South Lake Tahoe
Springtime at Lake Tahoe
Get out the shorts and t-shirts, but don’t put your parkas away just yet. It’s day-by-day weather up here at the Lake. One day it can be 70 degrees and sunny, then 30 degrees and snowing the next day. Daytime activities on the South Shore become limited when it’s cold out and the ski resorts have closed. But when the temperatures are comfortable there is outdoor fun sprouting all over. And of course, with nightlife fun you don’t need to depend on mother nature to have a good time at the south side of Tahoe.
The first week of May it’s party time, starting with Cinco de Mayo on Thursday. Restaurants and bars all over town turn the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 into a full on rager. One spot to start the fiesta is at Latin Soul Restaurant inside of Lakeside Inn and Casino: try the Latin Soul Margarita and see where the night takes you.
The fun continues into the weekend with great bands at Harrah’s and Mont Bleu. The super group Chickenfoot, featuring Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, and Michael Anthony, will play two nights, May 7 and 8, at the South Shore Room at Harrah’s, starting at 7:30 pm. Over at Mont Bleu is the Marshall Tucker Band, a Southern rock/Country band that can really rock the house in the style of Lynyrd Skynyrd, on Saturday, May 7 at 8pm. To finish out the weekend, why not celebrate with mom on Sunday, May 8 at the many great places Tahoe has to offer for Mothers Day brunch? One being the Riva Grill at 901 Ski Run Blvd, right next to the lake at the marina.
Tahoe recently rose to its rim at 6,223 feet elevation, so that means plenty of water this year for boating, fishing and other water related fun. Marinas around the lake will begin opening, and one that is scheduled for an early May opening day is Round Hill Pines Resort. The Pines is a fun old Tahoe beach hangout — a small stretch of beach nestled in between Nevada Beach and Zephyr Cove. It really gets going during the summer months, but on a warm day in May it’s a great place to go sit on the beach or sip on a drink at one of their two lakeside bars that offer grand views and a good food menu as well.
May is the rough start for boating season and other outdoor recreational activities. Tennis anyone? How about disc golf or softball? At Zephyr Cove Park at Highway 50 and Warrior Way you can do all these things and a lot more. The Zephyr Cove Tennis Club gets going in May on their six lighted courts. The courts are open now but the club officially starts May 28 with Viva La Tennis, which coincides with the French Open. It starts at noon with plenty of tennis and a barbeque. Also, there is an 18-hole disc golf course at the park that is fun and challenging, but great for all skill levels. If you don’t own a disc, head into the library next to the course and rent one and get slingin’.
If you don’t want to exert yourself too much, why not watch others do it? The Amgen Tour of California will be riding through this part of Nevada on May 19. Professional cyclists will be pedaling around Lake Tahoe. Stage One of the women’s event will start on the south shore at Emerald Bay and head clockwise around the 72-mile loop of the lake and finish at Heavenly. Spooner Summit, at the junction of highways 50 and 28, would be a good spot to watch these amazing athletes going full steam ahead down the hill toward Glenbrook. For more information on routes go to TahoeSouth.com./Amgen
Spring has sprung here at Lake Tahoe, and the buds of events and activities are just waiting to burst into the full bloom of summer — when the fun really starts. But, as always, there’s never a bad time to visit the lake!
— Brendan Packer
