nature lovers, Lake Tahoe boasts of its mountain and lake scenery attractions that remain unchanged throughout the year. The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe also includes large casinos where highways provide year-round access from Reno, Carson City and Sacramento, California.

Approximately no less than two-thirds of the shoreline belongs to California and the  south shore is dominated by the lake’s largest city called South Lake Tahoe, California. It is then bordered along Stateline, Nevada, while Tahoe City, California is located on the lake’s northwest shore.

Although the lake’s highways run along much of Lake Tahoe’s shorelines, most areas still lie within the jurisdiction of the United States Forest Service and are declared protected zones. For starters, basic tourism information can be obtained from Lake Tahoe’s many tourism and travel guides, both online and published travel materials.

Lake Tahoe vacationers can find good deals on Lake Tahoe hotels and vacation rentals, depending on budget and preferences, with hundreds of lodging options from economy and moderate hotels, motels, full service luxury resorts, casinos, inns, cabins and luxury vacation rentals.

There are also plenty of incredible ski resorts, golf courses, beaches, hiking & biking trails, camping, fishing and boating options and restaurants that make Lake Tahoe one of the best and most sought-after vacation spots in the world.

Apart from just being a mountain and lake attraction, Lake Tahoe boasts of year round weather and climate scenes that provide any avid extreme sport enthusiast with a good skiing environment, as well as an appropriate water environment for a water sport adventurer.

Lake Tahoe never freezes at any time of the year and is a good vacation venue for a well-deserved family vacation or even just a simple weekend getaway from all the hustles and bustles of everyday metropolitan life.
Lake Tahoe is accessible by car under ideal conditions within 2 hours from the Sacramento, California area or take a 1 hour ride from Reno or 30 minutes from Carson City.

During the winter months, chains or snow tires are often necessary to reach Tahoe from any direction. Traffic can be considered heavy during weekends because of tourists taking a weekend break.

Lake Tahoe will remain to be one of the best tourist spots in the world and surely, one will not have the chance to regret having a, all-in-one Lake Tahoe vacation.