Driving in for the very first time to Lake Tahoe is quite an experience. The road is winding through the mountains and suddenly after many bends in the road, we got to see the Lake Tahoe basin…it is huge. We heard that the lake is very large, but when you see it from the road in one of the many vista points, the lake is indeed huge. Once there, everyone told us to drive to Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe. We did drive to Emerald Bay and hiked down to the lake. This is a splendid place. Let’s explore together my favorite things to do at Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe.
My Favorite Things to Do at Emerald Bay
After visiting Emerald Bay, it has become one of our favorite things to do in Lake Tahoe in summer. Simply hiking down to Emerald Bay and enjoying the views will relax your mind.
- Stop at the Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe vista point on the road above the bay. The views are amazing and it’s worth your time.
- Park your car in the Vikingsholm parking lot at the top and hike down to Vikingsholm. The trail is very easy and kids can easily hike down as well.
- Take a guided tour of the inside of Vikingsholm. It’s a really interested building with original furniture from the 1920s and 1930s.
1. Enjoy the Views at Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe
Fannette Island seen from the trail leading down to Emerald Bay and Vikinsgholm.
See my photos from Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe ·
The Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe vista point gives you amazing views of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island from on high. Fannette Island is the only island on the entire lake. Another great way to see amazing views of Emerald Bay, is to actually hike down to Vikingsholm. The trail gives you many opportunities for amazing pictures overlooking Emerald Bay.
How long does it take to hike down to Emerald Bay? Well, a leisurely stroll down the beautiful winding trail would take about 40 minutes and it will give you plenty of beautiful views of Emerald Bay.
2. Visit Vikingsholm
Vikingsholm is a beautiful Scandinavian castle overlooking Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe.
See my photos from Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe ·
Hiking the easy trail down to the lake level at Emerald Bay will take you right behind the Vikingsholm mansion. This is a genuine Nordic Viking castle on the shores of Lake Tahoe. You can also take a guided tour for a very reasonable price. It is a very interesting building with great history and mystery.
Getting to Emerald Bay Tahoe
We took highway 50 from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe. Once you get to Lake Tahoe drive on the west shore of the lake to get to Emerald Bay. The road to Emerald Bay becomes very steep and winds up and down through the mountains. Look for signs indicating Emerald Bay vista point and stop in the Vikingsholm parking lot. Then just hike down and enjoy the views all the way to Emerald Bay.
Is Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe Worth Visiting?
Emerald Bay was the highlight of our visit to Lake Tahoe. The views are just amazing and hiking down to the lake level gives you an amazing perspective of Lake Tahoe.
