# North vs South Lake Tahoe



## cdziuba (Nov 24, 2013)

We've never been to Lake Tahoe, and while I have an ongoing search for North Lake Tahoe (the Hyatt), I'm wondering what is a better fit for us, the North or South, and if I should add more resorts to the search.

We like nature, birding, eating, casinos, maybe going to the spa for a treatment, hiking.  We don't like noise, we don't go to nightclubs, and we like peace.

Also, how do you get there from NJ?  What are some flight options, I would imagine we'd have to have connecting flights.  Thanks, all input is very welcome.


----------



## Rent_Share (Nov 24, 2013)

A quick scan of your posts, would indicate that you are used to Hyatt amenities, which would limit you to two properties in South Lake Tahoe

Marriott and DRI's Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort

We prefer the activities, restaurants etc. of South Lake Tahoe, One year we stayed in Tahoe Vista (past Incline Village) and spent considerable time commuting to South Lake Tahoe



Reno or Sacramento and rent a car, (if you do Hyatt - Reno only)


----------



## SmithOp (Nov 24, 2013)

The Hyatt Regency on North Shore is a nice location with easy access to everything you want and is quieter with less traffic than South Shore.  We often visited a friend that lived in Kings Beach and drove over Mt. Rose to Reno for the big casinos and shows.  To me the North Shore is more scenic, closer to the mountains, South Shore feels flat with a lot of tacky urban sprawl.

I read somewhere that the old Sinatra hang out Cal-Neva is opening up soon.


Sent from my iPad Gen 4 using Tapatalk HD


----------



## cdziuba (Nov 24, 2013)

really great replies, thanks!!!!!!!


----------



## sue1947 (Nov 24, 2013)

What time of year?  That can make a huge difference.  If summer or ski season, then South Lake Tahoe is very congested and probably not a good fit.  However, if hiking is your main goal, South gives easier access to the Desolation Wilderness hikes which are (in my opinion) the prettiest in the area.   There is also good hiking north, but it doesn't have the series of lakes that are my favorite.  
The only resorts that are comparable to the Hyatt in quality are the Marriotts which are in the most congested area and the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort which is just down the road.  The latter would be a little bit lest noisy/congested so might be your best fit on the south end.  However, if you are willing to go down a bit in quality and are coming in the non-ski season, you might give Ridge Tahoe a try.  It's a collection of buildings up on the hill above town which provides a quieter option.  There are other resorts up there which are all another notch down so Ridge Tahoe is the best of that area.  It has multiple buildings and can be a bit of a mixed bag depending on which building you end up in.  We were first in the Naegle buildings which have large (and recently renovated) units with a huge deck overlooking the trees; we loved it.  The next year, we ended up in in a lower building with a large unit that opened up onto the main patio/barbeque area with the blazing sun making it too hot, too noisy and not very private; we hated it.  The latter was the last week in Sept when it was still crowded and the former was early October when the crowds had left.  

Sue


----------



## Blues (Nov 24, 2013)

Sounds like Hyatt Lake Tahoe is the perfect fit for you, though I also like Sue's suggestion of The Ridge Tahoe (especially since I own there).  But make sure it's the original Ridge, not RidgeCrest or any of the other offshoots, which are all a step or two down.

David got the airports right.  Reno is quite a bit more convenient than Sacramento.  Reno is just over the hill from Tahoe - a short 45-60 minute drive, depending where in Tahoe you're going.  SAC is at least 2 hours.  If you want to save money, you can fly into any of the 3 Bay Area airports (SFO, OAK, SJC), but then you have a 4 hour drive.  But it's usually quite a bit cheaper (and frequently non-stop), so check out that option just to see if it fits.

-Bob


----------



## cdziuba (Nov 24, 2013)

These replies are a wealth of information.  It's wonderful that I can find on TUG better and more comprehensive info than when I do many Google searches.  Love TUG, have for years.  Thanks to all.   The search is on for the Hyatt, we'll aim for the North, anywhere from May thru mid-October.  I hope we get lucky.


----------



## DeniseM (Nov 24, 2013)

The best option is to fly into Reno.  Flying into Sacramento is also an option, but it's farther, and you have to go over a high mountain pass to get there.

