Cottage Inn, Tahoe City
Just south of Tahoe City is the woodsy Cottage Inn where carved wooden bears hang from the rafters, peek in the windows, and cling to the walls of its 1930s-era cabins. In summer, you can hike and mountain bike in nearby Sugar Pine Point State Park or on the Tahoe Rim Trail. In winter, there's easy access to skiing at Homewood, Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley USA.
Cottage Inn
1690 W. Lake Blvd.
Tahoe City, California
(530) 581-4073 or (800) 581-4073
www.thecottageinn.com
Marriott's Timber Lodge, South Lake Tahoe
Marriott's Timber Lodge has a location that can't be beat--right next to the Heavenly ski gondola, which will whisk you to Heavenly's world-famous slopes in just a few minutes. The Timber Lodge is loaded with amenities: an impressive fitness facility, two on-site spas providing all the latest treatments, the hip Fire and Ice restaurant, a heated outdoor pool and three outdoor Jacuzzis, plus plenty of activities for kids. The 340 guest rooms and one-, two- and three-bedroom "villas" have all the comforts of home: full kitchens, washers and dryers, jetted tubs, and the like.
Marriott's Timber Lodge
4100 Hwy. 50
South Lake Tahoe, California
(530) 542-6600 or (800) 465-4213
www.marriott.com
Camp Richardson Resort, South Lake Tahoe
Camp Richardson Resort is a great place to stay for a taste of the "old" Lake Tahoe. Built in the 1920s, these cozy cabins under the pines sit right on a sandy stretch of Tahoe shoreline. The Pope-Baldwin Bike Path runs right by the resort, a full-service marina with boat and jet ski rentals is on-site, and horse stables are right across the highway. In winter, Camp Richardson has groomed cross-country ski trails.
Camp Richardson Resort
1900 Jameson Beach Rd.
South Lake Tahoe, California
(530) 541-1801 or (800) 544-1801
www.camprichardson.com
Article Written By Ann Marie Brown
The author of 14 guidebooks on California outdoor recreation, Ann Marie Brown is a dedicated outdoorswoman. She hikes, bikes and camps more than 150 days each year in an all-out effort to avoid routine, complacency and getting a real job. In addition to her best-selling guidebooks, Brown's writing has appeared in "Sunset," "VIA," and "Backpacker" magazines.
