Marriott Timber lodge

[Auger]

Planning first time trip to South Lake Tahoe at Timber Lodge in July 2025 and would welcome a list of “to do’s”. Hope to watch a day or two of the celebrity golf event if we can get tickets.

Also, we are thinking of extending our trip a few days if there are worthwhile national parks or other places to visit within 2-3 hours since we are from the east coast and it’s a long way so want to take advantage of the trip.

Likely to fly in to Reno. I assume that’s the closest airport of any size?
Thanks!

 

[davidvel]

Yes to RNO.

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[SteveinHNL]

Not to be a bore, but Lake Tahoe is very close to heaven. I'd extend to 2 weeks if you have time, one week neve seems to completely scratch the itch.

 

[b2bailey]

Perhaps a visit to Yosemite?

 

[Auger]

Not to be a bore, but Lake Tahoe is very close to heaven. I'd extend to 2 weeks if you have time, one week neve seems to completely scratch the itch.

Favorite activities?

 

[tseebach]

Perhaps a visit to Yosemite?

2 1/2 hours to Tioga Pass Entrance, almost 3 to very beautiful Tenaya Lake and over 4 hours to Yosemite Valley would make for very long day, but works as extension to Tahoe although lodging in park is hard to get.

Sacramento airport is not much further than Reno and may have cheaper flights to some places.

Tickets to Celebrity Golf are not hard to get a week in advance of event. Get there early and bring a small chair to get best view.

Some of my ideas:
A mile each way hike to Upper Angora Lake. Get there early as $10 cash parking will fill. Same at Sand Harbor which may require reservation.
Fallen Leaf Lake and waterfalls and trails above it, Camp Richardson, Hike to Nevada Beach via Lam Watah Nature Trail, Pope Beach, Baldwin Beach, free Music at Valhalla, Thursday night free music at Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge, hike at Van Sickle Bi-State Park, Emerald Bay as part of drive around Lake or to hike to Vikingsholm Castle and/or Eagle Lake, Carson Pass, Kirkwood and Caples Lake, Blue Lakes, Dinner/dance or scenic cruise on the Lake from Zephyr Cove.

 

[davidvel]

2 1/2 hours to Tioga Pass Entrance, almost 3 to very beautiful Tenaya Lake and over 4 hours to Yosemite Valley would make for very long day, but works as extension to Tahoe although lodging in park is hard to get.

Sacramento airport is not much further than Reno and may have cheaper flights to some places.

Tickets to Celebrity Golf are not hard to get a week in advance of event. Get there early and bring a small chair to get best view.

Some of my ideas:
A mile each way hike to Upper Angora Lake. Get there early as $10 cash parking will fill. Same at Sand Harbor which may require reservation.
Fallen Leaf Lake and waterfalls and trails above it, Camp Richardson, Hike to Nevada Beach via Lam Watah Nature Trail, Pope Beach, Baldwin Beach, free Music at Valhalla, Thursday night free music at Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge, hike at Van Sickle Bi-State Park, Emerald Bay as part of drive around Lake or to hike to Vikingsholm Castle and/or Eagle Lake, Carson Pass, Kirkwood and Caples Lake, Blue Lakes, Dinner/dance or scenic cruise on the Lake from Zephyr Cove.

For clarity, Reno can be under an hour, Sacramento is over 2 hours. If arriving from Sac. on a Friday add about 45min-1hr. Sac. will almost always be much cheaper though.

 

[echino]

If you are into hiking, go to Mount Tallac.

 

[Wahusky]

I live in south Reno. The Reno Airport is a very convenient Airport that is well serviced. To fly into Sacramento would be a terrible idea. Heading from Reno to South Lake you have zero traffic. There is a Costco that is across the street from the airport in Reno, another one that is at the base of the Sierra before going over the pass in Carson. The convenience is outstanding. Driving from Sacramento to South Lake in the summer can be a total disaster, at best taking a couple of hours. Start your vacation off on the right foot.

