On our recent vacation to South Lake Tahoe, my husband and I spent a lot of time making sure everyone in our family was happy. This meant planning activities for the five of us (bowling, beach, mini-golf), separate activities that my husband did alone (mountain biking) and I did alone (slots, shopping), and one very special event that my husband and I shared for the first time! For all the years we’ve been going to Tahoe we have never taken a cruise, and this year was the year we got the wonderful opportunity, just him and I!
Right off Highway 50, before you hit Stateline, you’ll reach Ski Run Blvd and down at the marina the Tahoe Queen sets sail twice daily, and once in the evening for a sunset cruise. My husband and I took the 2pm cruise toward the end of our vacation, which was a perfect time for us to unwind and relax together. I would suggest getting to the dock a good half-hour early to get aboard and find the spot you want to start the voyage. Don’t worry, you can move around the entire trip on the 3 levels, both indoor and out to get the best views and photographic opportunities!
On the 2pm cruise a bar is open for your favorite well drinks as well as specialty cocktails and non-alcoholic choices. Delicious chocolate-chip cookies and homemade Kettle Chips are available for purchase at the bar, as well as a lower-level dining area offering a menu of hearty lunch choices. My husband often gets motion sickness, so after a Dramamine pill, he was ready for lunch. We ordered the turkey sandwich meal which was $12 but comes with a bag of chips, apple, block of cheese, cookie, and a non-alcoholic beverage of your choice. The sandwich was huge, so splitting it was perfect for the both of us and the added condiment of cranberry mayo was something new and totally delicious!
The Tahoe Queen sports the only Mississippi Paddlewheeler on the lake and it’s a site to behold. Grab your camera to catch the paddlewheels working and if you sit in the couches at the back end of the boat, you get a gentle spray of lake water, great on a warm day!
Throughout your cruise, you can listen to the history of the lake dating back to the 1800’s, with none other than Mark Twain narrating parts of the story. Don’t be alarmed if you see a curly-grey-haired character in a white suit walking around the boat as well, part of the story is acted out in play-form inside the main level. If you’re interested, you can take a closer look at the boat’s helm and talk to the captain! This was something my husband wanted to do! I asked him what they said, and he replied, “not too much, they’re kinda busy!”
The 2.5 hour cruise takes you to Emerald Bay and back and the views are breathtaking. The ride was smooth sailing over and back, my husband and I found ourselves easily able to nap if we wanted to, it was so relaxing! I would recommend this to anyone looking to have a great time in South Lake Tahoe, I couldn’t say a negative thing about it. Next time we go up, I’d love to experience the dinner/dance cruise that showcases yummy foods for an unforgettable experience. Food, wine, and the lake, you cannot go wrong!
Prices for the daytime cruises (10:30am, 2pm Wednesday-Sunday) are: Adults $46.00, Children $15.00, food and drinks are extra. The dinner/dance cruises leave at 7pm and are: Adults $75.00, Children $41.00. Other cruises sail from Zephyr Cove as well, check out the details for more information, http://www.zephyrcove.com/.
My husband and I were given complimentary cruise tickets for purpose of this honest review, food and drinks were paid by us. Our opinions are our tried-and-true experience and were not influenced by any source.
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