How to Plan a Winter Trip to South Lake Tahoe, CA

As someone who lives for a good ski trip… and a good deal, I was able to find both during my many trips to South Lake Tahoe. 

South Lake Tahoe seems like a boujee vacation destination, but I want to debunk that, since you can experience this beautiful place with all budgets. Plus, the experience is the same as the mountain name, Heavenly.

Before you go on your trip, make sure you check out my guide on what to pack for a winter ski trip.

Why you should visit South Lake Tahoe

Great to visit in both summer and winter, South Lake Tahoe has something for everyone. Since I tend to visit for skiing, I’m going to share all my tips for this town, from where to stay to where to eat to what else to do (besides going on the mountain!).

If you’ve been wondering whether you should visit or not, I would highly recommend a visit.

Before you go

The base of the town, also known as Heavenly village, is 6450 ft. When you take the gondola up to the base of the mountain, you’ll be at 8600 ft. so it’s just high enough to give you altitude sickness if you don’t treat it right.

Take it easy when you first arrive, and make sure to drink plenty of water, limit your alcohol consumption and smoking when you first arrive. In order to avoid a nauseous, headache-y first few days, make sure you take care of yourself!

How to get there

Luckily, South Lake Tahoe is easier to get there than you would think. 

If you want the easiest way to get here, then you should fly into Reno, Nevada. If you don’t mind a bit of a longer commute (and some other cool places to check out), I would recommend flying into San Francisco or Sacramento.

No matter where you choose, there are tons of options to get there, by bus, train, and by car. The easiest way is by car from Sacramento airport.

I’d recommend renting a car from DiscoverCars for the best deal. They offer the best rates since they’re more of a search engine that checks all the rental car rates from that airport. 

Most weekdays, you can park at the mountain if you get there by 8am, so don’t worry too much. It is especially important to have a car if you aren’t going to stay in town. Public transportation is a bit questionable.

South Lake Tahoe is only a few hours from Sacramento, and you can also take a bus from there. San Francisco was an easy flight too, and from there, you can get a train to Sacramento and a bus from there.

Where to stay in South Lake Tahoe

When I went to visit the area, I thought it would be really crowded and a bit claustrophobic with endless lift lines… but I had to see for myself how it was, and I’m so glad I did. The Heavenly Mtn Ski Resort is incredible.

My favorite part about visiting the mountain was the accommodation. Hostels definitely aren’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for a great way to meet people, and don’t mind staying in bunk beds, then you need to visit the Mellow Mountain Hostel.

This hostel offers really great rates, covered parking, and they’re even walking distance from the gondola to get on the mountain (5-10 minutes at most!). 

Being walking distance from the mountain is super important because parking in the area is hard to find and can be super expensive. If you get to the mountain early enough, you might find parking, but it is much easier finding accommodation nearby with parking so you don’t need to worry about that.

For anyone interested in a hotel, I would suggest staying at the Black Bear Lodge. They have parking, and they’re a short walk from both the Gondola for the mountain, and the lake. It’s so convenient to be between the lake and the mountain.

Tucked right on the line for California and Nevada, I could easily explore either state in a short drive or even a walk. There is also a shuttle that will take you to California Lodge, which is the base of the mountain.

What to do in South Lake Tahoe

If you’ve heard of South Lake Tahoe, then you’ve heard of Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort. That is the most popular thing to do in this town, summer or winter. You can ski, snowboard, or just go up the gondola to see the views.

It was surprisingly easy to find friends to ski with here when I visited alone. I ran into people on the gondola, the lifts, and at my accommodation, so you don’t have to worry too much.

The weekend can be a total mess on the mountain, with crazy long lift lines on the Nevada side and the California side, so I stayed near the Stagecoach lift which is usually a lot less populated. People start to leave as the day gets later, so don’t expect it to be bad all day. There are definitely less people in the afternoon or on white out days.

Non-skiing activities for you

Another fun activity in this area is watching a local hockey game, which is easiest to get to by car. The team is called the Lake Tahoe Lakers, and it’s a ton of fun going with a super energetic crowd.

Of course, there are also casinos all around the city as well, especially once you cross the Nevada line. If you’re into gambling, then you’re definitely in the right place and you’ll have plenty to do while you’re here.

Another great spot that you can walk to from town is the Lake, Lake Tahoe. There are beautiful views, and it’s incredible to watch the sunset there. The beach is all covered with snow and definitely slippery, so be careful, but you can’t miss this beautiful lake and mountainous view.

Do you like shopping?

If you are renting a car, then you need to make sure you go to the thrift shops in the area. There are tons of great options like Tahoe Merchant Thrift and a Goodwill nearby. I have found some insanely cool things at the different shops there.

Whether you want to find a cool ski suit, jacket, gloves, poles, sweaters, or even skis, this a super cool spot to find anything you might want or need.

There are tons of great bars and restaurants in the area as well, so let me tell you about the best ones…

Where you should grab food

While I didn’t eat out that much during my visit, I definitely enjoyed a meal here and there, and who can say no to a good happy hour deal?

For anyone planning to cook, there is a Target within walking distance.

There are other grocery stores a bit further away that can be more convenient and cheaper depending on what you’re looking for.

Happy hour deals

I visited many happy hours in South Lake Tahoe, and most of them went on from 3-5pm, so you needed to make sure you didn’t ski too late if you wanted to take part in them. There are some that go on a bit later or start earlier, but most were around that time.

My favorite happy hour special was at Stateline Whiskey Bar where they had both drink and food specials. Keep in mind that they get pretty busy when sports are on, so plan ahead if you want to get a table.

I would also recommend checking out Gunbarrel Tavern for their happy hour specials. It’s a super convenient spot with an outdoor fire place and good weekday deals.

Tipsy Putt is also a fun spot for happy hour, especially since you get to play minigolf there too!

Delicious food spots

If you want an easy spot near the bottom of the gondola, I would suggest checking out Heaven’s Little Café. I was obsessed with the burritos there, but they also have really good sandwiches and breakfast options. 

Now if you’re looking for pizza, look no further than Basecamp Pizza. The pizza there was a good price and tasted delicious.

When it comes to breweries, there are a couple options, but my favorite one was South of North. They had a ton of options and they often have live music so it’s a great vibe overall.

A bit of a drive up the mountain, you’ll find Himmel Haus. They’re a really nice spot and they do weekly trivia which is a ton of fun. The food there was DEFINITELY worth writing home about, especially the fries and pretzels.

I grabbed food on the mountain a handful of times, but it’s unsurprisingly overpriced. Plan to pack your own snacks for your day of skiing, and grab food at the end of the day in town or nearby for the best deals.

Final thoughts

If you like a good night out, you will definitely find that here in South Lake Tahoe. If that’s not your scene, there are plenty of other things to do in the area, but spending time on the mountain is by far the best activity. 

I personally enjoyed the hostel quite a bit, but visiting the town in general, with any accommodation is what matters. The energy of the town is really nice and very enjoyable, so you aren’t going to want to miss it.

Hope you enjoy your trip to this incredible area! If you have any questions about how to visit South Lake Tahoe, especially in the winter season, comment below or DM me on Instagram at @LizsGreatPerhaps.