Tahoe Cabin Rentals Close To the Slopes vs Private Beach vs For Large Families/Groups ... and 3 more
Edited by Kathy McGraw, Maria Quinney
Whether you want to go skiing in the winter, or canoeing on the lake in the summer, beautiful Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation destination. The lake itself is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains and straddles the borders of California and Nevada. Cross the border into Nevada, and you can add gambling to the list of activities in which you can partake. Vacation cabins dot the mountain slopes, and the lakeshore and some of them are quite luxurious, featuring amenities from full tennis courts to pools and hot tubs.
Method 1: Close To the Slopes
How would you like to slip on your skis and slide your way to the gondola that takes you up the mountain to the slopes? You can quite literally do just that in favorable conditions at some of the cabins available for rent in Lake Tahoe. Even if you can't ski there, you can easily carry your gear to the gondola. Here are a couple of examples:
- 1Home Run is a 4,000 square foot, five bedrooms, five bathroom home located in North Star, Lake Tahoe. With amenities, such a hot tub, breathtaking views of the mountains, and a flat screen television in most of the bedrooms, and within walking (or skiing)distance from the Highlands Gondola, this rental is hard to beat.Home Run.
- 2At the base of the Heavenly Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe is this five bedroom, four and half bath 4,900 square foot home. Not only is it within walking distance of the ski lifts, but it also has an elevator to take you between floors. Talk about luxury!Ski Shack.
Method 2: Private Beach
If skiing isn't your thing, maybe you'd enjoy Lake Tahoe in the summer, when you can get some sun on your own private beach. Here are two cabins where you can lay out on the sandy shores of Lake Tahoe and watch the boats pass by.
- 1This lovely home has three bedrooms and two baths in a 100 acre gated community. It has one mile of private beachfront and amenities such as a gourmet kitchen, large fireplace, and granite counter tops.Tahoe Meadows Cabin.
- 2This Incline Village home is 9,000 square feet of roominess. It has six bedrooms, so bring the extended family, and it has access to three private beaches where you can relax in the sun. The amenities include a hot tub, gourmet kitchen, two sub-zero refrigerators, a steam shower, and much more.Lakeshore Retreat.
Method 3: For Large Families/Groups
What better place to have a family reunion or gather the old crowd from high school or college than Lake Tahoe? Take the family on a ski adventure or go paddle boating out on the lake before returning to your spacious cabin to have a barbecue or roast marshmallows by the fire. Here are some examples of cabins that suit large groups or families.
- 1This cabin has 12 bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and according to the listing, can sleep up to 50 people. It has a spacious driveway to accommodate plenty of cars, so tell the family to come on up! Just one mile away from the lake, the family can take a brisk walk down to the shore, have some fun in the water, then walk back in time for a barbecue.Mountain Home.
Method 4: For Weddings
Beautiful Lake Tahoe is the perfect setting for a wedding any time of year. Whether you want to have a wedding in the summer when the trees and flowers are in full bloom and the waters of the lake sparkle in the sunlight or you want to a frosty ceremony in the cool white of winter with the glistening snow covering the earth, the roofs, this alpine lake is the spot. Here are some examples of cabins that would work well for a wedding.
- 1The Ridge is an 11-acre resort in the Carson Valley area of Lake Tahoe. It's perfect for weddings because of the beauty of the area, and there are enough separate condos to house your family so that you can keep the peace between your mother-in-law and everybody else.The Ridge.
- 2Merrily Wed owns spectacular lakefront real estate suitable for an enchanting wedding on the lake shore. At Merrily Wed, you don't have to book a separate venue for the reception, because there is a gigantic ballroom on the property.Merrily Wed.
Method 5: From the Owner
Renting a cabin from the cabin's owner directly is a good way to find cheap Tahoe cabin rentals. Since the owner doesn't have to pay a property management company to manage their property for them, they don't have to pass that cost onto you in the form of higher rent. However, you may be missing out on extras, such as concierge services, that some vacation property management companies offer.
- 1Vacasa is a listing service that allows owners of vacation rental properties to advertise them as well as connecting them to potential renters. While you can book your rental online, you are dealing with the property owner directly. Vacasa lists vacation properties from all over the world but has hundreds of Lake Tahoe cabin rentals available. The site lets you browse photos of the property and filter your search results by location, size, price, amenities, such as having a hot tub, and even whether or not it's a pet-friendly rental. You can also read reviews from other renters.Vacasa (vacasa.com).
- 2Vacation Home Rentals is owned by the well-known travel website, TripAdvisor. Like Vacasa, it puts you in contact with the Lake Tahoe property owner directly, although booking is made on the website. You can browse photos of the property, filter results by location, size, amenities, and more, as well as read reviews from other renters.Vacation Home Rentals (vacationhomerentals.com).
- 3Similar to the other two websites, Owner Direct brings prospective renters together with property owners to facilitate the rental transaction. Just like the other listing sites, you communicate with the owner directly, book your stay online, and browse photos of the property. Filter your results to narrow your search results according to your needs and read reviews from other renters, as well.Owner Direct (ownerdirect.com).
- 4You are probably already aware of AirBnB, the leader in booking short-term and vacation rentals worldwide. Like the other sites in this section, you can book your stay online but deal with the property owner directly. Browse photos of the property, filter your results and read reviews from other renters before making a decision on a rental.AirBnB (airbnb.com).