While you are visiting, be prepared to do some amazing hikes. You will want to get into shape if you have any hikes of significant distance planned, the altitude will be felt if you are not accustomed to 6000 plus feet at the lake level.

Round hill is a nice beach with services including food and bar (pain killers). Nevada Beach is large and can accommodate many people, no services. Sand Harbor is overcrowded and you often cannot get into it, but consider doing the Shakespeare festival there, which can grant you late afternoon access. Bring a bottle of wine and picnic. It is a great beach with good amenities. Jump off the rocks. All 3 have nice sunset views. West shore some beaches are rocky. And they become shaded in the afternoon.

 

[GetawaysRus]

Hiking in Lake Tahoe: there are many beautiful hikes. It's worthwhile to purchase a hiking guide. Pay attention to how strenuous a hike will be and the amount of elevation change. The altitude will make hiking more challenging than it might seem. I purchased the Afoot & Afield Tahoe-Reno book by Mike White quite a number of years ago. Even though this book is nearing 10 years old, it's still generally accurate, but you’ll find several popular books on Amazon. The All Trails app is also helpful, and you can use it even if you haven't paid for it.

There are also things you can do in Reno, if interested.

I don't think anyone has so far mentioned Las Vegas. It's a long one day drive, or a flight, but it's another destination you could consider tacking on. There are lots of timeshares in LV. LV is not just for gamblers - there are a ton of things to do.

While at Timber Lodge, consider a meal at Fire & Ice. You'll get 10% off with the discount card you're given at check-in. That makes it (current pricing) a little over $20 per person for lunch and a bit over $30 for dinner. This is similar to a Mongolian BBQ, but different. For example:
- ask the host how to make a burger
- if you like mussels, grab a bowl of mussels, add a few pats of butter plus some garlic, then have it cooked on their large grill
It's fun to be creative at Fire & Ice.

 

[SteveinHNL]

Favorite activities?

In the summer? Getting out on the lake in a kayak, or one of the neighboring lakes like Fallen Leaf. Hiking. Eating. Lifting a cold one while basking in the sun. Someone already mentioned river rafting (which is mainly calm drifting) on the Truckee river. UNLV-Reno has a Lake Tahoe lecture you can schedule online. Driving around the Lake and stopping to explore Tahoe City, King's Beach, Incline, and Stateline. Some folks like the casinos, which we don't do, but they are there.

Some things I'd like to do but haven't yet. Boar in Crystal bay, do the mansion tours. There is a LOT of fascinating history to those mansions and the men who built them.

https://www.tluxp.com/blog/tahoe-life/tour-tahoes-historic-mansions

 

[Janann]

There are lots of great suggestions already, but I'll add a few more.

If you are not a serious hiker, there is a hike of around two hours that is organized by the resort. It goes up the hill to Van Sickle Bi-State Park, and ends at a small waterfall. One of my goals for the trip was to see a wild bear, and I saw one from a safe distance on the hike!

We loved the pizza and drinks at Base Camp Pizza in the village near the resort. My husband still raves about the "Happy Camper" cocktail, which is also available in "Happier" and "Happiest" versions. https://basecamppizzaco.com/

There are a couple companies that do a small bus tour all around the lake if you would rather not drive. We had done our own tour once, but didn't have a car recently and took the group tour. We got to see and learn some things that were new to us.

Target will be opening a store at the neighboring shopping center sometime in 2025, which would make groceries pretty easy. If that isn't available, you can get groceries delivered from Safeway in either the California or Nevada side; the distance is about equal. There is also a Whole Foods Market nearby.

The Lodge has a very nice setup for BBQing your own food with multiple stations. However, be aware that the BBQs get very busy in the evening.

Virginia City is a nice day trip if you want to see an old mining town. https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/

You'll have a great trip! Marriott Timber Lodge is probably our favorite US timeshare.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

We have been going to the Tahoe area for about 15 years. It is gorgeous area.

I like hiking to Eagle Lake near Emerald Bay. I have also hiked up the Van Sickle bi-state park area immediately behind the Marriott.

