Ultimate Lake Tahoe Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Description
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone can listen together! Explore Lake Tahoe’s dazzlingly blue waters and stunning mountainous backdrop with this self-guided audio tour! Drive around the entirety of the lake as you learn about its origins, admire its breathtaking vistas, and dive into its Gilded Age history. Explore hikes, historic homes, and waterfall views along the way. This self-guided driving tour allows you to experience all of Lake Tahoe with maximum flexibility and value. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour of Lake Tahoe begins at the Tahoe South Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe. From here, you'll embark on a scenic journey around the lake which some have called the most beautiful lake in the United States. Along the way, you'll pick up essential history, pass top notch hiking trails, and of course have plenty of opportunity to visit the lakeshore! NOTE: The tour is over 65+ miles long, with more than 70+ audio stories, and takes about 3-4 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
The Pope Cabin owes its name to its eccentric former owner, George Pope. Pope called this home the Vatican, and would bring celebrities out for all kinds of crazy parties. While Pope and his family vacationed here, they hired a retinue of 35 servants!
Pope Beach is one of Lake Tahoe's 40 public beaches. It's defined by dunes and pine trees and makes for a perfect swimming, boating, or picnicking spot. Entry is $8 most days, but can go up to $20 on peak holidays.
Like Valhalla, Vikingsholm is built to emulate the architecture of Scandinavian castles. This 38-room mansion sports Norse carvings around the entrances and Nordic dragons on its roof. It also boasts a view that rivals any of Norway's fjords!
Emerald Bay gets its name for the lovely green hue created by the sun shining on the bay's crystal clear waters. At Emerald Bay State Park, you'll have the opportunity to embark on all manner of activities in this water, from kayaking to scuba diving and beyond. If you didn't bring your own gear, don't worry, the park offers rentals!
Eagle Falls Trail leads to the only waterfall that flows into Lake Tahoe. This moderate, 2-mile hike is a hugely popular stop, and for good reason. The trail boasts not just the beautiful waterfall at the end, but also some splendid views along the way.
Meeks Bay features a pristine white sand beach that's perfect for lounging lakeside. The water also remains shallow for a long way out, making this a great spot for families. This beach can get pretty crowded in the summer, so it's important to plan ahead.
An optional detour can take you to Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. As the name would suggest, sugar pines dominate this park. Interestingly, a huge portion of this 2,500-acre park is new growth forest due to heavy logging in the 1800s.
If you're visiting in the winter, you won't want to miss this detour. Olympic Valley, high in the Sierra Nevada, offers some of the best skiing areas in the region. It has actually hosted the Winter Olympics, hence the name!
The Tahoe City Visitor Information Center marks just how far you've come. Located on the north side of the lake, it's a great place to pause, find restrooms, and pick up snacks for the final leg of your journey.
Carnelian Bay is a popular, picturesque spot which was once famous for something besides its postcard beauty. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, this was a major destination for boat racing! Today, it's a great spot for fishing, paddleboarding, and all sorts of other activities.
Kings Beach is one of the warmest beaches on the lakeshore, so if you're wary of the chilly alpine waters, this is the spot for you! The recreation area also features a playground and a basketball court, and there are plenty of well-shaded picnic tables here as well. It's got a little something for everyone.
Memorial Point Trail is an easy half-mile hike along the lakeside. It offers some seriously unbeatable views, so make sure to keep your camera at the ready!
Sand Harbor isn't just another beach. It features unique rock formations that make it a favorite spot among scuba divers, and has some of the clearest water of anywhere on the lakeshore. It's also where you'll find the trailhead for the fully accessible Sand Point Trail.
Logan Shoals is hands down one of the best vistas of Lake Tahoe. It rises 300 feet above the lake, offering panoramic views of the water and the lush greenery all around. There's a reason this is a hugely popular wedding spot!
Cave Rock, also known as the Lady of the Lake, is the remnant of an old volcanic core. This three million year old rock was very important to the Washoe people. Today, it's a popular sunbathing spot and fishing hole. This is the last stop along your tour route, but there are plenty more optional stops to keep the journey going.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Important Note: Construction may cause closures and delays, so please plan your tour accordingly and check the North Tahoe Community Alliance website for more details.
- Please note that Tallac Historic Site, Pope Beach, and Eagle Falls Trail are closed for the winter season due to weather, safety concerns, and limited access. For the latest updates, please visit the official website.
Reviews(458)
Was a great trip, affordable and informative, thanks
Hi there, thank you for taking my Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it was convenient, affordable, and informative for your trip. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
The app was hard to navigate and you could not sync map with car.
Diana, thank you for trying my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m sorry the app felt hard to navigate; since it’s a GPS audio tour, the best way to use it is to launch the app at the starting point and follow the route so the map and audio can guide you properly. Audio playback works through the car stereo and Apple CarPlay, and full navigation integration has already been requested from Apple and is awaiting approval. If you need any help with audio setup, please don’t hesitate to contact me; my support team is available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM ET and is always happy to help.
I will be purchasing more of these tours in the future. It really enhanced our drive, and we like the history and tips on here to stop along the way.
Michael, thank you for taking my Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it enhanced your drive and that the history, tips, and stop suggestions made the experience more enjoyable. My audio tours are valid forever and work offline once downloaded beforehand, so you can enjoy the flexibility and convenience of taking them as many times as you want. Happy exploring!
The tour was very informative and entertaining. It was well timed when we arrived at numerous sites and picked up accurately after we made stops. The audio did steer and skip 4 sessions for some reason. However, we still enjoyed the tour and definitely plan to utilize pastor again for other driving tours.
Stephen, I’m glad you found my tour informative and entertaining, and that the timing and stop detection worked well during your drive around Lake Tahoe. Were you on the suggested tour route when this happened, and did the sections still get skipped? This will help me review the issue with my team. I’m happy to hear you still enjoyed the tour, and I look forward to being part of your future driving adventures.
Fun, informative and well spoken. Good detailed info on what to expect at each stop. We were able to decide which stop was best for us.
Cynthia, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know you found the narration fun, informative, and well spoken. I’m especially happy the stop details helped you know what to expect and choose which places were the best fit for your trip. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
We enjoyed the self guided tour around Lake Tahoe. The information was enjoyable and helpful in our explorations. The history provided was very interesting and also informative. We will definitely use another self guided tour in the future and recommend to others.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know that the information and history enhanced your exploration of the lake and made your visit even more enjoyable. I’m especially happy to hear you’d use another self-guided tour in the future and recommend them to others. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
Easy to use, accurate location for tour discussion and wonderful insight into knowledge provided.
I’m so glad you found my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour easy to use and informative. It’s wonderful that the location cues were accurate and that the narration provided insight along the way. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
It was very user friendly and met our needs. We were able to stop and explore along the way. I would recommend and have.
Rene, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know it was user-friendly and gave you the flexibility to stop, explore, and enjoy the lake at your own pace. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
Easy to follow, takes you to very nice points where you can take beautiful pictures. Lake is so big and clear
Martha, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know the tour was easy to follow and guided you to beautiful points perfect for photos. Lake Tahoe is vast and stunning, and I’m happy the tour helped you experience it fully. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour offers the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
We truly enjoyed learning the history of the lake while we were driving around. The narrator kept perfect sync of where we were and knew where all the stops were
Lavina, I’m so glad to hear you loved my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed learning the history of the lake while driving around and that the narration stayed perfectly in sync throughout your trip.If you’re planning more adventures in Northern California, I’d recommend my Self-Guided Driving & Walking Bundle Tour, which covers incredible spots like Lassen Volcanic National Park, Point Reyes, Redwood National Park, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Napa & Sonoma.
