One of the troubling aspects of a visit to south Tahoe is the apparent lack of access to the Stateline beaches. The shoreline from Regan Beach, California, to Nevada Beach, Nevada is mostly private or restricted public beaches. As locals will, we have found ways to make the best of the situation.
A mostly-paved trail begins next to Lakeside Inn at the intersection of Highway 50 and Kahle Drive. It traverses through meadows and forests to the Nevada Beach shoreline. The north side of the beach is dog friendly. All of the beach area is expansive, so it is seldom crowded. Prevailing winds blow into the beach making it safer for self propelled watercraft and swimmers. Not so on the West shore beaches. The sand on Nevada Beach is not exactly pristine as it is a mix of decomposed granite and soil.
To the north, on the other side of Round Hill, is Round Hill Pines Resort. www.rhpbeach.com. Parking fee is not unreasonable. Walk-ins are free. They feature a nice beach, pier, watercraft rentals, powerboat tours along with a nice bar and grill. Many locals buy season passes there every summer.
Not just for golfers, Edgewood clubhouse offers a beautiful atmosphere that can be surprisingly affordable. Owned by the Park Cattle family, everything done at Edgewood is first class. Brook
Located on the south side of Edgewood just across the Stateline into California. A fun outdoor beach-side restaurant with an eclectic menu. Great place to hang out for a couple of hours in the sun. www.lakesidebeachgrill.com
Sand Harbor is one of the most popular areas at Lake Tahoe, with sandy beaches, a boat launch, picnicking and group use facilities. Sand Harbor is located 20 miles from Lakeside on State Route 28. There are two entrances to Sand Harbor – one is for boat launching which includes canoes, kayaks and jet skis. The other is for the beach area. The rocks that surround a portion of the shoreline are fun to kayak around and some are close enough to swim out to and climb on. Sand Harbor is known for its seasonal music and theater festivals, the most well known being the Shakespeare Festival. Both are held in July and August. The beach is magically transformed into a stage each evening. Bring a picnic dinner or you can buy one there! And on Monday and Friday evenings live music is featured ranging from jazz to blues to rock and even philharmonic. For more information on these events or to purchase tickets, visit their web site.