I'd definitely recommend booking a cruise on the Lake to Emerald Bay. One time we booked a wine and hors d'oeuvre cruise out of the Keys.

I tried the Fire and Ice restaurant at the Marriott twice and was severely disappointed. It was, by far, the worst teppanyaki experiences in my life. The food was cooked to death. Maybe if the head cook (a younger thin man with longish sandy colored hair) was replaced or not on duty it would be worth another try.

There are lots of decent restaurants in the South Lake Tahoe area. Riva Grill on the Lake is nice. If you don't mind the drive, Gar Woods and Jakes on the Lake at the North end of the lake are fantastic and while not inexpensive, were worth it.

There are some microbreweries in the Truckee area. While in Truckee, consider going to the Donner museum. I thought that it was worth it. If you park outside of the Donner park and are willing to walk about 500 feet, you'll save $8 parking.

If the tram at the Marriott is running, it can be fun to take and enjoy the view from the top.

 

[SteveinHNL]

There are lots of great suggestions already, but I'll add a few more.

If you are not a serious hiker, there is a hike of around two hours that is organized by the resort. It goes up the hill to Van Sickle Bi-State Park, and ends at a small waterfall. One of my goals for the trip was to see a wild bear, and I saw one from a safe distance on the hike!

We loved the pizza and drinks at Base Camp Pizza in the village near the resort. My husband still raves about the "Happy Camper" cocktail, which is also available in "Happier" and "Happiest" versions. https://basecamppizzaco.com/

There are a couple companies that do a small bus tour all around the lake if you would rather not drive. We had done our own tour once, but didn't have a car recently and took the group tour. We got to see and learn some things that were new to us.

Target will be opening a store at the neighboring shopping center sometime in 2025, which would make groceries pretty easy. If that isn't available, you can get groceries delivered from Safeway in either the California or Nevada side; the distance is about equal. There is also a Whole Foods Market nearby.

The Lodge has a very nice setup for BBQing your own food with multiple stations. However, be aware that the BBQs get very busy in the evening.

Virginia City is a nice day trip if you want to see an old mining town. https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/

You'll have a great trip! Marriott Timber Lodge is probably our favorite US timeshare.

We also love the Timber Lodge. However, comparing it to the High Sierra Lodge in Incline Village, we hands down prefer Incline.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

We also love the Timber Lodge. However, comparing it to the High Sierra Lodge in Incline Village, we hands down prefer Incline.

The High Sierra Lodge is on my bucket list. IIRC, the GM is a woman from Marriott's Desert Springs TS.

We stayed our third time at the Hyatt Northstar in September. The units are very nice and Hyatt seems to be correcting some of the Welk "deferred maintenance" but they still have a ways to go. Nevertheless, we've enjoyed our stays there.

 

[davidvel]

We have been going to the Tahoe area for about 15 years. It is gorgeous area.

I like hiking to Eagle Lake near Emerald Bay. I have also hiked up the Van Sickle bi-state park area immediately behind the Marriott.

I'd definitely recommend booking a cruise on the Lake to Emerald Bay. One time we booked a wine and hors d'oeuvre cruise out of the Keys.

I tried the Fire and Ice restaurant at the Marriott twice and was severely disappointed. It was, by far, the worst teppanyaki experiences in my life. The food was cooked to death. Maybe if the head cook (a younger thin man with longish sandy colored hair) was replaced or not on duty it would be worth another try.

There are lots of decent restaurants in the South Lake Tahoe area. Riva Grill on the Lake is nice. If you don't mind the drive, Gar Woods and Jakes on the Lake at the North end of the lake are fantastic and while not inexpensive, were worth it.

There are some microbreweries in the Truckee area. While in Truckee, consider going to the Donner museum. I thought that it was worth it. If you park outside of the Donner park and are willing to walk about 500 feet, you'll save $8 parking.

If the tram at the Marriott is running, it can be fun to take and enjoy the view from the top.

