Lake Tahoe... Summer vs Winter

LOVE hiking!

Oftentimes, Lake Tahoe is seen as a winter wonderland. As much as this is true, Lake Tahoe also is a great fall getaway too. We’ve experienced Lake Tahoe during the first week of October and the first week of January.

First, there is South Lake Tahoe and North Lake Tahoe. Our experiences were mostly in South Lake Tahoe, but we did hit the slopes on the north side.

SUMMER/FALL

Hitting the trails

Fall is a great time to visit. The lows are in the upper 40’s and the highs in the lower 70’s with plenty of sunshine. The fall is the shoulder season and therefore the crowds are down and prices lowered. Casino Resorts (which are actually in Nevada) range $100-$150 per night. Of course there are smaller, locally owned motels available. Lake Tahoe is also a big vacation destination for people willing to rent out their homes during certain times of the year. South Lake Tahoe has plenty of trails to explore. Check out this site to look up trails. They have day hikes, short hikes, easy hikes, everything is great. You can’t go wrong. We took an afternoon hike to a vantage point that looked over Lake Tahoe. It was worth every step, and I don’t think we crossed paths with more than 5 people.  After the nice hike we cleaned up and headed to Nevada to check out events or shows. Mount Bleu was hosting an Oktoberfest and we decided to check that out. It was great with everyone in full spirit.

Oktoberfest!

There was a live folk band and authentic German food/drink available. There was an older crowd there but nevertheless, it was great. We played some games at the casino but we are not big gamblers. Before leaving the next morning we took a drive around the lake. It is a must, such beauty and tranquility.







I did not get a chance to do this, but check out some time on the lake doing a booze cruise

WINTER

Picture perfect at Heavenly

As nice as Tahoe is during the summer and fall months, it gets a lot of traffic in the winter months. This is actually the peak season where hotel and resort prices go up about $100/night. If you and your significant other want a winter wonderland escape, Tahoe is perfect. If you want to round up 10 of your best buds and hit the slopes, Tahoe is perfect. If you do the latter, the most economical thing to do is to rent out a lodge. We used Tahoe Accommodations to rent out a 12 sleeper lodge that was a quarter of a mile from Heavenly Mountain slope entrance. This is a great way to save money, but also have everyone under one roof.  I was living in San Francisco at the time and my cousin drove over from Utah, so we had the benefit of having vehicles, but taxis are abundant. Plus who wants to drive in the snow anyway?

On lift at Northstar

Trails:

Heavenly Mountain: This will be your most easily accessible resort if you stay in South Tahoe. The setup gives nice views, while the trails vary on all levels. We actually visited when snowfall was low and the snow machine was in action. Not as great as the real thing but still had a blast.

Northstar: Located in North Tahoe, this is the premier stop. Outside of the amazing views the 93 trails give you, the “village” has top tier shopping and eating.

Squaw Valley: I did not have the opportunity to try this one out, but as the host of the 1960 Winter Games, there is a lot to offer. I hear it is phenomenal, but it is also a little harder to get to. Recently Squaw Valley combined with Alpine Meadows making it quite massive (270 trails & 6,000 skiable acres)

Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe are two trails off the beaten path. You see them coming into South Tahoe from the Bay Area.

Always remember to check Groupon or Amazon Local for deals. We used Groupon to get good deals on rental equipment!

Only food recommendation is Cafe Fiore on South Tahoe.

How We Managed 9 Days in Alaska for Under $150 per Day

We just took a trip of a lifetime to Alaska. We flew from Houston to Anchorage on a direct flight. We spent 3 nights in Anchorage, 3 nights in Seward, and 2 nights in Denali National Park. Below is the cost break down that we incurred and then split to show a per person cost on a daily basis:

Category	Total	Per Person	PP per Day
Flight	$708	$354.00	$39.33
Transportation	$880	$440.00	$48.89
Activities	$114	$57.00	$6.33
Food	$409	$204.50	$22.72
Sleep	$386	$193.00	$21.44
Gifts	$110	$55.00	$6.11
Total	$2,607	$1,304	$145

Sharing is Caring

We shared this journey with another couple helping lower the cost (shared food, hotels, and activities). For example, we covered the rental car for the duration of the trip ($700) while the other couple purchased the 2-day kayaking tour in Seward. They used Groupon to find this great deal. This discount site allows easy searches by category, location, or keywords. They found a 2 for 1 deal on a 2 person kayaking trip for 2 days/1 night, saving us greatly. 

Glamping is Just as Good as Hotels

Showers, laundry and restrooms!

(Glamour Camping = Glamping) We also minimized cost on hotels by simply minimizing our hotel stay. The Groupon kayak trip included one night and we stayed at the campground owned by the dock (Miller's Landing) the night before for a discounted price. In Denali National Park, we popped up a tent at one of their many campgrounds. Many of these campgrounds provide all the same amenities as your standard hotel. Alaska has great summer temperatures that make it feel like you are in an air conditioned room. 

Cheapest Way to Stay Full

Restaurants and fast food can add up and wastes a lot of money (not to mention the healthy factor). We are an active couple and the couple we shared this trip with is like us. We knew we would be doing some hiking and kayaking and needed food to snack on. A local grocery store is a great way to cut food costs. We spent $100 between 4 people to supplement snacks and even meals (long car ride from Seward to Denali). Our Groupon kayak trip also had meals included to help save!

Enjoying our 4th of July hotdogs and s'mores

Mileage Programs

I am currently enrolled with a credit card company that gives me points for spending. I convert these points to airline miles since we love to travel. Everything outside of my mortgage and loans is paid with my credit card giving me optimal points. This can help cut down on flight prices.

Still making excuses? Well, you can reason that you will not be at home, so you will not be running your AC or taking long hot showers. Either way, you have to eat, whether you are away on vacation or at home... Maybe add in a night out at the bar$. So take the plunge and go travel! If you have any questions, leave a comment or e-mail us 10centtravels@gmail.com

Not worried about the spending while traveling, but more concerned how to save in order to travel? We can try to help with that too. Check out our tips to help save for a trip!