The Thunderbird Lodge
Open for tours June-September
East Shore of Lake Tahoe
1-800-GO-TAHOE One of the most stunning pieces of Lake Tahoe's history is the secluded Thunderbird Lodge. The eccentric San Francisco real estate magnate, George Whittell, built this magnificent Tudor Revival summer estate between 1936 and 1939. Located on Nevada's eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, the property consists of a main lodge surrounded by three cottages, a card house, a boathouse, an elephant house, a lighthouse, three garages, and a gatehouse all nestled in a high desert pine forest.
Cal-Neva Lodge
Open Year-Round
2 Stateline Drive
Crystal Bay, NV
800-CALNEVA
The original Lodge was built in 1926 by wealthy San Francisco businessman, Robert P. Sherman, who used the Lodge as a guesthouse for his friends and real estate clients. The Lodge was designed after Frank Bacon's log cabin in the hit Broadway play "LIGHTNIN," starring Will Rogers. The Cal Neva Resort. Spa & Casino quickly became the playground for celebrities and socialites who wanted to escape from the public eye. To read more history of the Cal Neva, please click on the link above. The Watson Cabin
Open for tours
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
Above Commons Beach, Tahoe City
530-583-1762
Watson Cabin Curios still stands on the original site where the cabin was constructed in 1908, and remains an outstanding example of turn-of-the-century construction. Built by Robert M. Watson and his son, Robert, it is the oldest building constructed onsite in Tahoe City and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Statue of Three Mackinaw Trout
At the "wye" in Tahoe City
Three Mackinaw trout welcome visitors to Tahoe City. Located at the Tahoe City "Y", a small footpath winds around the statue allowing visitors to view this amazing sculpture from all angles. The sculpture was created by John Betts (now an America's Cup yacht builder) and depicts the healthy and vibrant life in Tahoe City. Tahoe City Dam and Fanny Bridge
Highway 89 South at the "wye"
Tahoe City, CA Local legend has it that the bridge received its name from all of the fannies that can be seen from the road as visitors and local alike stare over the edge into the cool waters spilling through the dam on Lake Tahoe filled with wild Mackinaw, German Browns, and Rainbow trout cruising for fish food dropped by their human friends. Located over the only outlet of Lake Tahoe, Fanny Bridge is a must see historical spot. Must do: Count the fannies as you walk across the bridge.
Historical Marker
Across the street from the Tahoe City Dam
Across the street from Fanny Bridge, you will find a historical marker commemorating James Edward Church. In 1909 he was the first to demonstrate techniques at this very spot for measuring water content in snow in order to predict the water flow after the snow melts. Look to the right and you will see the headwaters of the famous Truckee River that runs from the dam at Tahoe City to Pyramid Lake in Nevada. Gatekeepers Cabin & Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum
Open weekends year-round, and daily throughout the summer
West Lake Blvd at Fanny Bridge, Tahoe City
(530) 583-1762 The Gatekeeper’s Museum is a reconstruction of the original Gatekeeper’s Cabin – home of the water master who controlled the flow of water out of Lake Tahoe. It now showcases Tahoe history, from its Native inhabitants through the logging era and the establishment of the tourism industry at Lake Tahoe. Exhibits include Native American baskets, resort memorabilia, historical photographs, clothing, oral histories, maps, archival documents, newspapers and artifacts.
Tahoe Maritime Museum
Open year-round 5205 West Lake Blvd, Homewood
530-525-9253 Featuring boats and artifacts from the late 19th century to the present as well as interactive displays, the Museum offers a variety of engaging experiences for all ages. Young visitors learn about boats, design their own model rafts, tie knots and play on the Kids Porch. Others also enjoy the magnificent exhibits that explore the people, stories, places and vessels of Tahoe from yesteryear to the present in addition to guided tours and a comfortable reading area.
For the latest blog on the new Museum please click here: SF Gate The Ehrman Mansion
Open Memorial Day through September
Sugar Pine Point State Park
Highway 89 South at Tahoma Pine Lodge - the name conjures up accommodations not necessarily auspicious, but perhaps more along the lines of a rustric retreat. However, in local use this name was bestowed on a grand residence - the summer home of the Hellman-Ehrman family. In the case of Pine Lodge, foresight, and the wealth to take best advantage of it, combined to produce an estate which set the standard for West Shore elegance. And while the original owners are no longer summer residents, they left behind a legacy to be enjoyed by millions. Vikingsholm Castle Open daily mid-June through September
Emerald Bay State Park
Highway 89 South at Emerald Bay
Emerald Bay provided the setting for one of the first summer homes at Lake Tahoe. In 1863 Ben Holladay, stagecoach magnet and early day transportation king pre-empted land in Emerald Bay and built a summer home. In 1884 a Dr. Kirby bought 500 acres in the Bay and built a resort. A portion of the Kirby land was sold to the William Henry Armstrong family in 1895. Mrs. Knight purchased the land from the Armstrongs in 1928. Mrs. Knight's land included the only island (Fanette Island) in Lake Tahoe and the only water fall (Eagle Falls) flowing directly into the Lake.
Tallac Historic Site
2.5 Miles North of Highway 50 on Highway 89
South Lake Tahoe, CA
A century ago, what is now the Tallac Historic Site held the "Grandest Resort in the World" and the summer retreats for three of San Francisco Bay Area's socially elite families. Today the remains of the resort and the restored estates attract many thousands of visitors annually to recapture this bygone and significant era in Tahoe's history. Between June and September you may join a Tallac interpreter for heritage programs, guided walks, building tours, demonstrations, behind the scenes peeks, and more. A changing schedule of activities with times, places, and a detailed description is available in the Visitors Center and the Baldwin Museum. Though the buildings are closed during the winter, the site is popular for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Stream Profile Chamber and Rainbow Trail
Taylor Creek Visitors Center
3 miles North of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89
Hours vary, open seasonally
The Stream Profile Chamber has served as the primary attraction at the Forest Service Visitor Center complex at Taylor Creek since it was constructed in 1968. The Chamber, located 1/4 mile down the Rainbow Trail, provides a view of the stream environment allowing visitors to study a diverted section of Taylor Creek through a panel of aquarium-like windows. Attracting 300,000 to 400,000 youth and adult visitors annually, the Stream Profile Chamber has been a major attraction for local conservation and environmental education programs.
