How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in Lake Tahoe

Encompassing some of the prettiest countryside California and Nevada have to offer, Lake Tahoe is best-known for its natural splendor and wealth of outdoor sporting activities. But this Mecca of winter skiing and summer hiking and biking has its share of more sedate pleasures for those seeking a serene lakeside escape.

Instructions

1. Choose your locale-north or south-carefully, depending on your wants. The South Shore is far more developed and has more attractions-with the accompanying noise and occasional traffic; the North Shore is more rural and rustic, but offers less options in the way of dining and accommodations.

2. Get some exercise amidst the spectacular scenery. Whether skiing or snowboarding at one of the 15 nearby resorts or indulging in fair-weather hiking, biking, rock climbing, horseback riding or parasailing, you'll never find a prettier place to get a workout.

3. Try your luck at one of the major casinos on the South Shore or a cozier option on the north side of the lake. One old favorite is the Cal-Neva on the North Shore, where a state border literally cuts right through the hotel lobby.

4. Take a cruise on the lake-from catamaran adventures to yachting jaunts to paddlewheel parties, you'll find plenty of options. Theme outings with special dinners, fireworks displays, wine tasting and more add to the excitement.

5. Enjoy one of America's most scenic country drives-the approximately 70-mile spin around the lake, a gorgeous outing any time of year. Bring a camera, as some of the 'clickables' include old mansions, rock outcroppings and sandy shorelines.

6. Spend an afternoon at Sugar Pine Point State Park, with two miles of lake frontage, a nature center, and the historic Hellman-Ehrman Mansion House Museum. The park is located on Lake Tahoe's west shore about 10 miles south of Tahoe City.

7. Theatre lovers will want to plan a visit during the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, held every year between mid-July and mid-August. You'll never find a more 'dramatically' beautiful venue for watching a play than under the stars with your feet in the sand at Sand Harbor State Park.

Tips & Warnings

• Tahoe is a busy vacation destination-especially on the South Shore-so plan ahead with your accommodations and other reservations.

• In the wintertime, driving can become treacherous during heavy snow. Check the weather report before your journey to find out, for example, if your vehicle might need snow chains.