Emerald Bay Boat Camp — Hotel in South Lake Tahoe

Fantastic experience! Best view is the lake! You would pull up to a parking lot, then you see these amazing hills that you go up and take a pic or propose to the love of your life (the view is that good) then you get this feeling that you must experience the bay bc you ll regret the rest of your life if you don't. You proceed to the left to a walkway/ramp to the lake which is pretty mild, about 10 degree slope. We saw alot of cool nature, trees growing out of rocks and perfectly cared cliffs which make amazing photos backdrop. I had the wrong shoes on (not water proof and not for hiking... Really not for outdoorz) but it was calling me so I decided to deal with the consequences later. I was walking in snow but it never really got in my shoes. Depending on time of the year, you would hear waterfall or two which is very soothing. There were alot of times that it was just us and nature and Tahoe... Felt private and romantic. You can appreciate the beauty of the nature and the lake in absence of other distraction more. I can go on and on but we have dinner plans! I hope you have the...

Boat-In Camping: Loads of work, but big reward! Some things I wish I knew: there are wheelbarrows to load your stuff from dock to camp. Sites appear booked online, but half the site was empty! Call in and ask the camp hosts, that is actually more up to date than SP website. At least go check with them before you unload to your site. Our site 15 was a Trek uphill. Camp host has a dingy to ferry you to/from boat after tying up at your buoy. But if they aren't there, you gotta swim and you can't reach or wade. Yes, they have firewood and ice for cash. Very special place. Water looks most blue when there are blue skies. Watch out for overnight low temps! You can't anchor at Fannette Isle/Teachouse so we took turns dropping off our crew at the island. Go in AM or late afternoon before the crowds come. Vikinsholm tours for Summer 2022 are actually every half hour and begin at 10:30. Tour is about half hour and you can stay longer on your own if you wish. Truly a camp trip...

If there are only a few things you do/visit during the non-skiing season, Emerald Bay is an absolute must see. I visited in early May, and sunny/clear conditions allowed for breathtaking views. It's also a treat to see how clear the water is. There are plenty of photo opportunities at Emerald Bay. If you visit Emerald Bay State Park, pay for parking and spend some time there to explore. Most people explore near the parking lot (which is good), but those who want to get closer to the bay/water will want to hike down a little bit. The trail down is short at about one mile, but keep in mind that what is downhill one direction is uphill on the way back up to the parking lot. Once you get down, there is a building known as Vikingsholm. Although Vikingsholm was closed and not offering tours when I visited, you can still marvel at the architecture as you walk around it. If you're in the Reno-Tahoe area and you have time to explore, definitely visit...