About a week ago, Inna and I decided to visit North Lake Tahoe (Incline Village) during the Labor Day weekend, when we would have Monday, September 1, off as a company holiday. Inna had made hotel reservations at the Incline Lodge for 3 nights and dinner reservations at a couple of restaurants (Soule Domain and Big Water Grille).
We planned to start our drive to North Lake Tahoe at around 18:00, but were
delayed by UPS. Both Inna and I were expecting packages, which, for one
reason or another, were postponed. I was expecting an Adorama package, which
required my signature. Eventually, at 18:30, the UPS delivery truck stopped
by our house, and we received our shipments.
We started our drive at 6:30 p.m., noting that there was still considerable
traffic in the Lake Tahoe area. The projected driving time was reduced from
5 hours to 4.5 hours (about 4 hours to cover the 186 miles). I had charged
the Tesla Model Y to 95%, so that we could drive nonstop.
As we drove along 680 and 80, we encountered many slowdowns and very heavy
traffic until we passed Sacramento. Even though our Tesla started out at
95%, we had to stop for additional charging at the Auburn Tesla Supercharger
(our battery was below 30%). With that additional stop time, we arrived at
Incline Lodge very late, past 11:30 p.m.
Inna had called ahead to
Incline Lodge to check in and had
to submit some documents to receive her room access code (as the lobby would
close at 23:00), which closed before our arrival. She called the hotel to
warn them of our late arrival, and the staff called back to explain the
late-night check-in procedure.
When we finally reached the
Incline Lodge, we parked our
Tesla Model Y outside, found and unlocked our room #204, and went to bed.
Saturday, August 30, 2025
I had my alarm set to 07:00 and woke up right on time. After showering, I
quickly dressed and waited for Inna to get ready. We decided to eat
breakfast at the nearby
Drink Coffee, Do Stuff cafe. Last time we visited Lake Tahoe (during the July 4th weekend in 2024,
we had eaten there, but had to wait in a very long line.
We decided to arrive early, getting there at 07:37. The line was relatively
short, and we quickly ordered the following:
- Boris: Cappuccino, Yogurt parfait, Bread with Jam
- Inna: Latte, Breakfast sandwich with Prosciutto
Finishing around 08:15, we started our drive to Sand Harbor State Park, hoping to arrive in time to get a parking space. Unfortunately, we had not made parking reservations one week in advance and were turned away. Next time, make reservations at least one week in advance. (By the way, the daily parking fee is $15).
We decided to return to
Tunnel Creek Cafe (3 miles
north), where we could park our car (with limited paid parking) and take the
East Shore Express
bus/shuttle (which runs daily from 10:00 to 18:00). We decided not to wait
for the shuttle. We grabbed our bag (containing swimsuits, towels, Kindles,
and a GoPro Hero 10 Black) and two beach chairs, then walked 3 miles south
(about 55 minutes) to Sand Harbor State Park, following the
Tahoe East Shore Trail.
Upon arriving at Sand Harbor State Park, we paid a $4 entrance fee ($2 / person) and looked for Clearly Tahoe Kayak Rentals. It was a walk south, along the lake. After reaching the rental shed, we
signed our liability waivers and requested 1-2 hours on a glass-bottom
2-person kayak. The kayak rental cost was $95 plus Nevada tax, for a total
of $102 (2 hours).
We were considering renting the all-glass kayak too (it was almost twice as
expensive). However, it had a 1-hour rental limit and was not as seaworthy
(as easy to paddle) as the glass-bottom kayak.
We had a fantastic time kayaking around the lake, stopping by the
Bonsai Rock (a small offshore rock with a growing Bonsai tree). We also paddled to the
Thunderbird Lodge, which has a
beautiful lake view with a mini lighthouse. We paddled back and returned our
kayaks. We decided to return to our car because we had paid for parking for
only 4 hours. In addition, Inna was getting sunburned, and we did not think
it wise to swim with peak sun at noon (at high elevation).
We waited about 30 minutes for the East Shore Express shuttle/bus, which
arrived at 13:20. We considered ordering UberX, but it was expensive
$26 for a 3-mile ride) and had a long wait (20 minutes) as well
Once we boarded the shuttle, we got off at the
Tunnel Creek Cafe bus stop.
We decided to purchase additional parking time and stop by
Tunnel Creek Cafe for lunch.
We had eaten there last year (after hiking Monkey Rock) and were not very
impressed.
However, this time, we had a better experience. After ordering the following
items, we sat down indoors:
- Drinks: Passion Fruit Cider (alcoholic)
- Boris: Cappuccino, East Shore Cheese Steak
- Inna: London fog, Big Blue Burger (blue cheese)
- Dessert: Macadamia Nut Cookie
My East Shore Cheese Steak was excellent, and I really like the
Passion Fruit Cider. Inna's Big Blue Burger was also
delicious.
