What to do in Lake Tahoe while house and pet sitting

Beautiful Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada. It’s well renowned for its incredible beaches, picture-perfect vistas, ski resorts as well as miles of picturesque hiking trails. With its sky-high pine trees and crystal clear water, Lake Tahoe has earned its nickname, ocean in the sky tenfold. So, if you find yourself at your latest pet sit, wondering, “what to do in Lake Tahoe”? We’re here to help. 

Lake Tahoe attractions

Read on below to discover our favorite things to do in Lake Tahoe you won’t want to miss while you’re there.

1. Homewood Mountain Resort: Want to get some skiing in when you visit? Since 1961 Homewood Mountain Resort has been one of Tahoe's classic family-friendly ski resorts. Located directly on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, the resort has beautiful slopes of all difficulty levels for both skiing and snowboarding.

2. Northstar California Resort: Northstar is a ski resort lodging you won’t want to miss. Aside from all the usual snow-dusted activities, there are themed outdoor movie nights and resort mountain biking in the summer. 

3. D. L. Bliss State Park: DL Bliss State Park is a fantastic place to spend a day relaxing on the beach. Some of the park’s main attractions include the Lighthouse Trail, situated at around 7,000 feet, and Balancing Rock, a one-mile nature trail that shows you many of the different foliage and natural wonders. The park is also the starting point for the popular Rubicon Trail, one of the most beautiful trails in Northern California. 

4. Tallac Historic Site: Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Tallac Historic site comprises the Pope, Baldwin and Valhalla estates. The site is open from Memorial Day through to September and offers guided tours as well as special events like the two-day Gatsby festival, jazz concerts and other 1920s-inspired events that celebrate the estate's origins.

5. Kings Beach: This sandy beach is an ideal place for lounging, swimming and boating during the summertime. The Kings Beach State Recreation Area has plenty of picnic tables in a shaded area, barbecue pits, a playground and places that rent out kayaks and paddleboards. The best part? Dogs are welcome on leash along the sidewalks, picnic table areas as well as at the specially designated Dog Beach.

Free things to do in Lake Tahoe

Looking for things to do in Lake Tahoe for free? We love a good, fun, free activity. Here are our top pics: 

1. Emerald Bay State Park: Entrance to and parking in Emerald Bay State Park is free, and although you'll have to bring your own gear, snorkeling and diving at the Underwater Park is free as well. Don’t forget to check out the park’s crowning jewel: the Emerald Bay lookout to discover colorful granite cliffs and stunning panoramic views of the park. 

2. Donner Memorial State Park and Emigrant Trail Museum: The Donner Memorial State Park and Emigrant Trail Museum pays respects to one of the darkest honors, one of the darkest moments in American pioneering. You'll find a great stone pedestal commemorating the Donner Party, as well as the Emigrant Trail Museum where you'll find intricate dioramas and interactive exhibits. Overall, a great spot for history buffs!

3. Commons Beach: Situated in the heart of Tahoe City is one of the best free spots in the area. Free special events are held year-round and on Sundays, there’s free concerts and Wednesdays is movie night. 

4. Northstar Village Skating Rink: Wondering what to do in Lake Tahoe during the winter months? In the middle of the quaint Northstar Village, you’ll find a 9,000-square-foot skating rink that is free to the public. The rink itself is surrounded by outdoor fire pits as well as food and beverage stands and lots of shops.

5. Desolation Wilderness: Looking for somewhere new to take the pup you’re sitting? For spectacular views, head out to one of the most stunning trails around the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Discover the beautiful Emerald Bay and the surrounding wilderness of subalpine forest, glacial lakes, soaring peaks, and verdant valleys.

Fun things to do in Lake Tahoe

You love adventures but not sure where to start? No worries! Let’s have a look at fun things to do in Lake Tahoe:

1. Palisades Tahoe: Head on over to the Palisades for a ski adventure. With 34 lifts and 6,000 skiable acres across our two mountains, there’s endless fun to be had at Palisades Tahoe. Don’t forget to check out their Legendary Lifts to see their most storied chairlifts and terrain highlights.

