By Tim Hauserman
While we all hope for snow, there are still some fun things to do without it. Here are a few ideas:
-Take a walk along The Commons Beach in Tahoe City. It's a lovely stroll along the shoreline.
Start or finish at the Gatekeeper's Museum which is well worth your time. It is of course located
right next to the start of the Truckee River at the Lake Tahoe Dam, affectionately known as
Fanny Bridge.
-Shop in Tahoe City, Kings Beach or Truckee. Support our local stores and restaurants. They
have lots of great products and food and are essential to keep our communities healthy so that
the next time you come to town that restaurant will still be there.
-Check out the Donner Memorial State Museum at Donner Lake. Situated at the site where the
Donner Party families spent their horrific winter of discontent it tells their story. It also has great
exhibits on the fascinating story of the importance of the I-80 corridor through the Sierra to the
development of the Western United States.
-Find a quiet bit of public lakeshore. While busy places in the summer, now with no boats on the
lake, Tahoe's beaches are peaceful places to contemplate.
Tahoe Tree Top Adventure Park provides fun adventures geared around zip lines and moving
bridges to travel through the tree canopy. During the winter months the parks are limited due to
weather and staffing, but check out the company website to see if they are open.
tahoetreetop.com
Kayak or paddleboard at Waterman's Landing in Carnelian Bay. Depending upon the weather
conditions, paddling can be a great way to spend a calm warm day. watermanslanding.com
Ice skating is available at Northstar, Olympic Valley, Truckee and Tahoe City. While cold
temperatures certainly add to the experience, snow is not necessary and in fact is sometimes a
hindrance. gotahoenorth.com
Spend a half day in Reno. The National Automobile Museum is well worth a visit. It's quite an
amazing collection of vehicles, and the downtown location is perfect for an after visit stroll along
the Truckee River upstream to Wingfield Park.
And after you've done the rest, light a fire, pour yourself a drink and curl up with a good book
and wait for the snow.