After lunch, we paid for 4 additional hours of parking (the parking machine
did not like my credit cards, and it took several tries to get it to
recognize one). We decided to walk to Hidden Beach (about a mile away /
20-minute walk).
Once we reached Hidden Beach, Inna found a shady spot (it was very hot out), and we set up our chairs. I had forgotten to bring an umbrella, and it would have been convenient.
Inna swam in Lake Tahoe a couple of times, and I took a short dip.p It was
still quite cold (50+ degrees Fahrenheit). While resting, I finished reading
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. I really enjoyed reading about expat life in rural
Provence.
At around 17:30, we packed our bags and walked back to
Tunnel Creek Cafe. We loaded
up our Tesla and drove to the nearest Supercharger (since my Tesla was at
10%). While I charged the car, Inna explored the nearby Raley's supermarket.
Once Tesla reached 52% charged, we decided to return to Incline Lodge and
rest for a bit before driving to dinner. Inna had made a dinner reservation
for 19:30 at Soule Domain.
Upon arrival, we parked our car on the street and waited to be seated. Our
table was not initially ready. We were offered a different table in another
room and decided to take it (to avoid additional unnecessary wait time).
After discussing the various options, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling Water
- Appetizer: Lamb Salad
- Inna: Seafood Pasta (Shrimp, Lobster) with Fettuccini
- Boris: Lamb Chops from New Zealand
- Dessert: Bread Pudding à la mode
The Lamb Salad and the Lamb Chops were excellent. Inna's
Seafood Pasta with Fettuccini was also amazing.
After a short 10-minute drive back to our Incline Lodge, we stopped by the reception. The receptionist made us some hot tea (black
for me, Chamomile for Inna), and we relaxed for a bit before returning to
our room.
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Inna did not sleep well, so we woke up late on Sunday morning. At around
09:00, we walked downstairs to the lobby to drop off our luggage (which
needed to be moved to our new room #116).
After sitting down outdoors, we looked at the menu and ordered the following
items:
We looked at a few homes in Incline Village, but found their locations difficult to reach. After returning to Incline Lodge, we stopped to sample drinks during the hotel's happy hour (from 17:00- 19:00). We selected the following alcoholic beverages:
Monday, September 1, 2025
- 2 Coffees
- Mushroom Scramble
- Cheddar Biscuits
Inna and I shared the Mushroom Scramble and the Cheddar Biscuits. They were both delicious and excellent.
After breakfast, we decided to hike around
Spooner Lake, near
Carson City. We started our 30-minute drive there, arriving around 10:30.
There was a bad accident on the way there (traffic was stopped, and we saw
a tow truck trying to pull something out of a deep ravine). We noticed
that many people were parking their cars in precarious spots along the
road.
While traffic to Lake Tahoe was very heavy, traffic to Spooner Lake was
light, and the parking lot there was largely empty. We had to pay $15 for
parking (Nevada residents pay $10).
The hike around
Spooner Lake was
pleasant, with beautiful views of Aspens. We saw many dogs along
the leisurely trail. Although not especially scenic like the trails in
Sedona, Spooner Lake was nice and comfortable (similar to Vasona Lake in
Los Gatos).
From Spooner Lake,
we drove to nearby Carson City to explore the area. The road there was
quite twisty, and the air temperature notably increased from the low 70s
in Lake Tahoe to the 90s. Carson City looked strange to me - like many
cities in Nevada - a city in the middle of the desert surrounded by hills
with minimal vegetation.
Parking downtown near
Comma Coffee, we walked
around and were surprised by green lawns and overall cleanliness. Most
buildings were freshly painted; there were no homeless people
anywhere. Comma Coffee
turned out to be closed, so we continued our walk to the next closest
coffee shop -
Old World Coffee Roasters. We ordered the following items and decided to sit indoors, as outside
was quite hot (91°F):
- Boris: Cappuccino
- Inna: London Fog
After we finished our drinks, we walked around a bit and decided to stop
by Eve's Eatery for
lunch. We waited for him to be seated and were given a few menus.
We decided to order the following (as recommended by our waitress):
Our next stop was Cave Rock, only a few minutes away. After passing through the tunnel, we found a small, narrow road leading to a boat ramp (with a sign that said 'Parking Full'). Inna got out and took a few photos, while I waited in the car.
- Inna: Fresh Cucumber Lemonade, Salmon Benedict
- Boris: Iced Tea, Agnolotti, Garlic Bread
The food came slowly, and we waited over 30 minutes. However, my
Agnolotti was excellent, and Inna's Salmon Benedict was
outstanding as well. Inna's Fresh Cucumber Lemonade was terrific,
too.