I don't consider F&I to be Teppanyaki, more like Mongolian BBQ. Though, we never had an overcooked in many meals there. It is usually crazy busy when we are there in winter, so maybe not enough time to overcook. Bummer for your experience. It was certainly a better deal when you could get $100 restaurant.com certs for $40.

 

[SteveinHNL]

The High Sierra Lodge is on my bucket list. IIRC, the GM is a woman from Marriott's Desert Springs TS.

We stayed our third time at the Hyatt Northstar in September. The units are very nice and Hyatt seems to be correcting some of the Welk "deferred maintenance" but they still have a ways to go. Nevertheless, we've enjoyed our stays there.

Yes. Linda is the GM, and she is from one of the Marriots in Coachella valley, I just don't remember which. She is an excellent GM. As for the difference between HHS and Marriott Timber Lodge, they are just at opposite ends of the spectrum. Stateline is lively, busy, fun, and the Marriott is the same. Incline Village is and feels more tucked away in the woods, the town small and a bit sleepy, and HSS feels a bit like a nicely upgraded cabin in the woods. The HHS private beach access is a huge upgrade over the Marriott, hopefully they can retain that access as things are quite a bit up in the air about it. Marriott is the hustle and bustle of valet parking (no problem at all), HHS is drive up and park in front of your building/unit. HHS feels like you are in a smaller/friendly environ, Marriott feels like you are in a hotel. They're both great. But I'm 60, and I enjoy the HHS list of attributes more than Marriott's at this time of my life.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I don't consider F&I to be Teppanyaki, more like Mongolian BBQ. Though, we never had an overcooked in many meals there. It is usually crazy busy when we are there in winter, so maybe not enough time to overcook. Bummer for your experience. It was certainly a better deal when you could get $100 restaurant.com certs for $40.

You're right. It is more like Mongolian BBQ.

The cook had the temperature of the open grill turned down. I'm used to stuff cooking really quickly with a bunch of steam. But in our two experiences, we stood in a circle around the cooking area for about 1/2 hour. There were perhaps a dozen or more of us waiting for the food to be completed. When the food was finally dished up it was a dark brown. Not burned but severely overcooked. I called over the manager and asked him if he could identify any of the food on my plate and he couldn't. He offered to let me go through the line a second time but I declined because I didn't want to stand for another half hour.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Yes. Linda is the GM, and she is from one of the Marriots in Coachella valley, I just don't remember which. She is an excellent GM. As for the difference between HHS and Marriott Timber Lodge, they are just at opposite ends of the spectrum. Stateline is lively, busy, fun, and the Marriott is the same. Incline Village is and feels more tucked away in the woods, the town small and a bit sleepy, and HSS feels a bit like a nicely upgraded cabin in the woods. The HHS private beach access is a huge upgrade over the Marriott, hopefully they can retain that access as things are quite a bit up in the air about it. Marriott is the hustle and bustle of valet parking (no problem at all), HHS is drive up and park in front of your building/unit. HHS feels like you are in a smaller/friendly environ, Marriott feels like you are in a hotel. They're both great. But I'm 60, and I enjoy the HHS list of attributes more than Marriott's at this time of my life.

Yes, I remember Linda from Desert Springs I and II. It was a nice promotion for her and probably well deserved.

 

[DeniseM]

Some great ideas here, but if you are unfamiliar with the area, please note that it's about a 40 min. drive from Incline Village to State Line (south shore) Lake Tahoe, and on busy days it can take longer, so plan for an hour drive when you are going to State Line for excursions.

 

[davidvel]

Some great ideas here, but if you are unfamiliar with the area, please note that it's about a 40 min. drive from Incline Village to State Line (south shore) Lake Tahoe, and on busy days it can take longer, so plan for an hour drive when you are going to State Line for excursions.

They are staying basically on the stateline (Timber Lodge). Back to the Mai Tais!

 

[DeniseM]

Oh, OK. Let me re-phase: When you are driving from South Shore, to North Shore it can be 40 min. to an hour, so factor that in.