With plenty of things to see and do, Lake Tahoe is an ideal location for a family vacation.The scenic community offers a variety of sporting activities for all age groups, including swimming, fishing and boating. Enjoy outings such as a picnic at the beach, miniature golf or a visit to the amusement park and create lasting memories for your entire family.
Although there is no admission charge to enter the Lake Tahoe amusement park, you will need to purchase tickets for the rides, including the Super Slide, the Tilt-A-Whirl ride, the carousel, the roller coaster and the miniature train. Adults and children aged at least 10 years old can also enjoy driving Go Karts. Open from May through October, it is the only amusement park in the Lake Tahoe area and also features a snack bar, picnic area and video arcade.
Lake Tahoe has more than 20 scenic parks, beaches and playgrounds, and most of them feature picnic areas, fire pits and restrooms. Enjoy a picnic or barbecue, and spend a day at one of the recreation areas such as the Emerald Bay Beach on the south shore, which features a boat dock and hiking trails; the D.L. Bliss State Park on the west shore, which offers a beach and hiking trails; or the Agatam Beach on the north shore, which has a 300-foot beach and lawn area.
Everyone can have fun playing miniature golf, and there are courses located around the lake. On the south shore play a round at Fantasy Kingdom Golf in South Lake Tahoe or at Magic Carpet Golf in South Lake Tahoe. Families on the north shore can play at Boberg's Lake Tahoe Mini Golf in Kings Beach or Magic Carpet Golf in Carnelian Bay. Most facilities are open between Easter and Thanksgiving, weather permitting.
Although Lake Tahoe itself offers the prettiest scenery for swimming, it can be too cold to swim during a large portion of the year. Fortunately, there are several indoor and outdoor pools in the area that are open to the public throughout the year. The Recreation Complex Pool in South Lake Tahoe and the Round Hill Pines Beach & Marina in Zephyr Cove are located on the south shore, while the Swimming Lagoon & Spa in Olympic Village can be found on the north shore. It is always a good idea to check the daily schedule at a facility to find out when the pool is open for general swimming or if there are dedicated times for lap swimming for different age groups.
When you need a break from the beach or are stuck indoors during a rainy day, schedule a family excursion to the movies. You are sure to find at least one film everyone can watch among the selections at the area theaters. The north shore theaters include the Brockway Theatre in Kings Beach, the Cobblestone Cinema in Tahoe City, Incline Village Cinema in Incline Village and the Opera House Cinema in Olympic Valley. Horizon Stadium Cinema is on the south shore.
