Lake Tahoe 2 Day Itinerary: How to Spend a Long Summer Weekend on the Water

This Lake Tahoe itinerary includes the best things to do around the lake in only 2 days!

On Day 1 of your Lake Tahoe trip, you’ll experience the beaches on the east shore and see the iconic clear blue water and round granite boulders that Lake Tahoe is known for. This is the ultimate beach day, with stops at Sand Harbor, Bonsai Rock, and Secret Cove!

On Day 2, you’ll explore the southwestern shore and take in views of Emerald Bay, see a Scandinavian-inspired lakeside mansion, hike the Rubicon Trail, and watch sunset from Cave Rock.

In this post, we also share our recommendations for 1 day and 3 day itineraries, where to stay in Lake Tahoe, and airport options.

Lake Tahoe 2 Day Itinerary: How to Spend a Long Summer Weekend on the Water

Day 1: East Shore Beaches

Sunrise at Bonsai Rock

Begin your morning with a stunning sunrise at Bonsai Rock, a unique boulder that stands alone in the water and, against all odds, has small trees growing from its cracks. 

How to Get There: This iconic Bonsai Rock can be reached by parking along Highway 89 and hiking down the footpaths to the shoreline. The hike is steep so we recommend wearing sturdy shoes.

Breakfast in Incline Village

After enjoying sunrise, hike back up to your car and make the short drive over to Incline Village for breakfast. There are several restaurants and coffee options in the area. We opted to get breakfast, coffee, and chai from the grocery store Raley’s.

Tip: Whether you choose to eat breakfast at Raley’s or not, we recommend stopping here regardless to pick up snacks and beach picnic goodies. Eating out in Lake Tahoe can be expensive and there are several areas that you’ll want to visit that don’t have convenient food options nearby so it’s a good idea to have food packed with you.

Sand Harbor

After breakfast, head to Sand Harbor, which is a gorgeous and easily accessed area that has all of the amenities you need to have a great day at Lake Tahoe.

Sand Harbor has multiple beaches, including a large sandy beach that has stand up paddleboard (SUP) and kayak rentals and a smaller beach with the round granite boulders that Tahoe is known for. It also has a boardwalk, access to the East Shore Trail, and an on-site restaurant (which, shockingly, is reasonably priced given how conveniently located it is).

With all of these features, you could easily spend the entire day here. Sand Harbor has it all!

How to Get There: Unsurprisingly, Sand Harbor is very popular. The parking lot can fill up and close within a few hours of opening, especially on holiday weekends. To ensure you get a spot, get here early. There is an entrance fee per vehicle.

Walk along East Shore Trail

Starting from Sand Harbor, go for a scenic walk along the East Shore Trail, a 3-mile long multi-use path that that runs along the eastern coastline of Tahoe. The views of the lake along the entire trail are beautiful.

Along the way, be sure to explore viewpoints like Hidden Beach, Memorial Point, and Emerald Cove.

SUP to Bonsai Rock

Stand up paddleboarding (or SUP) is a fun and popular way to get out on the water and enjoy the views of the Lake Tahoe coastline.

How to Do It: Rent a SUP from Clearly Tahoe Rentals, which is conveniently located right on the beach at Sand Harbor. From Sand Harbor, paddle over to Bonsai Rock and enjoy the clear blue water. It took us just under 2 hours to paddle to Bonsai Rock and back, including ample time to take some photos and explore the nearby granite boulders.

Secret Cove

After your SUP sesh, it’s time to leave Sand Harbor and drive over to Secret Cove. Be sure to keep your Sand Harbor parking receipt, it’s good for the day and you’ll be returning here later for sunset.

Secret Cove is one of the most scenic beaches in Lake Tahoe. Round granite boulders are scattered throughout the bright blue, crystal clear water.

How to Get There: To get to Secret Cove, park along side of Highway 28 and hike about 1 mile round trip. You can also opt to park at the Chimney Beach parking lot for a 2.5 mile round trip hike. Parking is free at either location. The hike is fairly steep so we recommend wearing comfortable hiking shoes.

