Turqouise Water and Picturesque Clouds: A Traveler's Lake Tahoe Guide
How to get there, best places to see, & more
By Raphael M., a travel photographer and writer based out of New York City
Last Updated on August 5th, 2026
With picturesque clouds and bright turquoise water, Lake Tahoe holds some of the most stunning views in all of California, a state park worthy of a national title.
While Lake Tahoe has a lot of charm in itself, a valuable asset the park has is its proximity to San Francisco and Sacramento. The drive from SF to Lake Tahoe is around 4 hours, while its 2 from Sacramento. This makes it a easy weekend trip from either major city, a fortune we don't so much have on the East Coast.
If you are coming in internationally, you'd ideally fly into San Francisco or Sacramento, or you have the option to fly into Reno, Nevada, as the park is between the two states.
Lake Tahoe is a resort town, with an abundance of casino/resorts, homestays, and historic hotels. The casino/resorts are located on the eastern side of town, where there are a ton of walkable stores and downtown access, and probably the most convenient. There are Airbnbs located all around the lake, as well as in the nearby towns. I would recommend staying in town, which is at the southern tip of the lake. If not, staying near the northeast section gives you quicker access to Sand Harbor State Park, a major attraction.
I stayed at Camp Richardson, located on the south-western side of the lake. It's about 20 minutes from the downtown area, and gives you more peace and quiet compared to staying in the downtown area. It has private beach access, the option of camping, hotel rooms, or small cabins.
I want to preface this by saying that Lake Tahoe is a public/private access lake, with some sections and viewpoints being under different regulations, and admission costs. There are several spots that are signature Lake Tahoe, but in all honesty, anywhere you can park your car safety on the road and walk down to the water is the best spot.
There are 6 main spots/trails that I would recommend: Sand Harbor State Park, Emerald Bay State Park, The Tahoe East Shore Trail, Secret Cove Beach, Cave Rock, and the Rubicon Trail. If I was limited in time, I would go to Sand Harbor State Park, do the Tahoe East Shore Trail, and the Rubicon Trail. I think these three give you most of the Tahoe experience, although the rest of the lake is no slouch.
When you see the photos of Lake Tahoe, they are more than likely taken here. With the smooth grey pebble-like boulders, green alpine trees, and signature turquoise water, Sand Harbor State Park has it all.
About 3 miles north of Sand Harbor State Park is the beginning of the Tahoe East Shore Trail, a walking path that leads alongside the water.
I parked on the side of the road in the town area and walked in. It was a stunning trail, and it also functions as a bike trail, which may be a better option for those who don't walk to do extensive amounts of walking.
I think you see a lot more of the water on this trail, and it also allows you to access the water in different locations that others don't have the easiest access to, leading to less crowds. This trail also has some of the best photography of the coastline, and gives easy access.
Located on the southwest section of the lake, the Rubicon Trail gets you right up and close to the water. The trail is a 10 mile out and back, but you can do sections that give you the highlights.
While the Tahoe East Shore Trail gives you clearer views of the rocks and the water, the Rubicon Trail has more tree and plant foliage, which in my opinion, is a better view.
This spot is on the southeastern side of the lake, on your way up to Sand Harbor State Park. It's called Cave Rock because there's a large rock that has a small cave (go figure) but the best view here is the small beach that was super secluded when I went, with practically no one in the water.
How to Get There:
Where to stay:
Main places to visit:
Sand Harbor State Park:
Tahoe East Shore Trail:
Rubicon Trail:
The only downside here is the congestion, with the parking lots quickly filling up with summer crowds, which ultimately lead to pretty crowded beaches. If you want to avoid the crowds (and see more of the same scenary), I would do the Tahoe East Shore Trail, which ends at Sand Harbor State Park. This is the option that I did, and I definitely don't regret it.
Cave Rock:
I also went here for sunset as you get a clear view of the water, which was stunning.
There is a small admission fee to get in, but the pass you get also gets you into other parks. Make sure to ask the employee which parks/sites the fee gets you in, as it correlates with the state you are in.
Emerald Bay State Park:
This park was about 15 minutes from my hotel, and was the perfect sunrise spot. At the inlet of Emerald Bay, a small stone castle is right in the middle of the bay. I couldn't find any information, but it was a interesting thing to spot in the morning. There's a few hikes that are super popular in the area, but I didn't get a chance to try them.
Secret Cove Beach:
This 'secret' beach is located on the right side of the park, and doesn't have any markers except on a map. I didn't actually visit this beach, but people like it because of its lack of an admission fee and access to the water. It is located at the bottom of a pretty steep hill, and is partly marked as a nude beach, so do with that what you will.
Final Thoughts:
