Things to do in Lake Tahoe: Vikingsholm and Eagle Falls

Lake Tahoe is amazingly beautiful. If you are planning a trip you will enjoy it. And depending on what time of year you visit, there is always plenty to do. In the winter there are all the snow related activities. In the summer, there are all the water related activities. And there is always cruising on the lake.

Most cruises on the lake take you to Emerald Bay, which is the jewel of Lake Tahoe. It is the most photographed area of the lake and arguably the most beautiful. At the heart of Emerald Bay sits Vikingsholm, a Swedish style mansion built in 1868.

There are two ways to get there. One is by boat. If you rent one you can sail it to Emerald Bay and dock it close to the home. The second way is to drive. The road around Lake Tahoe takes you to the house. But the road is only open when there is no snow. This road itself, offers amazing views of the lake. Be careful while driving because in many areas there are no guide rails, and it is a long way down.

Once you get there, there is a small parking lot and then a path that leads down the mountain to the lakeshore and the house. It is a one mile hike. Tour guides say it is a relatively easy hike, and it is - on the way down. On the way up is a different story.

Once you make it down to the lake, you can take a tour of the house. Tours are held every hour and cost $5 per adult. We skipped the tour. Once you've seen an old house, you've seen them all. But the visitor center has a cool, free museum that exhibits many interesting pictures and tells the story of the house.

On the right side of the Visitor Center is a small path that leads you to Eagle Falls. Follow this path for about .1 mile until you come to the bridge. Continue on the trail to the right side of the bridge for another .2 miles. This trail takes you to Lower Eagle Falls. And the trek is worth it. The falls are beautiful. If you get tired, you can just stand there and let the mist cool you down. If you look hard enough, you can see Upper Eagle Falls and other people at the top.

To see Upper Eagle Falls, there is a parking lot near the Vikingsholm lot. But the lower falls offer a better view then the upper ones.

It is a good idea to sit by the lake and take in the beauty before you make the one mile hike up the mountain to your car. What is really amazing is the height that you will travel back to your car. You actually climb up the entire mountain.

From the Nevada/California state line, it takes about 30 minutes to drive to the Vikingsholm parking lot. Depending on how physically fit you are, it can take you between 2-4 hours to walk down, around, then back up.

But be warned, the trip is a great one to make, but your muscles will be sore the next day. Especially your rear.