White Christmas for Lake Tahoe Means More Skiing, Festive Holiday Celebrations

Heavenly Mountain Resort which already has a blanket of snow for great skiing, is set to host its annual Heavenly Holidays at Heavenly Village, a two-week festival featuring ice sculptors, live music, 16-foot snow globe inside which kids can get their picture taken with Santa, culminating with New year’s Eve concert, LED dance show, Gondola ball drop and dazzling fireworks show © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Lake Tahoe, Calif. & Nev. – Another round of snow-laden storms delivered close to two feet of fresh snow to the Northern Sierra, a timely gift atop the Christmas wish lists of Lake Tahoe-bound skiers and snowboarders. The entire destination has been transformed into a festive winter wonderland as the region readies to welcome holiday travelers and New Year’s Eve revelers during the action-packed weeks leading up to 2017.

Benefitting from an active weather pattern off the Pacific Coast over the last two months, Lake Tahoe resorts continue to open additional chairlifts and terrain with season snowfall totals recently surpassing the 100-inch mark. Powder-minded skiers and snowboarders will find plenty of fresh snow over the holiday season as forecasters are calling for a perfect blend of sunny skies and intermittent storms to freshen up the slopes.

“This latest round of storms ensures a White Christmas in Lake Tahoe with miles of open trails and skiing and snowboarding options for every ability level,” said Mike Pierce, President of Ski Lake Tahoe. “The beauty of Sierra Nevada storms is all it takes is one monster measured in feet rather than inches to open the entire mountain.”

The holiday season in Lake Tahoe is brimming with family-friendly celebrations and Santa sightings on the slopes, altogether creating winter vacation memories certain to last a lifetime. The festivities include torchlight parades, firework shows and East Coast NYE parties timed to celebrate the arrival of 2017 at 9:00pm PT so the younger revelers can still get their sleep before hitting the slopes the next day.

For the adult crowd, New Year’s Eve in Lake Tahoe is truly a sight to behold as the evening climaxes with the biggest slope-side block party on the planet with thousands of revelers spilling out into the Stateline casino corridor to celebrate the stroke of midnight. Music festivals, boundary-pushing nightclubs and Vegas-style entertainment await fun-seeking travelers who consider last chair to last call one of the high points of a great ski trip.

With new flights being added this season from important gateway air markets such as New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport now offers nonstop service from 23 major cities across the U.S. and Mexico with one-stop service from almost anywhere in the world. Destination travelers can visit www.SkiLakeTahoe.com for complete details on planning a winter getaway to Lake Tahoe and read on for an overview of festive events and fun-filled celebrations planned over the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Eve.

Holiday Festivities and Family-Friendly NYE Celebrations

Heavenly Mountain Resort is set to host its annual Heavenly Holidays at Heavenly Village, a two-week festival from December 19 through December 31 featuring ice sculptors, live music and a 16-foot, oversized snow globe inside which kids can get their picture taken with Santa. The two-week festival culminates on New Year’s Eve with an outdoor concert, LED dance show, 9:00pm Gondola ball drop and a dazzling firework show.

Skiing is believing at Homewood Mountain Resort as Santa Claus will take to the slopes each day from December 21-24 at 11:00am-2:00pm with the cobalt blue waters of Lake Tahoe serving as the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable Christmas card. The resort will also be celebrating the last runs of 2016 with its New Year’s Eve-ning celebration from 3-5:00pm on December 31 with live music, champagne toasts, s’mores, firepits, snowcat photo opportunities and poster signings by Homewood’s ski patrol dogs.

Taking advantage of its spectacular setting atop the Pacific Crest, Kirkwood Mountain Resort will be welcoming in the new year with its annual Torchlight Parade and New Year’s Eve Firework Show beginning at 6:00pm on December 31. The festivities include an on-snow bonfire and guests looking for the ultimate firework viewing experience can reserve a seat aboard the resort’s enclosed Expedition: Kirkwood snowcat for a ride to the top of Caples Crest for a complimentary champagne toast and hot chocolate.

