Happy 4th of July! Actually, it’s July 8, so Happy 8th of July. I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I am just back from Tahoe, where I was not only celebrating America’s birthday but also celebrating my daughter’s 21st birthday.
Lake Tahoe is a 4-hour drive from the Bay Area and a favorite getaway for Bay Area residents. In the winter, people go to ski its world-class slopes. In fact, Squaw Valley Resort hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. I imagine that it must be absolutely beautiful skiing down the snowy mountains looking into the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe. I wouldn’t know. I don’t ski. But if you do, you should go. It must be gorgeous.
My family prefers warm weather recreation, so we go in the summertime. The lake has much to offer during the warmer months, such as the beach, boating, fishing, camping, and hiking.
And all year round, Lake Tahoe draws vacationers with its casinos. Tahoe sits on the border of California and Nevada. In Nevada, gambling is legal, which makes Tahoe the perfect 21st birthday family vacation destination.
Our extended family has been renting the same cabin for 20 years. To my kids, it’s our summer cabin. But normally, we don’t go during the 4th of July weekend. And I don’t recommend it! Wow, was it crowded. Americans are anxious to get out, so if you’re vacationing this summer, be prepared for a cluster.
We never even made it to the beach. I got that picture of the fireworks exploding over the lake off the internet because we couldn’t get near it on the 4th. People were illegally parked around the entire perimeter, having set up camp from the early morning. Even the next day, we couldn’t access the beach for some fun in the sun. Every beach we tried was sold out. Sadly, our beloved blow-up boats and my brand new beach chair went unused this year.
On the 4th, I naively suggested we go to Virginia City. Virginia City is an old-timey town built during Nevada’s silver mining boom of the late 1800s. It has beautiful victorian architecture, an original old schoolhouse and opera house, and lots of saloons. I thought it was my little secret. I love that sort of thing, and I drag my family there every year. But this year, we couldn’t find a place to park. Tiny, sleepy Virginia City was overrun by tourists. Apparently, this old-fashioned town has an old-fashioned parade on the 4th of July.
But Virginia City is cool.
Even the drive out there is interesting. You pass all kinds of old abandoned mines with warning signs to Keep Out!
Despite all my complaining (just stating the facts), we had a great time. We gambled, we hot-tubbed, we drank, and we ate. I somehow managed to snag a reservation for lunch at the posh Edgewood Tahoe Golf Resort on my daughter’s birthday. We sat on the shady deck overlooking the course and the lake and toasted (with fruity cocktails) to her and her bright future.
By the way, Edgewood Resort is hosting its annual celebrity golf tournament this weekend. I can only imagine the cluster. But it does sound fun watching celebrities like Steph Curry and Justin Timberlake play.
In conclusion, a PSA regarding bears…
This year, we didn’t see any. But last year, we saw several bears hiking and walking down the street.
And the year before, my daughter woke up to a bear coming through the window! Thankfully, he was making a lot of noise, tearing off the screen and the blinds.
I can appreciate the warning signs of mama/baby bear crossings. But maybe they should also make warning signs of cabin windows left open.
My recommendations: Go to Tahoe …in the winter if you ski, and in the summer if you don’t. Just don’t go 4th of July weekend. And most importantly, latch the windows at night, and don’t leave any food in your car.