Lake Tahoe Archives - Page 5 of 8

Lake Tahoe: Lakeside Beach House Restaurant Review

June 14, 2013 by The Mom Jen 10 Comments

If you’re looking for some good food and drinks with stunning sunsets, then you should check out Lakeside Beach House restaurant that just opened late last month in South Lake Tahoe! This place has location, location written all over it and it’s open for brunch, lunch, and dinner! Views of the shades of blue lake and snow capped mountains will surely mesmorize you!

Right on the beach at then end of Stateline Ave, you’ll find so many great selections to meet the appetites of all your family members. Starting off with a warm up of hot chocolate, the nights are cool in the mountains, so make sure you remember a sweater or jacket for those brisk winds! The restaurant offers heaters, but you’ll need a little more.I enjoyed the heirloom tomato bruschetta first and the tomatoes were fresh and juicy and the olive oil soaked toast had a perfect crunch! I say “I” enjoyed it, because I didn’t end up sharing it was too good!I rounded out my meal with a gruyere grilled cheese and tomato soup. I dipped my sandwich in my soup, and it was so good, but due to the cool evening, your food does cool down fast too.

My husband enjoyed the bratwurst with sauerkraut and brown mustard. He loved the sausage, added a bit of the traditional yellow mustard and ate the sauerkraut on the side…that’s just him.There isn’t a kid’s menu, so my 3 shared the classic burger with cheese and bacon. They said it was delicious, though at $13 per burger, it’s expensive for kids to have their own. Being a new restaurant, maybe this will change.

Also on the menu, portobello sandwich, prawns, cheese steak, chili, salads, chicken, and some great desserts. The night we were there was opening night, so some of the options were not available yet and due to the cold temps, we didn’t stay for dessert.I enjoyed a nice glass of wine and could have had a few more, for sure next time! Like I said, you just can’t beat the view! Check it out!

4081 Lakeshore Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

(530) 544-4050

Prices: $$

Open M-Th 11:00 am–9:00 pm, and F-Sun 9am-9pm.

South Lake Tahoe, Basecamp Hotel Review: Everybody Gets a Bed!

June 12, 2013 by The Mom Jen 9 Comments

Often with a family of 5 you find that hotels want you to book two rooms to accommodate everyone, and often when you’re traveling, the added expense isn’t part of your budget. Now that two of my 3 kids are older, it’s not as easy to pair them up to share a bed, so everyone is competing for their own space. One of the best things I found in the Basecamp Hotel in South Lake Tahoe is that in our reasonably price room, everyone got their own bed, and without adding a crowding roll-away!

The way Basecamp Hotel came about is that it’s a renovated old Tahoe motor lodge. Now, I’ve been coming to Tahoe with family my whole life, and I swear I was here before. Completely renovated in 2012, the Hotel boasts 50 boutique-style rooms celebrating Tahoe’s great outdoors. The rooms are the same size as they were originally, only they had the genius idea to make them family-friendly by adding bunks above the queen beds!

This meant, no complaining on my kids part, and plenty of comfort for everyone. My 7 year old teased, “mom, you don’t get a bed to yourself!” I laughed as I agreed to that in my vow exactly 17 years ago, but I’m glad she thought of me!Plus, unlike traditional bunks, there was space to sit on the bed (above and below) with plenty of head room and watch TV and not having to slouch over. The room was wonderful, had a desk/chair, large television, spot with a full mirror for my girls to “get gussied up” in front of, bathroom with walk in shower, a nice closet for our suitcases, free wi-fi, an iPhone/iPod docking station/radio, and a spacious balcony with two chairs! The sliding glass door and fan make for great ventilation as well.

The lobby is great place to hang out, dine, mingle, and chat with the super helpful and knowledgeable concierge about all Tahoe has to offer. We found the over-sized couches to be a lovely place to relax and read. The cabinets in the lobby contain games for families, and on a cooler day, the sun shines bright into the room making it so cozy! Communal dinners are offered at an additional cost 3 nights a week with indoor and outdoor patio seating if needed to break bread with other like-minded mountain explorers.The table is also used for morning breakfasts that are included with your stay and consist of fresh granola, oatmeal, delectable pastries and bagels from a local bakery, fruit, juice, and coffee. Find yourself pulling up a stool at the bar for happy hour to sample local brews. I love all the adventurous decor too (arrows)! With casinos, shopping, beach, and nightlife all within a 5 minute walk, park your car and you’re good to go for the weekend!The patio outside the lobby is perfect for morning coffee or s’mores in the evening by the fire, it’s so pretty lit up!Our family loves the water, so the rooftop hot tub was a pleasant bonus. Day or night you can relax and take in the beautiful view of Heavenly mountain!Whether you’re biking, skiing, snowboarding, or visiting with family, a group, or your pet, Basecamp Hotel can meet your needs. With pet-friendly rooms, ski/board/bike storage, tools, and a waxing station, you’re set.

