Beautiful and exclusive Lake Tahoe -- even if you're not rich and famous!
Written: Jul 02 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Water so clear you can see a white dinner plate at 50 feet deep!
Cons: People throw in white dinner plates to prove the theory!
The Bottom Line: Lake Tahoe is a sparkling centerpiece, surrounded by soaring mountains and fabulous houses. Sightseeing, shopping, gambling and golf -- something for everyone.
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| diverpam's Full Review: Lake Tahoe |
The crystal-clear, sparkling waters reflect the multi-million dollar homes built along the shores of Lake Tahoe. Only the fabulously rich can afford to live along this beautiful shoreline, but we can all dream of visiting there someday.
Beautiful, Peaceful Setting
With the majestic mountains as a backdrop, Lake Tahoe is a beautifully painted portrait of some of Mother Nature's finest work. The very tops of the mountain were sprinkled with snow and I could easily trace the ski runs winding down the steep mountains. I could only imagine the daring skiers who would soon be swooshing down the slopes.
Since my husband and I are not skiers, we were happy to visit Lake Tahoe during early fall when the air was crisp and the sky was a perfect, brilliant blue. It was a fairly quiet time to visit, before the mad rush of snow birds began.
Leisurely Activities
While my husband played golf one day, I was zipping around on the lake in a private yacht.
Of course, it wasn't my private yacht... I can only wish! My husband won our trip for being one of the top sales people at his company. The men were off on a golf outing and the ladies had the luxury of cruising around Lake Tahoe for the afternoon.
The Lake
The water in the lake is very clear and cold. Everyone tells you it's so clear "you can see a dinner plate at 50 feet deep"... what was so funny is that we actually saw a couple of white dinner plates that had been dropped into the lake to prove that very point.
The large is very large and we spent several hours skirting the edge of the shoreline where we could glimpse some of the more exclusive mansions that were completely hidden from view except from the lake.
Diving in Lake Tahoe
People do dive in Lake Tahoe, but it requires some special knowledge and a thick wetsuit. Because of the high altitude you have to be very careful diving about diving in Lake Tahoe. The water is also quite cold.
Since I'm a lazy diver who likes very warm ocean water, I was perfectly content to be sitting on the yacht when I saw a diver's flag flying in the breeze near a small boat anchored offshore.
Nice, Long Drive Around the Lake
The next day, we all took the bus tour around the lake. I kept telling my husband how much better the view had been from the yacht. He kept telling me how nice the golf course had been.
At the time we were there, Bill Gates was still building his Tahoe estate, so we saw it as a work in progress. The road circles around the lake and it takes several hours for you to see the all the gorgeous houses and make a few stops along the way.
Lake Tahoe has some of the most wonderful and expensive shops and galleries I have ever visited. It was a treat to marvel at the gorgeous items that I could never afford to buy.
We stopped at one shopping area where we ate lunch overlooking the water, then had a chance to browse some galleries. There were some exquisite sculptures and beautiful wildlife paintings.
Wonderful Scenery
The scenery was really incredible, between the water and the giant trees. I had the opportunity to pose for a picture beside a huge Redwood tree that made me look absolutely tiny by comparison.
I wish we could grow those trees in Tennessee... I'd stand outside in my front yard next to my giant trees, looking tiny all the time!
Gambling Opportunities
After a wonderful day of sightseeing and shopping, I returned to the hotel to try my luck at gambling. We were staying at Harrah's Hotel and Casino. Oh well, at least I had a good day out on the lake!
Unfortunately, the only time I found a slot machine that wanted to cooperate with me was during the last day of our stay -- about five minutes before the bus was due to leave for the airport!
I got on the bus with a purse full of quarters which I carried to the airport and parlayed into a bucketful of quarters. Since I didn't have time to cash them in before boarding the plane, my kids were set for lunch and snack money for a long time afterward!
Nearby Attractions
We had a group dinner in Virginia City, where we visited the shops along a main street that looked like a movie set from a western. I kept waiting for Hoss and Little Joe Cartwright to appear.
We did see the spot where the opening for "Bonanza" was filmed, where everyone comes riding up, just before the map of Nevada starts to burn. (You have to be old like me to remember that, I know.)
We also went by the infamous "Chicken Ranch" well before it got dark. Not much was happening yet at the busiest little "chickenhouse" in Nevada, but we sure did our best to sneak a peek.
Great for a Weekend Getaway
Three days in Lake Tahoe was enough time for me to enjoy the scenery, do a bit of shopping, and get my fill of gambling. If I'm ever "rich and famous" I'd love to have a little weekend "cabin" on Lake Tahoe (10,000 square feet or so). It would be nice to hop to Tahoe for the weekend now and then!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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Epinions.com ID:
diverpam
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
Trusted by: 347 members
About Me:
~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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