Tahoe Queen Cruise and other South Lake Tahoe, CA Things to Do Tips

The Tahoe Queen is a paddleboat moored at the end of Ski Run Road. This line is unique as it runs every day of the year. Part music and dancing, part dinner cruise, part guided tour ... this boat has it all!

We went on the sunset dinner cruise, and had a wedding onboard the Queen. They cordoned off part of the thrid deck (top) and arranged seating for our guests. The captain and crew were amazing to us as we prepped for the ceremony, the captain even gave us his office behind the wheel house to hide the bride and perform our final wedding prep! The groom was hinding in the little gift shop 2 decks below us, which is on the same deck as the band who played dance music as the boat cruised about. With the music playing, other folks on the cruise danced on the top deck, and on the dancefloor below. The lower deck was the dining room for our dinner cruise.

Other passengers joined in wishing our bride and groom best wishes: the couple there for their first anniversary, the Korean golfers from LA who were gambling and dancing, the children playing, and even the band!

As the colors of sunset faded, we sat down for the second dinner seating and our meal. The wedding cake was brought in by our party, and the food provided by the ship's crew was yummy! We were provided with select tables inthe rear of the dining room with windows that overlooked the lake, and even out at the paddles that move the boat. As dusk fell we ate, enjoyed our wedding reception, and visited.

We returned to dock about 11pm and were full, happy and simply pleased with our excursion, and our event. The folks of the Tahoe Queen were amazing, the scenery was stunning, and the company was beyond wonderful :)

My description of our guided tour made this tip too long, so look elsewhere in my tips for that part of the cruise. The attached website is an overview of the various cruises offered in this part of Lake Tahoe ... enjoy!

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Phone: 530-541-3364
Address: Ski Run Marina /900 Ski Run Blvd. So Lake Tahoe
Website: http://www.tahoevacationguide.com/Activities/lakecruises.html
Other Contact: 800-238-2463

We viewed Emerald Bay from the deck of the Tahoe Queen during our wedding / dinner cruise through Lake Tahoe.

The guided tour began as we entered Emerald Bay in the protected State Park region of the lake. The bay and the grounds used to be private property, but through time and kindness, they were donated to the state to create a protected recreation area. Emerald Bay State park was formed in 1969. In 1996 the area became and underwater preserve due to the sunken ships in the bay. The bay is shallow in comparison to the rest of Lake Tahoe, and in the 'old days' reckless ships struck ground. During heavy winters, the bay freezes while the rest of the lake does not.

The only way to the campground there is by foot or boat as there are no roads to the area. The path to the park begins behind Harvey's West, and is about a mile long. There is a large granite island in the bay, where in the past a previous owner built a tea room for her and her guests. Over time, vandalism has damaged the little structure, but except during geese mating and brooding season, if you can reach it you can visit it!

There is another structure in the bay, a mansion actually, named Vikingsolm Castle. Built in the 1920's in a Scandinavian style, this home has some portions with sod roofing and some of the original furnishings ... THAT is some placeI wanna see next time I come out here!

The hike looks memorable .... sigh .... I barely spied the falls through the trees from the bay. But research on my return home shows the hiking trail access that takes you to the falls, Vikingsholm, and the bay itself ... so enjoy the parts I couldn't and let me know how you felt about it!

Vikingsholm and Eagle Creek falls can be reached by parking in the Harvey West parking lot by Highway 89 at Emerald Bay. Take the trail, which is one mile in length and drops 500 feet in elevation to the house.

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Directions: 10 miles north on the 89, 22 miles south of Tahoe City.
Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=506

Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe is accessed from the town itself! The Gondola access point is right there on the main street - the property spans the mountains around the south side of the lake in California and Nevada. There's no smoking on the mountain - so nicotine addicts be aware! The fire risk is real, and sloppy smokers can endanger this entire region.

I didn't do the gondola ride, so I didn't walk about the mountain. But, had I KNOWN about all of this first, I would have made the TIME! The Gondola takes you up the mountain where you can munch, enjoy the views from the platform, rock climb and access hiking trails along the rim.

So this tip is simply to record the website info, and let others know to check this out - it looks like a lot of fun :)

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Website: http://www.skiheavenly.com/