There have been some very helpful tips in this thread, thanks. We normally travel mid October to around mid November. I think for Tahoe it seems like late September may be a good time, probably decent weather and most everything should be open, yet maybe we can avoid some crowds.
In my mind I am thinking the lake maybe too cold for swimming, correct me if I am wrong. I could care less about swimming although I love sitting around any kind of water, rivers. lake, ocean, as I find something very peaceful about being around a body of water. My wife does enjoy a swim, this would be the biggest argument in favor of visiting a resort in Southern California.
She is willing to consider the whole picture and at the moment she does not sound that excited about Tahoe. We really do not want to give up going to Hawaii and I will do what I need to in order to come up with the bucks. We may have to scale down to an every other year trip, if so we need alternatives.
We enjoy hiking, we are not big gamblers but don't mind checking out some casinos, it appears there may be some decent entertainment in the casinos. Tahoe does appear to meet what I enjoy about vacations. I have a feeling if I can get my wife to go on one trip she will want to go back often.
I guess if we want a Vegas type day we can go to Reno. I have no idea how good or bad Reno is but it is another place to see in the area. I know I and my wife would enjoy the towns where the links were provided.
I hope it is not real crowded in the summer. Because of the elevation my guess is it could be a good summer destination if we want to get away from the heat, with the understanding some of the towns mentioned are at lower elevations and would be pretty warm in the summer.
Gary
I am sorry your wife is not excited about Lake Tahoe, so I would suggest you mention to her
http://skiheavenly.com/mountain/heavenly_flyer/ - a vertical drop of 525 feet. At 3,100 feet, the Heavenly Flyer is the longest ZipRider in the lower 48 U.S. states. Note that you have to take the Gondola to the ride, and the Gondola operates weekends only when the wind is down and the fire threat is low in September.
You are right about lake swimming. The words are mutually exclusive year round at Lake Tahoe. Tahoe Beach and ski has a small pool. Ridge Tahoe and Marriott have larger pools and the best pool is
http://www.recreationintahoe.com/aquatics_center . There is a fee for it.
I would not compare Las Vegas to Reno. The most you can say is both have Casinos. Reno tends to concentrate its efforts on great events such as
Hot August Nights 2008 August 1, 2008 - August 10, 2008,
The Great Reno Balloon Race 2008 September 5 - 7
The 45th Reno Air Races & Air Show 2008 September 10 to 14
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off 2008 August 27– September 1
Lake Tahoe gets most crowded the around July 4 and Labor day. The summer is always busy on the weekends and most quiet Tuesday thru Thursday. A drive around the lake stopping at key visitor spots is a must, and you should not try it on the weekend in the summer because of the crowds.
Lake Tahoe has some of the most beautiful hikes in the Sierras and the hikes range from 1 mile to 100 miles.
Tahoe Beach and Ski has the lake front experience you are looking for, even though it is a converted motel.
The towns I mentioned in a previous post are very hot in the summer, but are comfortably warm in September.
The only reason not to visit Tahoe at least once would be for health reasons. If you have high blood pressure or allergies associated with high elevations you should consult a doctor before visiting.
You can either fly into Reno or Sacramento.
As far as a substitute for Hawaii or Southern California, this is a personal matter.
Jake