Note: Secret Cove is a nude beach. Clothing is optional so families beware, you may get more views than you expected!

Dinner in Incline Village

Follow up your beach-filled day with dinner in the Incline Village area. There are many restaurants to choose from in this area. Some of the top places to eat in Incline Village the upscale Lone Eagle Grill, Inclined Burgers and Brews, and Alibi Ale Works.

Sunset at Sand Harbor

Drive back to Sand Harbor and re-enter by showing your parking receipt from earlier. Relax on the beach and watch a stunning lakeside sunset to end your day.

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Day 2: Emerald Bay Area

Sunrise at Emerald Bay

The views of the Emerald Bay and Fannette Island are beautiful, especially for sunrise. Start your morning by waking up early and soaking in a colorful sunrise from one of the many viewpoints right along Highway 89.

Some of our favorite sunrise spots in Emerald Bay are the stone wall and the lower section of Eagle Falls that flows just below the highway.

Parking: Be sure to park legally. There are many areas that are marked with no parking signs for traffic and safety purposes. Towing is enforced.

Tip: Be sure to pack breakfast and snacks with you today. The Emerald Bay area doesn’t have convenient food options near by so you’ll want to have food packed with you while exploring the area. (If you happen to skip sunrise, grab breakfast at Dragonfly Bagel Co. in South Lake Tahoe. The breakfast sandwiches on their homemade bagels are amazing!)

Hike Eagle Lake Trail

After sunrise and taking in the views of Emerald Bay, hike the nearby Eagle Lake & Eagle Falls Trail. The hike is about 2 miles roundtrip and is a great activity to do while waiting for the sun to fully come up and illuminate the blue water of Lake Tahoe.

Tip: If you visit Lake Tahoe in early summer, keep in mind that the upper part of the trail that leads to Eagle Lake may still be snowed out, but the lower portion of the trail that leads to Eagle Falls will likely be clear. We like to check AllTrails hiker reports for information on recent trail conditions before our trips.

Insider Secret: The most scenic view of Eagle Falls isn’t from the main trail – it’s the view of a lower portion of the falls that’s jus below Highway 28! Seeing Eagle Falls from near the highway is a quick and easy must-do. After a very short scramble down from the highway, you’ll have stunning views of the lower falls and Emerald Bay.

Explore Vikingsholm

Next up, it’s time to explore Vikingsholm, a historic Scandinavian-inspired summer home that sits along the shore of Emerald Bay. The impressive residence was constructed in the 1920’s by Lora Josephine Knight, along with the “Tea House” on Fannette Island. Tours of the home are available.

How to Get There: To get here, park in the Vikingsholm parking lot or in one of the legal spots along Highway 28. From there, it’s a 1-mile hike down to the shoreline and the Vikingsholm mansion. The hike is steep so wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring plenty of water. Be prepared – the hike back to the parking lot is all uphill.

Hike the Rubicon Trail

Before hiking back up to the parking lot, stay along the shoreline and hike part of the Rubicon Trail.

The full Rubicon Trail is 6.5 miles long one-way. While some groups hike the entirety of the trail both ways and others arrange a shuttle for a one-way hike, for this itinerary, we recommend hiking a short section and turning back the way you came to Vikingsholm.

Once you reach Vikingsholm, hike back up to where you parked. It’s time to drive to lunch!

Eat Lunch at Tahoe House Bakery and Gourmet

Tahoe House Bakery and Gourmet is a local shop with friendly service and incredibly delicious food. Stop in for sandwiches, soups, salads, meats, cheeses, coffee, and pastries galore.

Relax at the Beach

Take a breather and head to a beach to relax. The are countless beaches to choose from, but since you’ll only be at the beach for a brief amount of time, we recommend visiting one of Lake Tahoe’s free beaches. Commons Beach and North Tahoe Beach are both free and near Tahoe House Bakery and Gourmet.

