California Travel Guide

California, United States — Resorts

Browse the California Photo Gallery

Lake Tahoe

The beautiful, bright blue, mile-high holiday paradise of Lake Tahoe, straddling the border of California and Nevada in the United States, is the second largest alpine lake in the world. The lake, perched atop the Sierra Nevada, is surrounded on all sides by world-class ski resorts, magnificent golf courses, first-class hotels and casinos, which cater for millions of vacationers every year. Although the area's scenery and facilities draw visitors on vacation year-round, it is as a skiing and snowboarding destination that Lake Tahoe really thrives. Recently most of the popular resorts, with appealing names like Alpine Meadows, Heavenly and Squaw Valley, have undergone extensions and face-lifts. The comfortable resorts, bolstered by the fact that Lake Tahoe guarantees 300 days of sunshine a year, 33ft (10m) of annual snowfall, unrivalled scenery and more than 17,500 acres of terrain to explore, make it well nigh irresistible for anyone contemplating a winter sports holiday. For a holiday at Lake Tahoe, visitors can fly in to the nearby Reno/Tahoe Airport, or drive on all-weather highways from Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles in just a few hours, for a dose of fun in the pure mountain air.

Mammoth Mountain

Just five hours drive from Los Angeles, or three hours from Reno, lies some of the finest Alpine skiing in the world at the vacation resort of Mammoth Mountain, on the eastern edge of California's Sierra Nevada range. Every year an average of 400 inches (10m) of snow falls on the summit, providing about 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, which can be revelled in by all, beginner to expert, during the November to June season. Despite all the snow, 70 percent of Mammoth's winter days are sunny, providing plenty of time to enjoy the slopes and numerous other facilities at this well-equipped vacation resort, which offers hotel and condominium accommodation.

Heavenly

Heavenly is the largest ski resort in California and a popular vacation destination, with some 4,800 acres of terrain stretching into the state of Nevada. At over 10,000 feet (3,048m) it is also the highest resort in Tahoe, where it is situated overlooking the beautiful lake. Heavenly was recently bought by Vail Resorts (which includes Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and Arapahoe Basin); and select passes can include access to these other resorts (unfortunately they are all in Colorado). Vail Resorts has recently just approved a $40-million upgrade for the resort. Many skiers recommend trying Heavenly at least once, for its sheer size, and the breathtaking views it has to offer. Due to its proximity to the South Shore and Bay Area, Heavenly also receives many Californian day visitors who appreciate the convenience.

Squaw Valley

The second largest vacation resort in Lake Tahoe receives over 600,000 visitors annually and is regarded as one of the best ski resorts in the world. Squaw Valley was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics (the first televised Winter Olympics) and has attracted millions of vacation visitors to its varied terrain. Nowadays the resort is packed with several accommodation options, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and shops while still retaining its unspoiled, quintessentially Californian character. The resort attracts a mixed international crowd and is suitable for skiers of all abilities.