Ahhh…Lake Tahoe. Just hearing the name of it brings to mind childhood memories of floating in the crystal blue water on an air mattress on one of the many beautiful Lake Tahoe swimming beaches that the area offers.
There are over forty beaches surrounding this beautiful lake. The water is so deep (1645 ft deep and second deepest in the US ) and so the water always stays cool due to its depth and the snowy mountains surrounding, which make swimming in Lake Tahoe the PERFECT activity after a sweaty hike on a summer day. Check out our family favorite spots below.
*Hot Tip* Lake Tahoe’s beaches are BUUUSY in the summer. To make the most of your time there, it is important to choose your beach for the day in advance and arrive early to get a parking spot. For most beaches, around 9am should be safe. When parking lots fill up, there is sometimes additional parking along the highway, but please be very cautious when doing this and check for signs to indicate whether or not parking is allowed.
I’ve heard too many stories of visitors driving from beach to beach for hours looking for an open spot. If you don’t wake up early enough to grab a spot, change plans and check out a hike, lakeside meal, window shopping, or other local activity, and then head back to your favorite beach in the late afternoon when the crowd starts to disperse. Sunset on Lake Tahoe is just as beautiful!
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LAKE TAHOE’S BEST SWIMMING BEACHES FOR FAMILIES
- Kings Beach
- Hidden Beach
- Sand Harbor
- Emerald Bay
- Meeks Bay
- Sugar Pine Point State Beach
- Zephyr Cove
- Round Hill Pines Beach Resort
NORTH LAKE TAHOE SWIMMING
Kings Beach
Hidden Beach
Sand Harbor
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE SWIMMING
Emerald Bay
Meeks Bay
Ed Z’ Burg Sugar Pine Point State Beach
Zephyr Cove
Round Hill Pine Beach Resort
SWIMMING IN LAKE TAHOE
Swimming in Lake Tahoe is an incredible experience as the crystal clear alpine lake provides incredible views of shades of blue never before seen and surrounding snow-capped mountains. However, with this bucket list opportunity comes a great responsibility to “Keep Tahoe Blue.” This lake can only stay 99.994% pure if it is respected and cared for by visitors.
Here are a few tips to help you do your part:
- Pack in and pack out – clean up and properly dispose of everything that you brought with you, especially ALL of your trash, please.
- No fires are allowed on Tahoe’s beaches – no campfires are permitted to due to the lush surrounding forest and risk of forest fire.
- Tahoe is Bear Country – while I have never personally seen a bear on the beach, I have seen them in my campsite on numerous occasions, so be aware when hiking and don’t leave any snack crumbs in your car! Likewise, do not feed ANY wildlife.
- Be aware of the wind, waves, and cold water and make smart choices when swimming and boating.
- If you are bringing a watercraft from home, drain, clean and dry it before arriving for your mandatory boat inspection.
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