Long Weekend in Lake Tahoe

To celebrate my boyfriend's graduation from business school, we planned a (last minute) trip to Lake Tahoe for the holiday weekend. I had saved some money thinking we would head to Europe, but due to timing issues related to his job, we needed to stick closer to home. When my boyfriend suggested Tahoe, I couldn't refuse!

Since we planned to stay on the north side of the lake, we flew into Reno, a relatively sleepy airport. Our flight arrived just before midnight. We snagged a cheap room in Reno on HotelTonight (an app for last minute hotel bookings). In the morning, we made our way to Tahoe. The weather was cool and crisp, and it was fun to experience a dramatic change in landscape--when was the last time I'd seen a pine tree?

We stayed in a condo right on the water. The units were in excellent condition and offered all the amenities I could have hoped for--steam shower (can I have one of these at home one day!?!), kitchen, fireplace, washer/dryer in unit and access to a pool and hot tub. Something I'd never realized before home ownership is the extent to which my mental list of home maintenance and housekeeping chores wears on me whenever I'm home. By putting myself in a location where I couldn't complete any chores (and my cell phone hardly functioned), I was able to truly relax.

Tonopalo

We didn't have much of a schedule and spent most of our time enjoying the fresh air and otherwise resting and recharging (and seeing Solo, which we thought was a lot of fun). I'd love to come back when it's a little warmer to spend some quality time hiking!

Emerald Bay State Park

Our one scheduled activity was a guided kayak tour. It was a touch cold for this activity, but I know I'll relish the memory of those cool temperatures during the upcoming, hot and steamy Texas summer. The Keep Tahoe Blue folks have been doing a great job: the water was remarkably clean (on par with New Zealand).

Near Sand Harbor

This was my first true vacation since my graduation (eight years ago!?!). I'm fortunate that this trip coincided with some changes at work that made it possible to limit the amount of time I billed over the weekend. I learned that while tacking an extra day or two on to a work trip or travelling to visit family is fun, it's just not the same as taking a real break from everyday life to recharge. 

Many thanks to the boyfriend (and the boyfriend's brother who owns the condo where we stayed) for suggesting this trip. I didn't want to come home!