rahulm

Hi Everyone

We're planning a weekend in Tahoe and wanted your advice on a few things. We're planning to leave on a Friday evening (~5:00 pm) from San Francisco. We'll probably grab dinner on the way and get in to Tahoe later at night. We will have the full day Saturday and plan to leave Tahoe at 3 PM on Sunday so we can make it back to the city in time for dinner.

Questions:

1) Where to stay: On kayak, I found deals for Rodeway Inn that fits our budget (max $120 per night). Has anyone stayed there or knows how this place is? Any other suggestions that fit my budget?

2) What to do?: We're not gamblers so the casinos hold little interest. Here is what I was thinking of doing

- Hike: Which hike do you recommend in Tahoe that will have superb views where I can take some good photographs? Something thats not too strenuous though.
- Drive around the lake
- Visit Emerald Bay
- Take the boat ride (I forget the name of the boat now...)

3) Where to eat?: We're vegetarians (dairy ok). We do not care whether the place also serves meat, as long as there are enough veggie options for us. What do you recommend? We like all types of food. On Saturday, it'll be my birthday, so we were thinking it'd be nice if there was a good Thai place to eat. Any recommendations?

Thank you for your input! Appreciate it.

janisj

only have time for a quick comment right now. When is the trip? Your plan of Friday and Sunday afternoon drives will have you in bumper to bumper traffic for long stretches. First the commute out of SF and through the valley, then the regular Tahoe bound traffic from about Sacramento.

I live halfway between SF and Tahoe and on Fridays after about 3 PM the eastbound traffic is unbelievable, and on Sundays it is much heavier than you might expect - mostly in the Sierra bits, it does tend to open up a little after Auburn/Folsom depending on which highway you take.

Is there anyway you can get away earlier on Friday - like noon-ish? That could save you a couple of hours drive time.

rahulm

Thanks, janisj.

1) We could possibly leave early Friday morning and get to Tahoe by 11 ish: Will we still get stuck in traffic?
If we are to do this, I'd have to find a decent wifi connection so I can work for the day (can't take a holiday that day). Would you know of places with a decent wifi connection?

2) Sunday return: What if we were to leave Tahoe by 2 pm latest. Would we still hit bad traffic? Is there an alternate route we can take to avoid traffic on the return?

3) We're planning this for the weekend of August 8/9.

Thanks!

janisj

1) Yes - definitely. Leaving before noon would be MUCH better. Not sure about wifi - the places I stay (mostly condos/houses) have computers. But I'm sure others will have info for you.

2) 2PM would be the very latest I'd leave (unless I could delay until after about 7PM - but then I am about 100 miles nearer Tahoe than you are and leaving at 7:00 still gets me home at a reasonable hour)

3) In August - definitely take the traffic into consideration

fb

Are you planning on going up I-80 to the Northshore or US-50 to the South Shore? Adice on where to go and what to do will be quite different.

sf7307

>>

Except for the part about leaving San Francisco early on Friday -- that applies to either place, since the traffic is between San Francisco and Sacramento.

janisj

" since the traffic is between San Francisco and Sacramento" . . . And between Sacramento and Tahoe too. Construction on both highways + heavy traffic Friday and Sunday afternoons.

sf7307

Ick...construction on both highways???

Supercilious

If you are going to Emerald Bay (and you should), plan to spend some time there. You can hike down to the lake and see the Vikingsholm.

http://www.vikingsholm.org/

And if you are more energetic, there is a great trail in DL Bliss State Park from Rubicon Point to Emerald Bay. You can do as much of this trail as you want and don't have to go all the way. The views are superb.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=505

http://www.tahomameadows.com/sunsetmag.html

crefloors

That's the weekend ending Hot August Nights in Reno. A lot of people stay at Tahoe because Reno gets booked up AND a whole lot of them head back to the Bay Area on Sunday...as well as coming UP for the weekend on Friday. The event starts on the previous Monday, Aug. 3, for the hard core group, but many people come up for the weekend.

janisj

sf7307: Major construction on I-80 in bits all the way from Colfax to Kingvale. Miles and miles on both sides of the freeway.

On 50, I think the work through Placerville was opened a couple of weeks ago. But there is roadwork west of Cameron Park / east of Folson - it isn't far but the traffic can be a real mess. Not aware of any work going on higher up the hill.

Suzie

I was traveling from SF to east of Sacramento yesterday, Sunday. We left SF around 12:30 and were passing through Sacto around 2:00. Ugh the traffic going west was bad off & on all the way. I'd leave Tahoe late. Most people check out of Tahoe by noon on Sunday and the traffic along 80 going west reflects that.

janisj

this is soooooo weird -- I was posting at exactly the same time as crefloors and mine vaporized (?!)

OMG - Hot August Nights -- I didn't even think of that. Just MASSIVE traffic!

But my missing post was addressed to sf7307 re the construction:

On I-80, major construction in bits all the way from Colfax to Kingvale on both sides of the freeway

On 50 I think the project through Placerville opened a couple of weeks ago. But there is roadwork west of Folsom/east of Cameron Park. Its not that far, but the traffic can be a real slog. Not aware of any projects farther up the hill.

janisj

sheesh - now my original post shows! This gets so frustrating . . .

sf7307

That's okay -- good reinforcement!

rahulm

Thank you all. so this means the weekend we're planning is not such a good idea. Will have to figure out a different weekend then.
Thanks so much.

MichelleY

www.getacross80.com

will give you construction info. Most of it on 80 is being done at night, during the week.

janisj

Yes - most of the work is at night. But I've driven over the hill and back on I-80 a couple of times in the last month and even w/o the workers out (and there was some roadside activity) the lanes are narrowed quite a bit, traffic is diverted from one side of the hwy to the other in a couple of places, and the Hwy Patrol is very seriously enforcing the reduced speed limits in the construction zones.

Supercilious

rahulm - I hope these negative commentators have not driven you off of going to Tahoe.

If you leave early Friday morning you should not have any traffic problems. Coming back Sunday could be problematic if you make the drive in mid-afternoon. We like to leave after 5 PM and almost never run into anything unmanageable.

August is a great time to enjoy Tahoe. The Hot August Nights are in Reno, not Tahoe, and if you can get a place to stay at Tahoe, you will be OK.

janisj

No one is trying to talk the OP out of going to Tahoe. It is just that that weekend will be a special case.

Yes - Hot August Nights is at Reno -- but it does massively affect traffic on both 50 and 80. Especially on that Sunday afternoon. I've seen it bumper to bumper - w/ lots of really great tricked out cars parked in that traffic - all the way down to the Sac suburbs. In fact the local TV stations in Sacramento usually position reporters (the same poor schmoes they send to stand in Blue Canyon during snow storms ) on the side of the highway to show the traffic.

But going up before noon on Friday, and leaving the Tahoe basin either very early Sunday AM or after about 6 or 7 PM would be OK.

Or - even better if it is possible, might be to go up a different weekend