Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe might have convenient access to every single one of your favorite outdoor activities. I’m serious. Do you like skiing? The Winter Olympics were held here for good reason, as some of the best slopes in the U.S. are all situated around the lake. A relaxing day at the beach? Lake Tahoe’s 70+ miles of shoreline offer several beach options from lively social hotspots to more secluded shores. Kayaking and paddle boarding? The lake’s calm waters and beautiful views are ideal for all activities like these. Hiking and camping? Located right in the heart of the Sierras, Tahoe has trails perfect for a stroll with the dog and more adventurous ones for those so inclined. Unlike a lot of the other places that come to mind when you think of California and Nevada, Tahoe experiences all four seasons, in a way that allows residents to enjoy the full spectrum of its natural beauty

The downside of being around so much great nature is that nature makes up the bulk of what’s around you, and the area can be a bit boring if the outdoors isn’t your thing. The “city” of South Lake Tahoe is a decently sized town, but everything, including the homes, is pretty spread out around the lake in general, making it hard to form a sense of community. Also, a large bulk of those homes are second or third homes owned by predominantly Bay Area folks who only drive up for a few weeks a year, and then Airbnb them out to other tourists. Reno’s just an hour's drive away from most parts of the lake, which can mitigate some of that isolation and lack of action. Sacramento’s two hours and San Francisco is about a four-hour drive depending on traffic as well if you’re looking to get to a big city for the weekend. Regardless, you’ll probably want to move to Tahoe with a car with good mileage and a friend or two in the area.

The bulk of living situations in the Lake Tahoe area are somewhat random clumps of single-family homes with great views. Buying here can be expensive, in large part due to the demand created by those aforementioned Bay Area owners. Even South Lake Tahoe is mainly expensive single-family homes. There are some “cheaper” two-bedroom living situations in the Y Area and Gardener Mountain neighborhoods, but still, that rent is probably going to be at least $2k a month. Anyone looking for more affordable options typically goes closer to Reno.

If you're curious about the area activities check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Lake Tahoe and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

The Lake Tahoe area completely changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of those predominantly Bay Area owners drove East to Tahoe to wait out the pandemic and work remotely in paradise. Some of those owners, smartly, decided to stay after their work moved permanently to remote, and they’ve been reaping the benefits of living in Tahoe ever since. That’s a blueprint for why a lot of people are looking to move to the area right now, and if you’re working remotely and love the outdoors, the Tahoe area should be near the top of your list.