South Tahoe Ready For Summer Season With Substantial Renovations, New Attractions & Restaurants

Lake Tahoe’s South Shore offers a fresh supply of ideas on activities, entertainment, and where to stay, play, dine, and shop this summer: VisitLakeTahoe.com.  
 
PLACES TO STAY
 

• Caesars Republic will raise its flag at former Harveys with a $160 million (£128M) renovation Caesars Entertainment has announced plans to transform Harveys Lake Tahoe into Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino this summer. The £128 million renovation will include state-of-the-art accommodations, dining, and gaming upgrades. The property will remain open during the transition, with July 1 marking the resort’s official change to Caesars Republic.
• Golden Nugget completed room renovations; new restaurant and pool scene debut All hotel rooms and suites in Golden Nugget’s Sunset Tower have been completely renovated with upgraded amenities. Coming soon: Mastro's Steak House, a sophisticated dining experience recognized for world-class service, highly acclaimed cuisine, and live entertainment. Outside, the resort’s pool area will also be reintroduced as H2O, featuring built-in seating areas, fire pits, a hot tub, private cabanas, a poolside bar, and outdoor gaming. 
• Harrah’s Lake Tahoe renovates Summit Suites and adds Brew Brothers Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, connected to Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe via an underground walkway, is also undergoing improvements, including the resort’s iconic Summit Suites. The highly anticipated restaurant Brew Brothers recently opened at the destination, bringing a vibrant craft beer and dining experience to the property.
• Black Bear Lodge has grown from roadside motel to stylish, sustainable retreat Greg and Rachel Carlson have realized the potential in the Black Bear Lodge with numerous renovations combining two properties, offering lodge rooms, cabins, and & suites. The elegant mountain style is expressed with river rock surrounding the gas fireplaces, natural log beams, and other rustic, yet chic touches. The owners’ many sustainability efforts include working with local makers and up-cycling 'found' objects: oil paintings, lamps, furniture, vases, adding depth to the story of each room. 

WHAT TO DO

• Tahoe Star offers an exclusive cruise and tour of historic Thunderbird Lodge The 54-foot Tahoe Star, originally the yacht Bill Harrah commissioned to entertain the stars who played his casino showroom, sails from South Shore to the private dock at Thunderbird Lodge, offering a rare glimpse of the historic estate via the most scenic route possible: water.  The four-hour luxury cruise includes refreshments, a light lunch, and rich storytelling about Lake Tahoe’s past and the life of George Whittell Jr., who built his 6.51-acre retreat on the lake's east shore in 1939. The famous mansion features a 600-foot secret tunnel that winds under the main home to the boathouse of the world-famous 55-foot mahogany Thunderbird yacht. The lakefront property tour includes Card House, Caretaker's Cottage, Cook/Butler's House, Admiral's House, and Gatehouse, the "Elephant House.”  The eccentric Whittell had an elephant, Mingo, on-site and a pet lion, Bill, that rode shotgun in his Duesenberg tooling around Tahoe. Availability is limited and advance booking is required. 
• New sunset and wine cruise at Zephyr Cove Tahoe Paradise, operating out of Zephyr Cove Marina, launches an unforgettable voyage this summer on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe with their new Sunset Wine Tasting Cruise. Featured are stunning mountain views, hand-selected local wines, and delicious small bites. Also new this season at Zephyr Cove Resort, weddings and group events return, offering versatile venues for intimate weddings and group gatherings.
• Guided e-bike mountain tour by Clearly Tahoe. Four-wheeling adventures along Rubicon This new offering is where Tahoe’s mountains meet the magic of the lake. It starts with a speedboat ride from Zephyr Cove Marina, dropping guests off at the famous Rubicon trail to embark on a two-hour guided ATV tour with breathtaking views along every turn.
  
• Clearly Tahoe, long regarded for its clear kayak lake expeditions, offers a variety of bike tours and rentals from its location in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. Guests can explore a network of paved and unpaved trails that loop through the forested hills, beautiful meadows, and multiple Lake Tahoe beaches.
• Experience lift-off with these airborne adventures  For adrenaline and altitude junkies, Heavenly Mountain Resort has a variety of seasonal adventures at the top of the mountain that take visitors off their feet launching May 23 (Fridays – Sundays and then daily starting June 13). With the new Heavenly Gondola sightseeing ticket, multiple trips are valid all day to the top for a plethora of activities: Ridge Rider Coaster, Tubing (on snow while it lasts, then summer tubing starting approximately July 1), Red Tail Flyer Zip Line (for youngsters), Hot Shot Zip Line (1,000 feet long, reaching speeds of around 30-40 mph), Granite Peak Climbing Wall, gem panning and mountaintop yoga series (July 6 - Sept. 7).
• City of South Lake Tahoe launching major improvement projects The City of South Lake Tahoe is investing $120 million in summer improvements for everyone’s enjoyment. Projects include a new street-style skatepark at Bijou Park and upgrades to the existing skatepark. A new segment to the city’s extensive network of multi-use trails will open at Al Tahoe Boulevard adjacent to Bijou Park, and bicycle repair stations will be installed in nine locations along the trails as an amenity for in-route bicycle maintenance. The city’s 2025 Capital Improvement Project offers an interactive map.

PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK

• Edgewood Tahoe Resort to unveil The Edge Restaurant and Lounge, along with enhanced event spaces The Edge Restaurant and Lounge opens this summer at Edgewood Tahoe Resort, creating a meeting place combining lake, sky, and the artistry of a perfect meal. The menu will balance seasonal flavors with modern culinary techniques, multi-course tasting menus, tableside presentations, and artisanal craft cocktails. The Edge will also house a wine collection featuring over 1,000 labels worldwide, including rare estate vintages and boutique California wineries – all sommelier-selected. The North and South Rooms in the lakefront Clubhouse are also being reimagined, offering a combined 4,140 square feet of meeting and event space with spectacular lake and mountain views. 
• Two Tahoe coffee houses excel with atmosphere and altitude  Bare Roots Coffee Roasting Company is perking right along at 6,237 ft. above sea level and expanding into a space adjacent to their central South Lake Tahoe coffee house. The secret to their success: altitude. The higher you go, the thinner and drier the air. Coffee roasted at high altitudes utilizes shorter “cooking” times and lower temperatures to cultivate some amazing tasting profiles to enjoy, not found below 3,000 ft.

NEW BUSINESSES IN THE HEAVENLY VILLAGE AREA

• Elevated Wine Experience – Explore more of California’s wine regions  Elevated Wine Experience is a tasting room with two unique points of difference.  First, the California wines they serve are grown and made in counties other than Napa or Sonoma. On a recent afternoon, 22 wines were in rotation. Second, along with reasonably priced flights, it’s a return to the welcome days of no tasting fees with a bottle purchase.

SHOPPING NEWS

• Cascade Kitchens – A new concept in South Lake Tahoe  This summer, Cascade Kitchens will become the first food hall of its kind in South Lake Tahoe, opening near the intersection of Highways 50 and 89. The new layout will include room for seven full-time food vendors, market-style kiosks for pop-up sales, a commissary kitchen with a community membership structure, an on-site bar, private event spaces, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and food truck parking with commissary kitchen access.

Designated by USA TODAY among “15 ultimate summer road trips,” Visit Lake Tahoe combines the distinctive appeal of two worlds: unparalleled natural beauty and an array of world-class outdoor recreation, entertainment, nightlife and gaming. As a responsible tourism destination, it offers a balanced approach regarding social and environmental impacts to preserve its appeal for generations. For information about lodging, recreation, events, and mindful travel at www.VisitLakeTahoe.com.