"There's No Place Like Homewood" Homewood by karenincalifornia

Homewood Travel Guide: 15 reviews and 18 photos

View of South Shore from Homewood, California

And NOBODY goes here...

Well, almost nobody. If you polled 100 people who have traveled to Lake Tahoe and asked them, "Where is your favorite place to stay in Lake Tahoe?", 99 out of 100 would say South Shore (with the casinos), Incline Village (northeast corner of the lake, with its golf courses and casinos), the Nevada side (east side with its condos and easy access to Reno), Tahoe Keys (southwest corner, with its marina and Venice-like canals, or North Shore (with its restaurants, shops and public beaches). Almost nobody says "The west shore" or "Homewood".

The Phantom West Shore

View of North Shore from Homewood, California

That's only because most people don't know there is a west side of Lake Tahoe. "There's a west shore?" they would ask. "I thought all this time Lake Tahoe had only three sides. Well, what in the heck is over there? Is there a Harrah's or a Caesar's? Is there are Nordstrom's?"

There is indeed a west shore, and no, there are no casinos. The biggest market is no bigger than a gas station. This is the California side (no casinos permitted - apologies to you high rollers). This side of the lake is isolated and relatively undeveloped. It is the ONLY part of Lake Tahoe that hasn't been marred by those unsightly strip malls that line the road in every other place around the lake.

Not so much as a card club

View of Nevada side from Homewood

The West Shore is peaceful, relaxing, and gorgeous. In my opinion, it is what Lake Tahoe should be. It is close enough to Tahoe City to give you choices of places to eat and shop, and (thankfully) far enough away from the casinos of the Nevada side to not even know they are there.

Homewood is a little collection of cabins on the West Shore with a small family-style ski resort, a market and a couple of restaurants. Just perfect!

I'll be that 1 in 100 who says Homewood is my favorite place to stay in Lake Tahoe.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Quiet, no strip malls, beautiful, relatively undeveloped
Cons:It makes you wish that the rest of Lake Tahoe still looked like this
In a nutshell:The most beautiful part of Lake Tahoe

Last visit to Homewood: Feb 2005
Intro Updated Feb 7, 2005
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Reviews (14)

Typical Italian ceramic found at Girasole - Homewood

A touch of Northern Italy in Tahoe Shopping (2)

The other shop I enjoy stopping by when I am on the west shore of Tahoe is Girasole. This shop, which technically is on... more travel advice

Bread selection at Tahoe House, Tahoe City, CA - Homewood

Best Bakery and Deli by a long shot Shopping (2)

The west shore of Lake Tahoe is not a shopping mecca by any stretch of the imagination. Two places, however, are... more travel advice

View of west shore of Lake Tahoe from north shore - Homewood

Getting your bearings Favorites (2)

The relatively undeveloped west shore of Lake Tahoe begins at the "Y" in Tahoe City to the north, where Highway 24... more travel advice

Fire Sign Cafe on west shore of Lake Tahoe - Homewood

Good old fashioned homestyle cooking Restaurants (2)

This place doesn't look like much from the outside, but when you see all the cars that are constantly parked outside,... more travel advice

Comments (4)

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Nemorino Jan 31, 2006 at 2:11 PM

That's a nice story of your daughter on the ski slopes. Isn't it nice when we can be proud of our children? Fine winter photos here!
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Callavetta Aug 4, 2005 at 3:55 PM

Hi Karen, I agree... and I'm one of the ones who will pick North Shore. Or more accurately, Northwest shore! Now I have to go see if you've added your Alaska pages yet. :-)
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mtncorg Feb 10, 2005 at 3:37 PM

Enjoy the snow this year, because it is coming back north when el nino dies down, next year;-] Nice collection of tips - you like at least two bars whereever you go? Oh, now I see your Italian shopping comment :-)
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850prc Feb 7, 2005 at 4:00 PM

So, you're one in a hundred? No way, Karen. I'd go more for one in a million. : ) Very nice page. I could use a ski trip.