The awesome Explorers Club room sleeps 8 and includes a high definition projector with surround sound and Xbox 360 Kinect, now how fun would that be for a guys getaway?! I know for sure we’ll be back when we travel as a family, check out Basecamp Hotel for your next Tahoe adventure!
Our stay was hosted to facilitate this review, all opinions are 100% our own.

Illusion Fusion Starring Alex Ramon: Magic Show Review in South Lake Tahoe

June 21, 2012 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

I’m no stranger to the casinos when we head to South Lake Tahoe. I love a little gambling time, and of course love it in those few times I hit a jackpot. When I was young, my parents would travel to Tahoe with me and I’d hang out in the casino arcade while they gambled. On our recent trip to the Sierras, our kids had the best of both worlds, they got to come with mom and dad to the Horizon Casino to both watch a fabulous show AND got their time in the casino arcade like I used to!We had the opportunity to watch the magic show, Illusion Fusion starring Alex Ramon in The Golden Cabaret room of the casino resort.

“Illusion Fusion”, a brand new, high-energy theatrical show stars Award-Winning Master Magician Alex Ramon & Friends, featuring mind-blowing illusions, slight-of-hand close-up, and unique, never-before-seen magic that defines the word “art”.

I love magic, I love being mystified and I was excited our kids could attend this family-friendly show! While we lined up next to the slot machines, the kids watched wide-eyed as the bling and ca-ching of the one-arm bandits enticed them. Once in the show room, we found our seats front-row and my husband and I were nervous. When we’ve gone to see comedians or other shows that often have audience participation, we tend to stay back a bit because we are both very shy. The show opens with this handsome young man, Alex Ramon who resembles television’s Jimmy Fallon and immediately the kids, and my husband and I are intrigued, interested, and awestruck from the first trick. Ramon’s beautiful assistant Meghan is involved somehow in about half of his tricks and illusions and here are a few photos of our favorites:

The oohs and ahhs were 100% real coming from us especially seated so close. I’d hope I could key into how the trick was really done, I just couldn’t! I’d try to think okay something’s holding her back, but they why didn’t her legs hang?? Mind-blowing.

Alex Ramon is charming, funny, and so entertaining! Using tricks with modern technology like the iPad really got the kid’s attention and then using so many audience members in the show was really smart to keep everyone on their toes. We laughed, we gasped, we questioned gravity and science, it was so cool!

If you’re lucky to see the audience-participation wedding ring trick, that’s worth the money right there! All in all, a fabulous time was had by all. We did not get chosen to go on stage though Alex Ramon jokingly says, “I still can see you if you look away!” ha ha! If you have really young kids like 3-6 years old, I would recommend they nap during the day, the show does start late for the little ones! All kids’ tickets for Sunday night shows are free with a paying adult and all kids’ tickets every night are good for a $5 arcade card in the casino, it’s a super great deal!

TICKETS
Illusion Fusion staring Alex Ramon will run this summer 6 nights a week, with shows nightly at 8p (Dark Wednesdays) in the intimate setting of The Golden Cabaret inside the Horizon Casino Resort . Doors open at 7:30pm, Show starts at 8pm and is about 1 hour and a half long. Tickets are available online at www.ticketfly.com, or by calling the Horizon at 775-588-6211.

$24.95 per person, with FREE tickets on Sundays for guests 12 and under (one free ticket with each paid adult). Also, all guests under 12 receive a FREE $5.00 pre-loaded arcade card for every show!

Become a Facebook fan for prizes, contests and giveaways, www.facebook.com/IllusionFusion and follow on Twitter @AlexRamonMagic and @FusionShow.

We were sent tickets for honest review, we paid for our extended family to join us. All opinions are 100% our own.

Photography: Kirkwood Ski Resort in the Spring

June 18, 2012 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Not too shabby for an iPhone photo from the car at 65 miles an hour. This the beauty of the Sierras in the late spring and Kirkwood Ski Resort. The contrasting colors of the grass, trees, sky and snow make for a lovely landscape on Hwy 88 to South Lake Tahoe!

