My parents and me and my husband are renting a condo near Heavenley at Tahoe for the week of Christmas. I've never been to Tahoe-what are the must dos. Also any special things/activities to do around Christmas?

Oh, I envy you -- a white Christmas in Lake Tahoe!!

"Must Do" #1 -- enjoy the snow. There will be lots of it. I am not even a skier (though tubing, sledding, building snowmen, etc. etc. is abundant).

Consider a cruise on the M.S. Dixie sternwheeler, if the weather is clear. They have an evening dinner/dance, a breakfast cruise, and a couple of others.

Casinos are everywhere, if you enjoy a little gambling, and they should also have some shows (Caesars and Harrahs are the biggest, I think).

Check out www.virtualtahoe.com for some other ideas. Merry Christmas! Send us a trip report when you get back.

Of course, you're skiing or snowboarding, right?

Some of the better deals on daily lift tickets are available at major supermarkets like Albertson's and Safeway, but only at locations OUTSIDE the Lake Tahoe-Truckee area.

Check into snowbomb.com and slidingonthecheap.com, they usually have a lot of great info.

Dinner at Riva Grill 900 Ski Run Blvd on the water (at the end of Ski Run Blvd more or less opposite from Heavenly).

Lunch or dinner at Sunnyside in Tahoe City on the west side of the lake.

Altitudes for dancing/younger crowd - there's a long wait on Fri/Sat nights.

Hot air balloon ride over the lake, if they operate that time of year.

Sometimes, a great comedian or musician plays the large hotels.

I had dinner at Riva Grill last month and thought it was awful. Expected it to be very good as sister restauarnt Garwoods is wonderful. Even the Wet Woodys were not so good!

There are not casinos everywhere. From Stateline there are Harrahs, Harveys Caesers, Horizon and a few independent types. They are along Lake Tahoe Blvd once you pass the Embassy Suites.

The area around the new Gondola has really improved the look of South Lake Tahoe. I think they are going for a village look. There are shops and restaurants in the first floors of Marriotts Timber Lodge and Grand Residnece. Both have very nice accomodations. We stayed in a huge unit at the Grand Residence. 1600 sq with 2 floors. Saw lots of people enjoyin shopping and nightlife around the gondola. Thjis was a warm day in Sept. Don't know if there would be similar activity in Dec. Also behind the Grand Residence they were completing the ice rink. Looked like it would be outdoor skating.

Evans is a fantastic restaurant with great, attentive service and amazing food. Need reservations. It's near Camp Richardson, past the "Y".

Suzie : Sorry to hear you had a bad experience at Riva Grill... Was it only the one time? I've been there in winter and summer and have nothing but good things to say. Maybe my turn is next.

I'm trying to remember the name of the nice restaurant at the top of Harrah's or Harvey's. Used to have a Pianist and a dress code. I believe it has been remodeled and renamed. When we "travel" I make a journal. Tahoe is so close to home that I've never made a travel journal.

Yes, the gondola helps complete the European ski-in/ski-out environment for Heavenly. Same with the new condos at Squaw for ski-in/ski-out.

The "Y" Suzie referred to is home to the outlet shops at the intersection of Highways 89 and 50. (search Fodors for other thread)

Suzie : curious to know how many bedrooms are in 1600sf and what the summer rate was. Yes, I could contact directly... I simply wanted to close the loop here on this thread. Somebody else may be interested as well. Thank you in advance.

Does anybody else agree that the garden restaurant buffet is a one-time experience that "people who have never been to Tahoe" could skip in favor of a nicer meal/location?

As far as special things/activities for smiley525, we left out cross country skiing and telemarking -- if a person has never tried either one. I've snowmobiled in MT, but never in Tahoe. (yeah, yeah, I just verbed a noun. Big deal, you-know-who.) Does anybody have a recommendation for renting snowmobiles?

The place was 2 main bedrooms (one upstairs and the master downstairs), both with bathrooms. Then there was a downstairs full bathroom. Sleeping was also available in a very large loft area upstairs (fold out couch) and also in the living room downstairs. There was a smallish kitchen but fully equiped and a dining room. Got it for just over $400. Also had to pay for valet parking. Free in and out and very prompt. Nice pool area with 2 jacuzzis. Outdoor spa treatments in a tent was availabell in addition to indoor spa facility.

I truly hope nobody else has the experience we had at Riva. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your return someday. Just love Garwoods in Carnelian Bay. Much better lake view too. Thought the view of the paddle boat and very low lake level at the marina area was pitiful.

I could see your point on the view with low water level during September. I was focusing on the Christmas time experience for smiley525.

Picture this : Light flurries drifting silently onto a blanket of snow as you experience with your loved ones this dichotomoy from the warm side of the glass wall at your table.

There are so many nice places at Tahoe, as long as you're with family during Christmas.

[dichotomy] We all misspell, don't we? It's late. Good night.

Thanks everyone. Yes I do plan to ski, but probably only for 2-3 days. Hmmm-I'll have to figure out where to get the coupons maybe on our way from Reno airport we'll stop by a grocery store. Is it worth going to the other ski areas if we're only skiing for a few days or should we stick to Heavenly? My DH is advanced and I'm more beginner/intermediate.

oh yea where might be a good place to eat dinner both Christmas Eve and Christmas day? Also are the slopes open on Christmas day (and if so is it more empty or more crowded?)

Smiley525 : "other ski areas". Some people like to get accustomed to certain ski runs, so that as the day progresses, and their skills progress, they can anticipate the turns and bumps and traffic flows.

(Also, I'm not saying that Heavenly is the only/best ski resort at Tahoe. Not saying anything is wrong with it either. Oh, maybe the food pricing. Same as everywhere. Some people like to pack a lunch and carry a Camelbak or other name brand hydration system.) On the flip side - stopping for lunch and visiting with the non-skiers who are...watching the young ones...can be a good thing.

Search online for Heavenly discount tix. Last season, I believe we purchased our tix from an Albertson's or Safeway for $10 less per ticket.

If they are open - yes, less crowded - please contact the resorts directly for operating days/hours. Also, New Year's Day is the least populated I've ever seen.

Ski areas - Heavenly is big, but awkwardly laid out. Kirkwood has a nice blend of terrain (a favorite of mine), but is a bit of a drive. Sierra-at-Tahoe is fairly close (and has regular shuttles from south shore). If the roads and weather are clear, Squaw Valley or one of the other north shore areas could be worth a visit (but if weather turns bad, it will be a looong drive back). It is a peak time of year, so ski areas will be crowded and lines long.