MarkMorales

My family and I are planning a week-long road trip from Southern California to Lake Tahoe in July. We have two young kids aged 5 and 7. Can anyone recommend some must-see spots for families that are both scenic and fun for kids? We'll be based in South Lake Tahoe but have a rental car to explore the area. Also, could you do any tips for restaurants? Thank you in advance for the suggestions.

janisj

Dashing out but google these to get you started:

Sand Harbor
Emerald Bay / Vikingsholm
Virginia City
Heavenly Valley Gondola
M S Dixie

StuDudley

In the Gold Rush area, you & the kids might like Columbia. Recreation of an old Gold Rush town with people in costume, and various demonstrations.
https://www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com/

Stu Dudley

Michael

Google "columbia ca". Or take US 395 to Lake Tahoe and visit the Bodie Historical State Park.


Bodie SHP

janisj

Is the week for the entire round trip drive from SoCal to Tahoe and back -- or just for the trip to Tahoe?? And how long are you staying at Tahoe?? Columbia could easily be fit in a road trip to South Lake Tahoe and back and is great for kids (plus all the other Gold Rush towns along hwy 49).

Bodie is more difficult -- it is about a 3 to 3.5 hour drive from SLT down 395 so unless you were going to Yosemite and over Tioga Pass it would be really difficult. Incorporating Yosemite would make this a 'trip to Yosemite & Tahoe' and that is a lot to squeeze into a week from/to LA.

OR -- you could drive up 395 from SoCal, see Death Valley (very hot in July) and other things along 395, visit Bodie and on to SLT. Then depending on how long you plan in the Tahoe Basin, just go to Sacramento and straight downI-5 home.

Michael

I meant visit Bodie on the way to the final destination.

macdogmom

Drive up to Tahoe from SoCal is going to be a long day. When we traveled with small kids, we got where we were going and then kind of stayed put and did recreational stuff at our location. Besides swimming in lake (cold) or swimming pool my kids enjoyed a gondola ride and maybe having lunch at top of mountain. We always stayed up by Truckee/Homewood or Squaw (now Palisades) so can’t recommend any restaurants in South Lake Tahoe. Good luck. And Tahoe can get incredibly crowded in the summer so driving around and getting there isn’t always easy although coming from the south will be less crowded then coming from Bay Area.

Dayenu

I remember taking a train for tourists out of Virginia City in NV, could be fun for kids. Is the train still running? Maybe Google can help. I remember the most that we were "robbed" (staged, of course!) on the train.

Christina

Sounds like they are just going to take a week to drive from SoCal to Tahoe. Which is lots of time. Although it isn't really clear given the comment about being based in Tahoe so what can they drive to around there.

There are plenty of restaurant in SLT, they don't need special recommendations with little kids. I mean I wouldn't think any upscale places would be in order. I'm not a foodie so don't care and just eat casual, , as I only go there to ski and that's all I really care about. The restaurants there are expensive, like a basic steak dinner may be $40-50 or more. I eat in the Mexican one in the bottom of Harveys sometimes, and Base Camp Pizza is really good (near the gondola). For basic diner-type food, I also like the regular restaurant in the basement of Harrahs, it is reasonably priced (American River Cafe) and would be good for kids. Really, there are many restraurants around that area. I try to avoid ones with little kids so can't recommend for that demographic.

I have visited Carson City from SLT, it has some museums of interest, the railroad museum might interest kids.