Check out our post on the best beaches in Lake Tahoe to find out more about the free beach options.

Visit Palisades Tahoe or Heavenly Mountain Resort

During the summer months, there are countless free events at the Tahoe ski resorts. There’s often live music, food vendors, and, for the dog lovers out there, lots of friendly pups!

Before your trip, be sure to look up what events are going on while you’re in town. Depending on the event schedule, you can head north to Palisades Tahoe or south to Heavenly Mountain Resort.

Sunset at Cave Rock

Head to the top of Cave Rock to enjoy a birds-eye panoramic views of the Lake Tahoe. Watching sunset from Cave Rock is especially incredible and the perfect way to end your trip to Lake Tahoe!

How to Get There: Cave Rock is about a 1 hour drive from Palisades and 25 minutes away from Heavenly. Be sure to arrive at the Cave Rock trailhead parking area an hour or so before sunset since the number of spaces is limited. Parking is free.

Tip: The hike to Cave Rock is about 1 mile round trip. The final climb to the top is steep and rocky so we recommend wearing comfortable hiking shoes.

Shorter & Longer Itinerary Options

1 Day Lake Tahoe Itinerary:

For a 1 day Lake Tahoe Itinerary, we recommend doing the activities listed on Day 1 in our itinerary. By doing those activities, you’ll get to enjoy the iconic blue water and granite boulders that Tahoe is known for.

3 Day Lake Tahoe Itinerary:

If you have 3 days in Lake Tahoe or longer, we recommend spreading out the activities from our 2 day itinerary across multiple days. For example, Secret Cove could be moved from Day 1 in our itinerary to its own day.

Other activities could be added to your longer itinerary as well. With more days in Tahoe, we recommend adding Chimney Beach, Monkey Rock, the D.L. Bliss side of the Rubicon Trail, or a boating excursion. Experienced mountain bikers could add the Flume Trail to their itinerary as well.

Where to Stay in Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe:

Our home base for this itinerary was South Lake Tahoe, which is a great central location for visiting the Emerald Bay area and the east shore beaches. There are a lot of food and nightlife options in South Lake Tahoe as well. We stayed at the Hotel Azure and thought it was a great value. We really enjoyed the hot tub and the complimentary bikes.

North Lake Tahoe:

North Lake Tahoe/Incline Village is another popular area to stay. Compared to South Lake Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe is closer to the east shore beaches like Sand Harbor (which we think are the best beaches in Lake Tahoe), however, it is further from Emerald Bay.

Driving around the entirety of Lake Tahoe takes about 2 hours, so whether you stay in North Lake Tahoe or South Lake Tahoe, you can reach any attraction on the lake in a reasonable amount of time.

Which Airport to Use to Get to Lake Tahoe

The closest airport to Lake Tahoe is Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO). From Reno, it’s a 1 hour drive to North or South Lake Tahoe. (If you fly through Reno, we recommend stopping at Perenn for sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. The pastries were absolutely incredible!)

Sacramento Airport (SMF) is another airport option for Lake Tahoe. It’s about 2 hours from North and South Lake Tahoe depending on traffic.

Itinerary Tips

Special Events: Before your trip, look up events in the Lake Tahoe area to see if there’s anything going on during your visit. There are often events at Palisades and Heavenly Village that have live music. If you’re a dog lover, the local events are prime opportunities for dog spotting!

Food: Dining out in Lake Tahoe can be expensive and inconvenient at times. Areas like Emerald Bay and the east shore beaches have limited food options. We recommend stocking up on snacks and picnic food at the grocery store to bring along with you.

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Other Posts on Lake Tahoe:

• Lake Tahoe Packing List: Summer Vacation Edition
• Top 10 Things to Do in Lake Tahoe This Summer
• Best Sunrise & Sunset Photography Spots in Lake Tahoe
• Top Hikes in Lake Tahoe for Your Summer Trip
• The Best Beaches in Lake Tahoe for Your Summer Vacation