We are a family of four traveling from Australia to the US in December 04. We want to experience the whole white Christmas - sleigh ride, turkey etc. We have narrowed our location down to Lake Tahoe (but are open to suggestions) We will be in an RV and thought we would stay at Zephyr Cove RV Park. But where to go for a very traditional American Christmas Dinner, where there is a great atmosphere and definitely the Christmas Spirit?

Wow, hopefully you will have good heat in your RV. We spent a Christmas in Tahoe and it was so cold the pipes broke in the middle of the night.

I'm sure you can make reservations for a traditional dinner at one of the big hotels. Something we did that was really fun was to go snowmobiling out of Zephyr Cove.

Try this web site:

http://www.tahoevacationguide.com/Ac...ighriding.html

Be sure that your RV comes with chains for the tires. If it's snowing you won't be allowed above a certain elevation without them unless the RV is equipped with snow tires.

A good place for your Christmas dinner would be one of the ski resorts' hotels: Squaw Valley might be a possibility. I'd avoid the big hotels at South Lake Tahoe, however, as they are mostly devoted to gambling.

Thanks for the suggestions - We've booked the snow chains but appreciate the tip. You're probably right gambling and Christmas dinner - I don't think so.

So can you advise where Squaw Valley is in relation to Zephyr Cove. Can you be specific in nominating a nice place for a Christmas dinner.

Snowmobiling is definitely on the agenda!!
Thanks for the tips to date - any further suggestions would be appreciated.

If you go to www.tahoesbest.com and click on maps, you will find Zephyr Cove in the lower right, and Squaw Valley in the upper left. With holidays crowds and snow, it could an hour.
Most places will have a buffet, and the casinos will be beautifully decorated for the holidays. Sorry, I can't help with a specific place.

Sounds like a terrific plan. I've always wanted to have a white Christmas and keep trying to get my family to agree to go to Lake Tahoe one year. So far, no luck! They don't like snow.

Just returned from "springtime in Lake Tahoe" and it's so beautiful there. I don't know about winter. I live in Fla. and I would love to invite you to our home for American Christmas Dinner and the true Christmas spirit......but you want snow....and we don't have snow here....sorry...have fun anyway!!

claret,

I should warn you that turkey at Christmas is not always the standard in California it's more usual to see roast beef or ham. Turkey is served more at Thanksgiving, in November. But at hotels you'd probably have a wider choice, and with luck you'll get your turkey.

You might want to check and see if the MS Dixie sternwheeler is going to run on Christmas. Its right across the street from your campground. We just returned from Tahoe and the dinner cruise was very good. Dinner and dancing.