Lake Tahoe Accommodations: Marshall Trail Rental Home Review

June 18, 2012 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

Tahoe in the summertime is gorgeous. After school got out, baseball season ended, and the girls finished up their dance recital, we packed up and headed to South Lake. There are so many options when visiting Tahoe as far as accommodations; camping, hotels, motels, rental homes, condos, and more! There were going to be nine of us total, two families staying this time, so we looked into Tahoe rentals near the stateline so we could maximize our extra-curricular options. There are so many great homes, Lake Tahoe Accommodations has a wide selections and we stayed at the Marshall Trail property just above Pioneer Trail. Upon arrival to Lake Tahoe, we were in about 2 hours before check in. We were greeted at the main office located at the Y with a lovely bottle of merlot and news that we could check in early!

We were eager to check out the place so we grabbed the keys and headed over. Just a 7-10 minute drive, we drove up to a 6 year old beautiful home that backs up to the forest. With garage door opener, we drove into a clean garage that enters to the bottom floor of this two story home. Just inside the doors from the garage is a washer and dryer, perfect for families staying 3 or more days. We packed for 2 nights, but we were happy to know we had the option to wash if need be. Just beyond the laundry is a sitting room with a comfortable sofa that converts to a bed, chair, coffee table and television. This is nice especially with two families, it’s like you’re own place within a home!3 of the 4 bedrooms are found on this floor (one with bunk beds) as well as a full bathroom. The center room adjoins the bathroom through a second door for added privacy. Family that stayed downstairs claimed the temperature was perfect with the heat set on 65 even on the cool 30 degree nights. I worried it would be cooler downstairs. Each room had sufficient bedding plus extra blankets/sheets/pillow cases in the closet along with a full set of bedding for the pull out sofa. Our only negative was the mattress on the pull out bed downstairs. The coils were very prominent, but with placing the comforter and a blanket on top of the mattress, my two youngest kids were finally comfortable. There is also a sleeper sofa upstairs though we did not use it.Heading upstairs, you reach a landing where the front door resides along with a bench to keep sweatshirts, purses, shoes beneath. The windows and glass front door allow lots of light throughout this area and are really pretty for the decor. Also, the carpet in all the bedrooms and downstairs is so soft, and so clean! We’ve stayed in rentals before where you walk barefoot and your feet are black, definitely not the case here. The tile and the hardwood in the rest of the house is beautiful just goes well with the overall beauty of the home.Upstairs you have the main living area, kitchen, dining area, Master bedroom and bath, a half bath, and the deck with the hot tub. The grand windows all around let in the beautiful light from outside and give warmth to the area. The modern kitchen is fit for a professional chef, the granite counter tops and stainless steel accessories are gorgeous with the light flooring and dark accents. My husband would love to replicate the plank dining table that is surrounded by windows that oversee the forest beyond.Did I mention that every room/bedroom in the house has a television, perfect for families with kids for sure when you just don’t want to watch cartoons all vacation! The view from the deck was lovely and so peaceful. The home backs up to the forest for great walking paths and my husband found that there was a good 30 minute bike trail nearby that he and my son utilized (mostly downhill, I did pick them up at the bottom so they didn’t have to climb the steep incline back to the house!) The entire family will love the hot tub, we opened it up and it was hot and clean and ready for us! The kids used it for a bit during the day, while the adults loved it with the stars and trees high above at night. Also, different colored night lamps thrilled all of us!Finally, my favorite, the Master bedroom. Ultimately, everyone having their own space is so special when we’re on vacation. It’s like the comforts of home while you’re away and the master in this house was stellar. It was huge, with lots of windows and light, had a desk to do some work on, along with the ambiance of the fireplace/heater and luxurious bathroom. The four poster bed was lovely and uncovered which was nice to get the effects of the ceiling fan at night. The jacuzzi tub and tiled large shower was icing on the cake when both romance and privacy is concerned. If I only had to leave the room to eat would be fine, relaxation at it’s finest in this room!We would rent this home again in a heartbeat. Also, our experience with Lake Tahoe Accommodations was wonderful, we’d be happy to try another vacation rental property of theirs on a different part of the lake! If you’re heading to Lake Tahoe, visit their website, or head into their office in South Lake and rent this property or others!