Northstar California looks like a scene straight from a Charles Dickens novel as The Village Ice Rink and festive storefronts at the Village at Northstar have been decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and holiday garlands. Guests can enjoy Noel Nights on Thursdays in December with classic ways to celebrate the season including ice skating, sleigh rides and hot cocoa and s’mores beside a fire pit. These holiday traditions expand to nightly celebrations from December 15 through December 24 along with the addition of Santa Sightings and Ripperoo Parades. The resort will be ringing in 2017 on December 31 during its annual New Year’s Eve Fire & Ice Celebration featuring a David Bowie tribute band and a firework show at 9 pm.

Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe was one of the first Lake Tahoe resorts to get into the holiday spirit as hundreds of skiers and snowboarders dressed as Santa took over the slopes on December 10 to take part in the resort’s annual Santa Ski Day. Long known for its laidback atmosphere and family-friendly vibe, Mt. Rose will be celebrating New Year’s Eve from 4:30-6:30pm on December 31 with a kids’ torchlight parade, a snowcat parade and its crowd-pleasing firework show.

Tis the season to shred at Sierra-at-Tahoe as the resort is set to host its Holiday Hollapalooza, from 12-2:00pm on December 18, a festive GS race pitting families and friends dressed up as Santa’s elves and Mrs. Claus in head-to-head heats. Sierra Saxmas also takes place on December 18 featuring some of California’s best saxophone players performing in the Solstice Plaza from 12-3:00pm. Sierra will be celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24 with an Apres Ski Ugly Sweater Party before Santa hits the slopes on Christmas Day, December 25.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is rolling out Santa’s red carpet to commemorate its first annual Merry Days & Holly Nights from December 17-31, two-weeks of fun-filled holiday festivities featuring ice sculptor demonstrations, moonlit snowshoe tours, farm-to-table dinners with Olympians and legends, horse drawn carriage rides, a mini-Polar Express train for kids and a giant singing Christmas Tree. Special performances will include two nights of the Holly Feet & Grinch’s Groove show featuring the Utah Ballroom Dance Company, Truckee Dance Factory and a Grinch Look-a-Like contest for kids judged by Santa True himself. Guests can ski or ride with Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley on select days and the two-week celebration climaxes with a New Year’s Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Show on December 31.

SnowGlobe Music Festival, Boundary-Pushing NYE Parties

The Sixth Annual SnowGlobe Music Festival returns to South Lake Tahoe from December 29-31 bringing together a passion for music and mountains with multiple stages of world-class DJs and headlining acts combined with big air exhibitions by local skiers and snowboarders. This year’s lineup has doubled in size with scheduled performances by The Chainsmokers, Flume, Major Lazer, Odesza and many more.

Most of the major resort casinos in and around Lake Tahoe will be hosting over-the-top, Vegas-style New Year’s Eve parties with live music, international DJs, VIP booth service and no shortage of go-go dancers. The entire Stateline casino corridor turns into the biggest slope-side block party on the planet as thousands of revelers spill out into the barricaded streets to celebrate the arrival of 2017.

On New Year’s Eve, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will be hosting an 80’s Flashback Party featuring Glam Cobra in its Vinyl Event Venue as well as a DJ Extravaganza and Plaza Countdown. MontBleu Resort Casino will be throwing three parties for the price of one in its Blu and Opal Ultra Nightclubs as well as its newly renovated 16,000 square foot convention center. Four Color Zack will be behind the turntables at the Edge Nightclub in the Peppermill Reno with complimentary champagne toasts and a massive balloon drop at midnight.

Surrounding North America’s largest alpine lake, the collection of resorts that make up Ski Lake Tahoe are Heavenly, Homewood, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar California, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows. Lake Tahoe boasts some of the highest annual snowfall totals in the entire country while still averaging more than 300 days of sunshine each year. The seven resorts, all offering breathtaking lake views and panoramic mountains vistas, are conveniently located near the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. For further information on how to book airfare, lodging, lift tickets and transportation for Ski Lake Tahoe resorts and their travel partners, visit www.SkiLakeTahoe.com

 

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Top 10 Things to Do at Lake Tahoe this Summer

With its mesmerizing blue waters, tall mountains and endless activities, Lake Tahoe is immenselypopular summer vacation destination © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

With its mesmerizing blue waters, tall mountains and endless activities, Lake Tahoe is an immensely popular summer vacation destination. With so much to do, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly how to spend your time at Tahoe, but the experts at Zephyr Cove Resort, Lake Tahoe Cruises and Heavenly Mountain Resort have teamed up to develop this list of the top ten things to do at South Lake Tahoe.

