Dining on a Budget at South Lake Tahoe

Vacation wouldn't be a vacation without dining out. Who wants to cook? Here are some places we found great deals:

1) Embassy Suites Hotel: All guests enjoy complimentary made-to-order and/or buffet-style full breakfasts. I loved the scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, aromatic country potatoes, fluffy French toast and pancakes. Baked goods, cereal, yogurt, and fresh fruit were also available for the taking along with a variety of beverages. My favorite drink was the fruit punch. Very sweet, but I added ice. Who can resist a free breakfast?

2) Echo Restaurant in the Embassy Suites: We found a $35 coupon online from Restaurants.com for this pricey establishment. Some of our dishes were better than others. My husband's steak and garlic potatoes were scrumptious. I wasn't too hungry and only ordered basil tomato soup and a scallops appetizer. The soup was great, but the three tiny scallops were overcooked and came with an overly sweet and salty soy sauce. The coupon would have been worth more if we had a smaller party.

3) Lakeside Inn's Timber Room: This restaurant in a small casino at the end of the Strip was surprisingly uncrowded. We had eaten here two years ago and had to wait an hour to be seated. Prices are reasonable and the quality good. I ordered a hamburger with avocado and grilled mushrooms for $7.50 and my husband had the tri-tip special for $8.50. Both were delicious.

4) Harrah's Forest Buffet: Instead of going here on Father's Day Sunday, we waited till Monday and arrived a little before 5:00 when it opened for dinner for two reasons: one, it would have been more crowded on Father's Day and two, weekdays are less expensive than weekends. Adult dinners are $18.95 on weekdays. We were seated fairly quickly and went to town on the international smaogasbord: fresh sushi, steaming pizza, hand-cut roast beef, steamed shrimp, Chinese food, Mexican dishes, American. But my favorite area was the desserts: mini chocolate eclairs bursting with Bavarian cream, tiny fruit tarts with custard, lemon cake, chocolate cream pie--yum-yum!

5) Fenton's Ice Creamery: Located in Vacaville in the new Nut Tree shopping area, we stopped off here on the way back to the Bay Area. If you like the one in Oakland, you'll like this one even better. The clean, air-conditioned eatery welcomed us from the heat of the day. Besides frozen concoctions, they serve soups, salads, and sandwiches. I ordered half a crab sandwich with chicken gumbo soup. The sandwich was made with REAL crab. I was saving my stomach for dessert, but ended up sharing a chocolate shake with hubby. Prices are reasonable.

A Tahoe vacation has become a family tradition we look forward to every year. We treasure the time we can spend with our extended family to forge even closer ties. As the teens get older and everyone is busy, purposeful time spent together will help us stay close.

The Heavenly Gondolas at South Lake Tahoe

Although our family is on a budget, it doesn't mean we can't spend money. Three activites we were deciding between were the Heavenly Gondolas ($32/adults, $26/teens), MS Dixie Paddlewheeler ($35 w/AAA discount), and renting a speedboat for two hours ($340/ten people or $34 each). While none of these was cheap, we chose the Heavenly Gondolas not only because it was the least exepnsive, but because most of us had not gone on these particular gondolas before in good weather.

The enclosed tram took us up 9000 feet to an observation platform. We experienced spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. Blue skies reflected in the lake and we could clearly see boats, Tahoe Keys, and the casinos at Stateline. We enjoyed posing for a professional group photo ($20 for four photos of various sizes in a keepsake folder), petting a baby raccoon, browsing the gift shop and drinking hot chocolate at the snack bar.

We reboarded the gondolas and traveled further up the mountain to Adventure Peak. During the winter, skiers disembark here for intermediate and advanced downhill skiing. But in the summer, visitors can hike the trails, as well as climb a rock wall ($10), or eat at the Adventure Grill. Some of us took naps in the sunshine on comfortable Adirondack-style chairs while others hiked to a point overlooking Carson Valley. In the middle of June, snow still covered some of the trails. If our teens were younger, they would have enjoyed climbing a net maze to glide down a giant slide (free for kids 12 and under).

Traveling to the top of the mountain on the gondolas was the highlight of our trip. The great weather and scenic beauty combined with friendly rangers and amenities made for a great family outing.

Next: Dining on a Budget at South Lake Tahoe

Eight Free or Inexpensive Family Summer Activities in South Lake Tahoe

My extended family just returned from a short vacation in beautiful South Lake Tahoe. Our group included teenagers, adults and one senior. As with many families during these tough economic times, we searched for free or inexpensive activities all could enjoy. Here is a partial list of what we did or wanted to do, but didn't have time for (not in any particular order):

1) Tallac Historic Site: I never knew this existed until this year. Three estates within a short walking distance from each other are free to explore on the outside. $5 ($3 for kids) tours of the Pope Estate are given every day except Tuesdays during the summer. Picturesque ponds, gardens and historic vehicles are on display. Paved flat paths are easy even for small children. Parking is free.

2) Kiva Beach: Parking is free. We didn't go here, but saw the parking lot was fairly full.

3) Baldwin Beach: Parking is $7. We go here every time we visit Tahoe. It is our favorite beach because it is quiet, clean, and the bathrooms are close by. Pope Beach is also $7 for parking. You can puchase one parking pass and visit both beaches on the same day.

4) Watched a movie in our hotel room. We stayed at the Embassy Suites and eight of us watched Date Night for $12.99. That's $1.62 each! We also ate a free full breakfast every morning. Yum!

5) Harrah's Arcade: We found coupons near the concierge desk at our hotel for $10 worth of arcade tokens for $5. Some of us took the teenagers to the arcade while other adults gambled. I think they went through the tokens in about half an hour, then took another fifteen minutes deciding what they wanted to exchange their tickets for.

6) Explore Tahoe Interpretive Center: Between our hotel and the Heavenly Gondolas is a roundish building with a colored sidewalk leading up to it. The Interpretive Center is geared mainly for younger children, but our teens enjoyed reading and playing with the exhibits. A scale model of Lake Tahoe with points of interest lights up when you press buttons. Floor puzzles and coloring can keep young ones busy. Admission is free.

7) Cascade Falls: Near Cascade Lake. We didn't go here, but will save it for next time. A short, moderate hike leads up to a series of waterfalls. Free.

8) Taylor Creek Visitor Center/Rainbow Trail: Another interpretive center and easy, flat, paved trail. We will save for next time. Free.

Directions and other info to all these places can be found on the Internet.

Travel articles are not the usual topics of my blog, but I thought reviews of the different places we visited would be helpful for families planning a trip to South Lake Tahoe this summer. We went when it was relatively uncrowded, but as the summer wears on, the number of visitors will increase.

Next: The Heavenly Gondolas: Not Cheap, but Relatively Inexpensive