On the fence about what to do this year for spring break? Lake Tahoe for Spring Break is known for having warm and mild winter weather while offering deep snowdrifts, spectacular scenery, and technically challenging ski terrain. Going to Lake Tahoe for Spring Break was easily one of the best decisions we made in college and here’s why.
1. Lake Tahoe Weather During Spring is Incredible
One of our favorite times to visit California, especially Lake Tahoe, is during the spring. The weather is generally mild, sunny, and temperatures can even get warm on some days. But on other days, it’s white-out conditions snows almost 4 feet. The fluctuating weather really makes it a perfect destination for the adventure seeker looking for the perfect spring break location.
During March and April, you can expect temperatures to be between 49-51 degrees Fahrenheit.
Quick Tip: If the weather in Lake Tahoe for spring break is predicted to be sunny and warm, bring sunscreen! I quickly learned the hard way when I got goggle tan the first day. We use Sun Bum spray-on at SPF 50 or lotion at SPF 50. We love the smell of it!
2. WARNING! The Skiing/Snowboarding Is EPIC
Does it get much better than being in a place that is warm one day and then giving you free slow refills on the mountain next? Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’ll be sure to find a mountain that you love for a number of reasons.
While we visited Lake Tahoe for spring break, we visited Northstar, Kirkwood, and Heavenly since they were included in our Epic Local season pass. Each had their own perks, s it’s all about finding the right mountain that meets your ski or snowboarding needs. Do note that ticket prices are $100-$130 per day.
NORTHSTAR
We both found Northstar to be catered more towards the beginner/intermediate rider/skier. Their trails weren’t super challenging and they didn’t have a ton of backcountry trails to offer. We’d also recommend it to a rider/skier who prefers to stay away from trees and stick with groomers. It was the smallest mountain we went to during our trip but offered a decent amount of black diamond trails towards the right side of the mountain. Besides slope riding, Kirkwood is also known for its terrain park.
KIRKWOOD
Kirkwood was one of our favorite mountains while riding in Lake Tahoe for Spring Break. However, it definitely isn’t as challenging as Mammoth or Squaw Mountains, which are areas renounced for their advanced terrain. Despite this, it still offers beginner-friendly trails and challenging chutes, bowls, and backcountry terrain. It’s a local mountain and is great for finding pow stashes or avoiding lift lines on a great powder day.
It offers a variety of terrain that can cater to different riding levels, beginner to advanced, as well as some easy-hike terrain with challenging lines. If you don’t mind slower lifts, Kirkwood is definitely a place to check out if you’re interested in hitting a more “locals spot” that doesn’t have long lift lines.
HEAVENLY
While in Lake Tahoe for Spring Break, we rented a house through Airbnb. Since the house was only 5-10 minutes from the mountain, we spent most of our days riding at Heavenly. The mountain had catwalks, which made navigating the mountain a little difficult on a snowboard. If you want to avoid catwalks, there are plenty of groomers that go lift to lift. Despite the catwalks, this mountain made it really easy to access these powder spots while other mountains may require you to take an extremely slow lift or take a 15+ minute hike after the lift.
Out of all the mountains we went to in Lake Tahoe for Spring Break, Heavenly had the best view. On any day, the view was absolutely breathtaking and you couldn’t help but be in awe every time you were riding/skiing down the mountain.
Quick Tips: We stuck with these mountains because they were on our pass and we were trying to stay in a budget. However, there are TONS of fantastic mountains in the Lake Tahoe area that was not on our pass, including Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl, Sierra at Tahoe, Mount Rose, and Homewood. As a general precaution with any mountain in either South or North Lake Tahoe, ALWAYS check for road closings when it’s snowing! There is nothing worse than driving an hour and realizing that the pass is closed, forcing you to turn around and waste most of your day.
3. Lake Tahoe has the BEST Shopping
South Lake Tahoe has enough shops to make any shopaholic happy! One of my favorite stores was called The Boardinghouse. Here, I bought a new pair of Oakley Flight Deck XM Prizm Sapphire goggles and fell in love with them for the rest of the season. There are also tons of art shops, souvenir stores, and outdoor retailers all over the lake that would adhere to anyone’s preferences.
4. TONS of Sightseeing and Hiking Opportunities
Each day felt like there was something new to see. Every time we were driving, I was in awe by the trees, the site of the lake, and the mountains. Unfortunately, with the lack of sun, we weren’t able to do much sight-seeing. Luckily, we did get to go to Emerald Bay, and it was absolutely breathtaking.
Besides just snowboarding, Noth and South Lake Tahoe easy strolls or day hikes that present beautiful views. A few popular hikes including:
Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe
Mount Tallac, 9.5 miles round trip, South Lake Tahoe
Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake Trail, 2 miles round trip, South Lake Tahoe
Echo Lakes to Ralston Lake, 6 miles round trip, South Lake Tahoe
Mount Rose, 10 miles round trip, North Lake Tahoe
5. There’s Some Sweet Nightlife at Lake Tahoe for Spring Break
Oh…the casino. A wonderful place to lose money that you didn’t really want to lose. But, when in Lake Tahoe for Spring Break, you gotta do a little gambling We took a chance with roulette at Harrah’s, but you can assume roulette won. Nonetheless, if gambling is your thing or you just want to do it for the experience, Lake Tahoe is the place! There are multiple casinos around the area as well as night clubs, and other nightlife activities.
FATBURGER: The real reason you’ll want to go to Harrah’s casino is for the MILKSHAKES at Fatburger. At about $5, they’re a little on the pricier side, but they’re really good. We got them twice while there, both of which were Cookies n’ Creme flavored.
6. The Mexican Food Is SO Good You’ll Want To Bring It Home With You
California is known for its Mexican food and our favorite spot can be found by King’s Beach, which is located in North Lake Tahoe. Unlike South Lake Tahoe which is catered to tourists, North Lake is filled with more locals. As a result, there’s a lot of really good food that isn’t as expensive as food found in the South Lake area. La Mexicana is a super small, local spot. Their food is GOOD and reasonably priced for what you get! I ordered the Wet Burrito, which came with your choice of meat, rice, beans, onions, tomatoes, salsa, and melted mozzarella or jack cheese for $8.99. David got tacos and a Tostada.