After looking at a few homes in Carson City, we decided to explore
nearby tennis courts. We first stopped by
Mills Park, but found only pickleball courts (generally in good condition). The
large green lawns were well-trimmed, and there were no homeless people.
We next drove to
Carson Tennis Club, which
had 8 beautiful tennis courts (but no one was playing, due to the high
temperatures). However, on the nearby
Eagle Valley Golf Course,
there were plenty of people teeing off.
We decided to return to East Lake Tahoe and stop at some of the famous
viewpoints along the way. Our first stop was at
Logan Shoals Vista Point. There was a small parking lot nearby, and I managed to park our Tesla
there. We scrambled around a few rocks to take in breathtaking views of
Lake Tahoe. Both Inna and I took numerous photos and marveled at the
beauty.
Our next stop was Cave Rock, only a few minutes away. After passing through the tunnel, we found a small, narrow road leading to a boat ramp (with a sign that said 'Parking Full'). Inna got out and took a few photos, while I waited in the car.
We continued our drive to Zephyr Cove and then to Round Hill, where we
wanted to use the Tesla Supercharger. However, all the chargers were busy
(and another car was waiting), so we decided to return to Incline Village
and charge our Tesla there.
At Incline Village, we charged our Tesla Model Y (from 19% to 80%) using
the Tesla Supercharger near Raley's. While the car was charging, I walked
to Raley's to check out the produce. I even found that this Raley's
carried Skyr - my favorite Icelandic yogurt.
We looked at a few homes in Incline Village, but found their locations difficult to reach. After returning to Incline Lodge, we stopped to sample drinks during the hotel's happy hour (from 17:00- 19:00). We selected the following alcoholic beverages:
- Inna: Wine - Château Souverain Chardonnay
- Boris: Beer - Rogue Farms Honey Kolsch
- Appetizer: Bread, Goat cheese stuffed figs
- Boris: Mahi-Mahi Fish & Chips
- Inna: Halibut
The food was mediocre and bland. Inna's Halibut was
below average. My Mahi-Mahi Fish & Chips were edible, but the
French fries were mushy. We skipped dessert because we lost confidence
in the restaurant's food quality.
After returning to our Incline Lodge, we decided to stop by the hotel's
lobby. The receptionist made us hot tea, and we enjoyed relaxing there.
We also shared one small pastry along with tea.
Monday, September 1, 2025
Happy Labor Day!
We woke up at around 07:00 to my iPhone alarm, although I had been
awakened earlier by the sound of hotel guests departing. We packed our
luggage and prepared to check out.
I reserved breakfast at the nearby Sage Leaf Tahoe Restaurant for 09:00. However, we decided to arrive earlier, in case there
were open tables. Luckily, there was plenty of seating. After being
seated outdoors, we looked at the menu and ordered the following items:
- 2 Coffees
- Mushroom Scramble
- Cheddar Biscuits
The Mushroom Scramble and the Cheddar Biscuits were
wonderful. The coffee was delicious, too. Sage Leaf Tahoe Restaurant has become our favorite breakfast spot in Incline Village.
We had planned to see a few homes in Incline Village and drove to meet a
realtor.
When we returned, we decided to stop by
Fumo for lunch. We had eaten there
last year and thought that it was a respectable eatery. We arrived at
around 13:00, and there were a few people ahead of us. However, we were
quickly seated indoors and ordered the following:
- Boris: Smash Burger
- Inna: Arugula Salad with Chicken
The Smash Burger was excellent, and Inna liked her Arugula Salad.
After lunch, we started our long drive back to San Jose, stopping in
Fairfield to recharge the Tesla Model Y. Outside temperatures were
hitting 106°F, and traffic to the Bay Area was very heavy.
We reached San Jose at around 19:15 and stopped by Whole Foods to
purchase groceries.
Lake Tahoe Trip Review
Highlights
- Kayaking at Sand Harbor State Park using Clearly Tahoe Kayak Rentals at Sand Harbor
- Relaxing and swimming at Hidden Beach
- Hiking around Spooner Lake
- Dinner at Soule Domain
- Breakfast at Sage Leaf Tahoe Restaurant
- Walking along the Tahoe East Shore Trail
Lowlights
- Heavy traffic from San Jose to Lake Tahoe on Friday evening
- Heavy traffic from Lake Tahoe to San Jose on Monday afternoon
- Disappointing dinner at Big Water Grille (avoid)
- Not finding any decent cafes in Incline Village
Links
- Parks
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Soule Domain (dinner)
- Sage Leaf Tahoe Restaurant (breakfast)
- Tunnel Creek Cafe (lunch)
- Fumo (lunch)
- Coffee
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