We had so much fun bringing Bella to Lake Tahoe recently! It was her first time at a beach/lake where she actually got to get out of the stroller and hang out for the day. It was also Adam’s first time going to Tahoe in the summer instead of snow! We go on lots of family lake trips with Adam’s family from Southern California, usually to the surrounding desert lakes and rivers, so I was excited to share with them something I grew up doing with friends as a nor cal native.
I really underestimated the struggle it would be to keep a baby on the blanket and off the sand now that she is mobile. But at the end of the day, we just let her play in the sand and made sure she didn't eat any. Playing in the sand is great sensory exploration for babies, which helps their development. You can bring some cups, spoons, and shovels if you want, but at this young age she just liked to explore the sand with her hands.
South Lake Tahoe is a mix of partiers and families. My previous summer Tahoe trips were always in party mode, so I had no idea which beaches on the south shore would be best for a baby. The first day we went to a small public beach, and it was a mixed crowd. Some people were smoking a variety of different things, so I was a little paranoid/annoyed to be around that with a baby. The second day was definitely the best beach day. There is a private beach at Edgewood Resort for the hotel guests and anyone who is onsite the resort for golf, spa, or to eat. We’ve eaten here in the winter to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary, and fell in love with the views, outdoor fire pits, and overall ambiance. So we booked a special Father’s Day brunch, then spent the day at the beach after. There’s a huge grassy area between the hotel and the sand, which was nice to let bella crawl around. The grounds itself is also really beautiful to just walk around with your baby and take some pretty photos. In the evening they sometimes have s’mores kits for the kids. If you are staying at the hotel, you can also use the pool, which looks amazing and I hear is heated to 90 degrees year round.
Other than going to the beach and having a special Father’s Day brunch, we just enjoy walking around to some of the shops, and just being outside in the fresh mountain air.
I found the coolest cabin coffee shop that everyone must go to if I’m south lake. It is called Black Cabin Coffee. We walked there every morning. You can walk up to a window to order, or go inside during non-quarantine. But I prefer the walk up window because then you wait for your coffee/food outside at picnic tables amongst a neighborhood of big redwoods and cabins. It was really crowded every morning full of tourists and locals.
Also when visiting, I love going to earthbound trading, a clothing store next to the Marriott that has the cutest boho clothes for women. They seem to always have sales too. I’ve picked up a lot of cute 70s inspired sunglasses there, along with some cute shirts. You can also shop them
online in the link above.
Overall, it was such a special time because we really haven’t been able to do too much the past year. We all spent Bella’s first three months in the nicu, then stayed quarantined at home during fall/winter last year during cold and flu season. Then came corona, so we’ve been pretty much quarantined for an entire year now. Bella loved being out in a new environment, around people, and such beautiful nature. I think the fresh mountain air is so good for everyone’s soul.