- 5Vacation Rentals By Owner does just what it implies it does by its title; it brings renters together with property owners. All communication is with the owners themselves, although you book your stay online. Like the other sites, you can filter your results, browse photos, and pursue rental reviews to see if a particular property is worth your money.Vacation Rentals By Owner( vrbo.com).
- 6The Tahoe Getaways is a company that owns and rents out 4 cabins in South Lake Tahoe. All of the cabins are within walking distance from each other, so it's a perfect retreat for a family reunion. Also within walking distance are the lakeshore, Regan Beach, and the beautiful 500-acre Conservancy Meadow. All the cabins have hot tubs and modern amenities such as granite counter tops and luxurious bathrooms, and the larger cabins come with HDTVs and gaming consoles.The Tahoe Getaways (Thetahoegetaways.com).
- 7Zephyr Cove is a South Lake Tahoe resort with its own beach, marina, and restaurant. It has 28 cabins that vary in size from a studio to a two-story chalet. Some of the cabins have full kitchens, fireplaces, lake views, and decks. Additionally, the resort is pet-friendly.Zephyr Cove (Zephyrcove.com).
Method 6: From a Local Property Management Company
Many owners would rather not deal with renting out their vacation properties themselves, so they hire property management companies to handle it for them. While you may find the rent more expensive compared to renting from the owner directly, dealing with a property management company has some upsides. One of them is that many of them offer additional services to tenants, such as concierge services. Another is that because they are local, should there be an emergency, someone will be on hand to help you right away.
- 1Buckingham Tahoe Rentals is a vacation home property management service that specializes in luxury rental properties. It is owned and operated by a mother and daughter team, and as of this writing, manages over 80 vacation homes in South Lake Tahoe. Rents vary according to the location of the property, size, and amenities, such as on-site hot tubs. Some units are pet-friendly, too. View photos of the available properties, take a virtual tour, and book online, all from its convenient website.Buckingham Tahoe Rentals (buckinghamtahoerentals.com).
- 2A family owned and operated company, Lake Tahoe Accommodations manages over 200 vacation rentals all over the Lake Tahoe area. Rent depends on such factors as location, size, and amenities. Many properties include hot tubs and are also pet-friendly. You can view photos of the cabins on the website and take a virtual tour.Lake Tahoe Accommodations (tahoeaccomodations.com).
- 3Agate Bay manages a variety of vacation properties in North Lake Tahoe from budget cabins to luxurious ones. They vary in size, location, and amenities, with some including a hot tub, pier, or lake view. Rent varies as well, depending on these criteria. Like other property management companies, Agate Bay's website includes photos of each cabin and lets you take a virtual tour of each one.Agate Bay (agatebay.com).
- 4Waters of Tahoe is a property management company that handles rental cabins in North Lake Tahoe. Some of them have pools and hot tubs, and some are on the lakeshore. The rent varies according to the amenities offered, size, and location. Browse photos of each cabin and take a virtual tour right from the website.Waters of Tahoe Properties (watersoftahoe.com).
- 5With over 123 cabins for rent in South Lake Tahoe and over 108 in North Lake Tahoe, this property management company has many to choose from. Rent varies according to the cabin's size, location, and of course amenities, which can include a hot tub. Some units are also pet-friendly. Be sure to take a virtual tour of the cabins you are interested in and check out the photos on the website.TurnKey Vacation Rentals (turnkeyvr.com).
- 6Stay in Tahoe manages over 30 cabins in South Lake Tahoe. Some of them have hot tubs, and some are right on the water. Of course, the rent varies according to location and what amenities are included. All of the properties are close to Stateline, Lake Tahoe Golf Course, and Washoe Meadows State Park. Virtual tours and photos of each cabin are available on the website.Stay In Tahoe (stayintahoe.com).
- 7Luxury Retreats manages vacation rentals worldwide, including all areas of Lake Tahoe. Like Buckingham Tahoe Rentals, Luxury Retreats specializes in luxury properties. Rates vary by location, size, and amenities, but you can expect them to be on the high end regardless. Virtual tours, as well as photos of each cabin, are provided on the website.Luxury Retreats (luxuryretreats.com).
Facts About Lake Tahoe
- Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake
- Lake Tahoe's elevation is 6,225 feet above sea level
- Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America
- Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake, after Crater Lake in Oregon at 1,645 feet
- Lake Tahoe measures 22 miles long and 12 miles wide
- Lake Tahoe has 72 miles of shoreline
Things to Do in Lake Tahoe
Because of its high elevation, activities at Lake Tahoe depend on the season. In the winter, Lake Tahoe has several ski resorts at which you may ski downhill or cross-country. Snowboarding, sledding, and snowshoeing are also popular winter activities. When the sun is high in the sky during the summer months, the blue waters of the lake become the focus. The temperature rises. Parasailing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, paddle boating, and even scuba diving are popular summer activities. Watersports and skiing are not the only activities in Lake Tahoe. In the summer, you will also find free music concerts on the beach, farmers markets selling fresh and locally grown produce, and yoga/pilates classes and massages can be had all year around.
For More Information
If you want more information about Lake Tahoe, including information about upcoming events, please visit the The Lake Tahoe Visitors' Bureau for more information.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