2. Lake Tahoe Balloons: Lake Tahoe activities don’t get much more fun than a balloon ride. One of the best ways to see Lake Tahoe is by hot air balloon. They are also the only company in the world that launches and lands from the deck of a boat. For extra fun go for a ride with on-board refreshments and beverages.

3. Lake Tahoe Cruises: There’s a wide variety of luxury yacht lake cruises available on Lake Tahoe. From classic sightseeing tours, to brunch and dinner cruises and even wine tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. 

4. The Gondola at Heavenly: The 2.4 mile ride up the Heavenly Mountain Gondola provides you with all the spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. On the way up, don’t forget to take in the sights at the observation deck. There’s fresh coffee to be had at the Cafe Blue, too.

5. Sand Harbor: Get your fill of swimming, water skiing and scuba diving at Sand Harbor, the largest alpine lake in North America. The beautiful cobalt blue lake sits atop the Sierra Nevada mountain range and has crystal clear water, sandy beaches and fascinating rock formations to discover. 

What to do in Lake Tahoe with pets?

1. Nevada Beach: Nevada Beach is a great dog-friendly beach to visit with your pup. There are even dog prints painted on the asphalt to direct you to the dog-friendly section of the beach. It’s also a fantastic spot to watch the sunset with your pooch. 

2. Bijou Community Park: Located within Bijou Community Park, the Bijou dog park has an off-leash area for both small and large dogs. There’s approximately 38,000 square feet of fun for dogs with plenty of grassy areas, lots of shade, benches for relaxing and handy pet sanitary stations with water to keep your pup hydrated. 

3. XC Ski park: For dogs that love the snow as much as you do, they can ski with you on the cross country trails at Tahoe XC. There's even a few special green loops where dogs can “ski” with you off-leash. The park provides free poop bags free of charge too!  

4. Base Camp Pizza Co: If pizzas are the flavour of the day, you won’t go wrong with Base Camp Pizza Co. It also happens to be one of the best dog-friendly restaurants around. Enjoy a fresh out of the oven pizza with your pup on the dog-friendly patio and listen to local artists. 

5. Heavenly: This Latin eatery gets extra points for allowing your fur-friend inside to dine with you. If you want to chow down outside there’s a heated patio with fire pits where you can enjoy some delicious burritos and listen to live music with your pup. 

Best restaurants in Lake Tahoe

When it comes to the best restaurants in Tahoe, there’s an abundance of cuisines to try. From classic American burgers to great bagel breakfast spots, below we’ve run you through our top favorites:

1. Burger Me: Located in the old town section of Truckee, Burger Me specializes in you guessed it, burgers! They only use meat from locally sourced farmers and all their burgers are made with natural ingredients. The best part? You get to go eat outside in the fresh mountain air. 

2. Stella: Located in the Cedar House Sport Hotel near Truckee, Stella offers an award-winning menu by chef Jacob Burton. Stella's top menu features many items from the Cedar House Hotel's gardens and uses simple ingredients to create some seriously comforting dishes. Don’t forget to try the seared salmon and scallops. 

3. Fire Sign Cafe: A long line out the doors is always a good sign and Fire Sign Cafe is definitely one of Tahoe’s most popular breakfast spots. There’s classics like eggs Benedict, gouda scramble and an abundance of omelettes. If that isn’t mouth-watering enough, the cafe also serves freshly-made blueberry and raspberry sauce atop buckwheat pancakes. 

House and pet sitting in Lake Tahoe 

After reading through all our suggestions, we’re confident you now have more than enough inspiration for what to do in Lake Tahoe while you’re there. Lake Tahoe has an abundance of experiences to enjoy and plenty of pet owners who would love to introduce you to their fur baby while exploring their picturesque mountain town! Happy exploring!

Your mind’s made up and all that’s left to do is find a house and pet sit in Lake Tahoe? Then head right over here to connect with pet owners and their four-legged fur-babies.