A four hour drive up Highway 50 from San Francisco, and just over the Sierra mountain peaks lies Lake Tahoe. The second deepest freshwater lake in the US at over 1,600 feet deep, Lake Tahoe provides amazing outdoor sports year round ranging from skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing at the many resorts dotting the peaks in the Winter, while water skiing, swimming, hiking, and horseback riding dominate the Summers. Tahoe is a great place to gather at any time of year and occasion. I should know — I used to spend many, many weekends there as a kid.
Although it's been about seven years since my last visit (which left me feeling like a tourist in a town I used to know like the back of my hand), I headed up to South Lake Tahoe last weekend to celebrate my mom's 50th birthday. Being the dead of Winter, I expected snow on the ground, but was quite happy to find sunny skies and moderate temps. With my mom and aunt in tow, we checked in, and checked out our options in the shops and restaurants surrounding our hotel. To see where to head for great coffee, where not to make a reservation for dinner, and where to go to boogie down, just read on
