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For a look at the lake as a whole, nothing beats
the spectacular 72-mile drive
around the lake.
To get out on the lake, take a lake cruise.
The paddlewheelers Tahoe Queen and M.S. Dixie II
cruise from South Shore to picturesque Emerald Bay. During the
day, you can look straight down through the boats' glass bottoms
into the crystal-clear depths. In the evening you can enjoy
the popular sunset dinner-dance cruises. Various other trips
and charters are available (including private-party charters),
from, among others, Tahoe Sailboat Charters, M/V Par-a-dice,
Ketch Tahoe, and the sailing trimaran Woodwind.
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If you have a larger appetite for airborne
views, try a charter air tour of the area through
Oasis Aviation (530-541-2110) or Alpine Lake Aviation
(530-541-4080). Both fly year-round. For a more old-fashioned,
more sedate air tour, 90-minute hot-air balloon rides
are another possibility (530-542-5944 or 800-872-9294).
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One of the most photogenic spots in the world
is the tiny bay at the southwest corner of the lake. Emerald
Bay State Park affords amazing views of the mountains, the
lake, and Tahoe's only island, Fannette Island. Hike down along
the falls trail to the shore at the head of the bay to find
the striking structure known as Vikingsholm (accessible
only on foot or by boat). In 1928, Mrs. Lora J. Knight, a wealthy
Chicago widow, purchased this then-isolated site and instructed
Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design a home -- a fully
detailed reproduction of a Norse fortress circa 800 A.D. --
without disturbing even one of the lot's magnificent trees.
Completed in September of 1929, Vikingsholm is
considered the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in
the Western Hemisphere. The methods and materials used in the
construction, including the granite boulders of the foundations
and walls, are all those of ancient Scandinavia. Turrets, towers,
intricate carvings, even hand-hewn timbers were used to recreate
the fortress -- and the sod roof, with its living grass, is
like those sometimes used in Scandinavia to feed livestock in
winter. Many of the furnishings that Mrs. Knight desired for
Vikingsholm were of such great historic significance that the
Norwegian and Swedish governments forbade their export, so she
had them copied in every detail, down to the measurements, coloration
and aging of the wood. Vikingsholm is open for guided tours
($2 adults, $1 children) daily June 17 through Labor Day, then
weekends only through the end of September. (From the short,
you can also see a small stone house on Fannette Island. This
is where Mrs. Knight and her friends occasionally took tea in
the afternoons.) For information, call 530-541-6498 or 530-525-7232.
For another fascinating glimpse back into Tahoe's
history, visit 74-acre Tallac Historic Site, (530) 541-5227,
former site of the 100-year-old Tallac Resort. In its heyday,
the resort included two large hotels, a casino, and numerous
annexes and out-buildings. The Lucky Legacy Tour ($2.50 per
person; you must call ahead and request the tour specially)
allows you a view of the 19th-century gaming world of former
Tallac Resort owner Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin.
The site is also home to three estates erected
as summer retreats by wealthy California families -- the Pope
and McGonagle mansions, and Valhalla. Tea With The Tevises
is a free tour (with tea in the arboretum) of the Pope Estate
grounds, starting at 8 PM Mondays, July and August.
Valhalla has been converted into a community
events center, the McGonagle mansion into the Educational-Cultural
Center and the Tallac Museum, which contains exhibits
on the Baldwin family (proprietors of the Tallac hotel) and
the casinos, and the Washoe Indian Cultural Foundation Exhibit
(which features artifacts, historic photos, basket-weaving demonstrations,
and slide presentations).
The Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum
(3058 U.S. Hwy. 50, 530-541-5458) possesses the area's most
comprehensive collections of early photos, pioneer implements,
and Washoe Indian basketry -- as well as a fine model of the
historic S.S. Tahoe and the basin's oldest erect building.
Care for a more hands-on taste of the area's
quieter days? An hour west of the basin on U.S. Hwy. 50, Apple
Hill (530-644-7692) is famous for its fresh produce and
country charm. Here, growers sell apples, cherries, pears, pumpkins,
Christmas trees and more -- and nearby are wineries, cider mills,
and weekend craft fairs.
Music, theater and fine art are all vital
parts of Tahoe's varied entertainment scene -- as are the many
spectacular venues. Throughout the summer at the Tallac Historic
Site (where fine art and photography are on display year-round),
the Valhalla Festival of Arts and Music (530-541-4975 or 542-4166)
showcases jazz, bluegrass, rock, mariachi and classical music.
Summer highlights include June's Valhalla Renaissance Festival,
July's Native American Fine Arts Festival, and August's Great
Gatsby Festival.
Shakespeare at Sand Harbor (July and August)
attracts large crowds, as does the annual Lake Tahoe Summer
Music Festival. Four exciting music and dance concerts are offered
each year by the prestigious Tahoe Arts Project, and the Tahoe
Community Orchestra and Tahoe Community Choir perform each winter
and spring.
Exhibits at more than a dozen galleries, college
and community theatrical productions, headline acts and cabaret
entertainment at the casinos also contribute to an outstanding
arts calendar.
Getting beyond the immediate area, head southwest
on Highway 89. About four miles from Markleeville on Hot Springs
Road, Grover Hot Springs State Park is a superb site
for hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, or a dip in the hot
spring-fed pool (big enough for 75 people). Reservations (800-444-PARK)
are advisable May 7 to September 4.
Fifteen miles each of the lake on Highway 206
you'll find historic Genoa (775-782-4951). Nevada's first
settlement, and once a Mormon trading post, Genoa was founded
in 1851. Today the city has nearly 30 buildings on the National
Register of Historic Places, a replica of the original trading
post (now a museum), and the Golf Course at Genoa Lakes.
Heavy with Old West atmosphere is Nevada's capital,
Carson City (775-687-7410), north of Genoa on Highway
395. Named for famous "scout" Kit Carson, the city
hosts a Kit Carson Trail Walk ($3, free for ages 12 and under),
a guided tour of some 15 historic homes in town, every Saturday
through the summer. A different home is highlighted each week,
with a narrator in period dress discussing the house's past.
The Nevada State Museum here is considered one of the ten best
regional museums in the American west, but there are several
other notable museums in town as well. The city even has its
own hot springs.
Discovery of the Comstock Lode made Virginia
City (775-847-7500), farther north on Highway 341, "the
richest place on earth." The city itself is the nation's
largest historic landmark. It retains the flavor of its mid-19th
century heyday. Visitors enjoy the wooden boardwalks, restored
mansions, mine tours, and museums -- as well as the saloons,
fine dining and shopping.
Courtesy
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.
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