What is Lake Tahoe like in April?

Weather? Scenery? Activities to do?

Trying to plan a vacation during April School Vacation and trying to decide between Lake Tahoe, maybe Colorado...and a few other choices.

We like the outdoors, pubs, local/quality shopping.

>>What is Lake Tahoe like in April?>Weather? >Scenery?>Activities to do?

Could be nice for spring skiing, but depends on the snow pack this year.

There's not much shopping in Lake Tahoe, other than ski shops and some nice boutiques in Truckee. Pub are another story - a couple of good ones are the Bar of America in Truckee, and the Bridgetender in Tahoe City.

I wouldn't personally plan an April trip - too betwixt & between. If the ski season has ended, that doesn't mean there won't still be snow on the ground, meaning it's not hiking season yet.

Heavenly Village (South Lake Tahoe) has some shops and restaurants. I've been to Lake Tahoe end of March and beginning of April a few times. The weather was mostly nice - sunny and 50s in the day and pretty cold at night. However, one year, there was a pretty big snow storm and we were nervous driving from Reno but the roads were mostly clear by the time we we ready to drive. We go mostly for Harrahs and the scenery but there are some limitations that time of year, as sf7307 indicated. I don't think the Tahoe Star or other boats would be running tours of the lake yet (although you should confirm that), there may not be skiing available, but hiking might be difficult.

The boats aren't running, the stream chamber isn't open, Vikingsholm isn't open, etc. The scenery is open

There are nice shops in both Incline and Tahoe City . . . and Truckee.

The problem with shopping in Incline is there's no "downtown" (all the shopping is in strip centers). I honestly can't think of any "nice shops" in Tahoe City.

There are galleries and shops in the Cobblestone . . .

In Incline, Christmas Tree Village and the next door High Sierra Gardens. Then the Potlatch. And a few in the Incline Village (Raley's) shopping center.

I would add - if you are planning a trip around school vacations, I would suggest that you consider delaying it until summer vacation. Lake Tahoe is absolutely beautiful in the summer.

Agree with tom42, although I understand you are trying to plan an April trip (FWIW, Lake Tahoe really is a summer destination -- skiing and making it a winter destination came much later)

Thank you! This is exactly why I posted it to get the best feedback and decide to do Lake Tahoe another time.

We are going to Germany in the summer so will save Lake Tahoe for 2017 perhaps.

I think that's a good decision. You will be able to more fully enjoy Lake Tahoe in the summer.

The problem w/ Summer is the crowds. It'll be best if you don't visit over July 4th or in August/Labor Day.

We went on our honeymoon to Lake Tahoe in April 1995. It was beautiful the first half of the week (high in the 70's blue skies) Woke up Wednesday morning to a foot of snow and went skiing and snowmobiling.

Yeah -- I don't know why so many think it is such a bad time to visit. I have a condo in Incline and mostly go there in April/May and the Fall -- I avoid high summer and don't ski anymore so seldom go up in the winter.

I don't think it is such a bad time to visit. I just think summer is better. I've been there in March, April and July and have enjoyed it each time but for me there is more to do in the summer (I don't ski).