1. Take a Cruise: “You can’t go to Lake Tahoe without getting out on the lake,” says Tony Lyle, director of sales and marketing for Lake Tahoe Cruises. The lake is home to two authentic Mississippi paddlewheel boats, the M.S. Dixie II and Tahoe Queen. Both boats offer charm, entertainment and the best views of the lake with cruises to Emerald Bay, dinner cruises, and a brunch cruise on the M.S. Dixie II every Sunday morning.
2. Go to the top of Heavenly: The best summer views of Lake Tahoe are a 12-minute, 2.4-mile ride on the Heavenly Gondola. Stepping out onto the Mid-station Observation Deck at 9,123 feet of elevation, guests will be amazed by the fabulous views of the Carson Valley, Desolation Wilderness and a rare shore-to-shore view of Lake Tahoe. From the Deck, continue the ride up the Gondola to Adventure Peak, where you can dine at Tamarack Lodge, enjoy tubing, a rock climbing wall and more than eight miles of hiking trails.
3. Spend a day at the beach: What is a lake vacation without a day on the beach? Zephyr Cove Beach is a regular of “Best Lakes of Lake Tahoe” lists and for good reason. The long, sandy cove is ideal for sunbathing, swimming and other beach activities. Steps from the shore, you can grab a drink and bite to eat at the Sunset Bar & Grille with its fabulous views of the lake and laid-back summer ambiance.
4. Tour Vikingsholm: This world-famous replica of a Scandinavian castle is open daily for tours throughout summer. In July and August, you can park at Eagle Point State Park and enjoy a 1.7-mile hike along Emerald Bay to Vikingsholm for added enjoyment.
5. Rent a powerboat: Want to accelerate the fun at Lake Tahoe? Tubing, skiing and boarding behind a powerboat is a high-octane way to see Tahoe. Explore coves, inlets and far off portions of the lake quickly and efficiently with a powerboat rental from Zephyr Cove Marina.
6. Horseback ride through the Sierras: Enjoy the area’s serenity and beauty as you amble over forested scenic trails with amazing views of the lake and surrounding mountains. One, 1.5 and two hour guided trips are available, as are breakfast, lunch and dinner rides. Call 775-588-5664 to reserve.
7. Explore Heavenly Village: Right in the heart of South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Village offers shopping, dining, mini-golf, a movie theatre and access to the Gondola for a splendid afternoon or evening on the town.
8. Kayak/paddle board on the lake: While the paddlewheel boats are a great way to see much of the lake from a high vantage point, kayaking or paddle boarding is a relaxing and intimate way to see the lake up close, observing its wildlife and gentle currents from just above the surface. Rentals are available at the Zephyr Cove Marina.
9. Go parasailing: Get airborne for a truly unique way to see Tahoe. Parasailing will lift you 1,000 feet into the air as the lake shrinks under your feet to open up stunning views and high-flying fun. Call 775-589-4901 for information and reservations.
10. Play a game of beach volleyball: Standing upon sun-warmed sand with the lake in the background makes for an inspiring atmosphere for a game of volleyball. Zephyr Cove Resort is host to professional volleyball tournaments due to its regulation courts and breathtaking location. Court use is free and volleyballs are available from the Sunset Bar & Grille.

For lodging and cruise packages available throughout summer, visit www.zephyrcove.com/lake-tahoe-specials-packages.aspx

Visitors can find information about Zephyr Cove’s lodging and activities at www.zephycove.com or by calling 800-23-TAHOE. For Heavenly Resort, visit http://www.skiheavenly.com/ or call 800-HEAVENLY. General information about all of South Lake Tahoe can be found at http://tahoesouth.com/

See also:

NIGHT & DAY IN HEAVENLY:
Your Inner Angel & Devil Both Get Time to Play At Resort that Straddles Nevada & California

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