Lake Tahoe

Whenever I travel I like to do the tourist thing everywhere I go. In San Francisco, go to Alcatraz. In New York City, visit the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Go to Dallas, walk around Dealey Plaza and the JFK Museum. So when I found myself in Reno I had to go see Lake Tahoe for myself. This is one of the best decisions I ever made.

Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Pictures and movies that feature the lake do not do it justice. First of all it was far larger than I thought. The road that goes all the way around is over 100 miles long. Second, the surface of the lake appeared as smooth as a pane of glass. Third, the natural formations all around the lake further enhanced the breathtaking vista that lay before me. Snow-capped mountain ranges in the distance down to the rocky, tree lined slopes around the lake.

There are several small communities all around the lake that seemed to blend into the landscape. It is a nature lover's paradise. Campgrounds that are right on the lake's edge. Public areas for people to go boating and swimming in the lake. There is even a nude beach if that is the way you roll.

The border between Nevada and California goes through the middle of the lake. It came into stark relief as I drove through a city situated directly on the state line. The Nevada side had large hotels with casinos and literally across the street, on the California side, there were just normal sized buildings.

If you ever get a chance to see the wonder of nature that is Lake Tahoe, do yourself a favor and GO. It is well worth the trip.