October can be cold.


----------



## klpca (Nov 24, 2013)

*Ridge Tahoe*

FWIW, we're at the Ridge Tahoe right now, in a renovated unit. It's honestly not much of a step down in quality. We love the location outside of South Lake Tahoe, but neither one of us are casino people so keep that in mind. It's been too cold for hiking, our normal pastime, so we've done some sightseeing from the car. I'll post a full review when we return home later this week.

Btw, we aren't owners here.


----------



## Robert D (Nov 24, 2013)

We own at and spend 3-4 weeks each summer at the Marriott Timber Lodge in South Tahoe and fly into Reno.  Reno is by far the most convenient airport to Tahoe and it has some reasonable airfares since Southwest Airlines is the biggest carrier there.  The Hyatt is on the north shore of Tahoe and is a good 30-45 minutes from South Tahoe, depending on traffic and road conditions. From everything I've seen, the two Marriott's (Timber Lodge and Grand Residence) and the Hyatt are by far the nicest places to stay in Tahoe (the Ritz Carlton and Hyatt in Northstar are at least as nice but they're more than 10 miles from the lake on the north side) and everything else is 1-2 notches lower.  There's a lot more to do on the South shore and although Marriott Timber Lodge is in the middle of the action adjacent to Heavenly Village, if you get a room on the inner courtyard overlooking the pool, you don't hear any noise from the highway or surrounding area and would never know you're in the middle of everything.  The accommodations, facilities, amenities, and service at the Marriott are outstanding.

You mention that you're planning to go sometime between May and October. I think that May is too early to go and the weather could be iffy then up through early June.  The peak summer would be from early July to mid August and it would be hard to trade into the Marriott or Hyatt during that time.  However, once school starts in mid August, it's a lot easier to get in there and I think you'd have no problem getting into either after Labor Day.  I would think early September would be very nice at Tahoe and the crowds wouldn't near as large as August.  Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and the summers are fabulous.


----------



## cdziuba (Nov 25, 2013)

Looking forward to the review.


----------



## wilma (Nov 25, 2013)

We are big fans of the north shore and like being right on the lake--Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge, Brockway Springs, Edgelake Beach Club and the Hyatt (lake is across the street) are our favorites. As Marriott owners we have traded into the Timber Lodge and the Grand Residence at south shore and don't really enjoy the congested scene. The Marriotts do have the big advantage for skiing Heavenly but you do not get the "being on the lake" experience. Also, even though we request pool & courtyard views, we were given road and resort entry way units at the Grand Residence and they were very noisy.


----------



## klpca (Nov 30, 2013)

cdziuba said:


> Looking forward to the review.



I just submitted my review (under the name of Spiffy). I'm not sure how long it will take to appear. Overall, we had a great time. We really loved this resort (Ridge Tahoe) and would go back in a heartbeat.

After touring the area we would be interested in staying in north shore, Squaw, or back at the Ridge. South Lake Tahoe itself was a bit too busy for our taste. I really don't think we would stay there - even at the Marriott - unless we were skiing. Different strokes for different folks. The Marriott's looked lovely and were right in the center of everything. Just a bit more hustle/bustle than we like.


----------



## djp (Dec 1, 2013)

I really like the Hyatt and the Marriott - an older resort that has had recent room renovations and Has a great location with a private beach is the Tahoe beach and Ski Club- not the fanciest resort- but the location is super.


----------



## gnipgnop (Dec 8, 2013)

I second the Tahoe  Beach and Ski Club.  We stayed there in August this year and it was a perfect spot for us.  It is located right on the lake with beach chairs stacked on the beach for *free* use.  Agreed, the resort is not a 5 star but it's location is great.  We loved it there and it was clean.


----------



## Rent_Share (Dec 8, 2013)

gnipgnop said:


> I second the Tahoe Beach and Ski Club. We stayed there in August this year and it was a perfect spot for us. It is located right on the lake with beach chairs stacked on the beach for *free* use. Agreed, the resort is not a 5 star but it's location is great. We loved it there and it was clean.



BTW the Ridge and Beach and Ski are recommendations for the Southshore area


----------

