With 72 miles of shoreline, you’ll have your pick of several Lake Tahoe beaches to visit. Here are a few North Shore favorites to get you started:
See the Lupines at Lake Forest: Each spring a large field of the tall purple flowers blooms at this Tahoe City beach. Make sure to stop by the Sugar Pine Cakery for a sweet treat after your day at the beach!
Climb the boulders at Sand Harbor: Some of the most iconic images of Lake Tahoe show the towering piles of boulders that dot the Northern shore line. Get a glimpse of these famous structures at Sand Harbor beach, just a few miles south of Incline Village. This is one of the most popular beaches around the lake, so be sure to get there early!
Catch some rays at Kings Beach: Kings Beach Recreation Area is one of the few beaches on the North Shore with a large swatch of sandy beach. There’s plenty of room for everyone to spread out a beach blanket, pop out the beach chairs, and soak up the sun with the blue shimmering waters in the background.
Easy Beach Access at Hurricane Bay: This West Shore alcove is protected from the choppier lake waters, which makes it the perfect place to launch a paddleboard or kayak. A limited number of free parking spots on the road are less than a hundred feet from the shore, meaning you won’t have far to lug those kayaks either.
Donner Lake: Don’t forget about Donner Lake! A few miles away in Truckee you’ll find this hidden gem nestled at the base of Donner Summit. There are recreation areas at the east and west end, along with more than 20 public piers scattering the north shore of the 3- mile long lake. Donner sometimes goes overlooked in lieu of the big lake, but it provides an equally-perfect summer lake experience.