Inspiration Point

South Lake Tahoe & Stateline


Swoon-worthy views of Emerald Bay, as the camera-wielding crowds testify.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby South Lake Tahoe & Stateline attractions

1. Emerald Bay State Park

0.36 MILES

Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved Emerald Bay, a teardrop cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most…

2. Fannette Island

0.41 MILES

This uninhabited granite speck in Emerald Bay State Park is Lake Tahoe’s only island. It holds the vandalized remains of a tiny 1920s teahouse belonging…

3. Vikingsholm Castle

0.5 MILES

Heiress Lora Knight's quirky mansion on the bay, Vikingsholm Castle is the focal point of Emerald Bay State Park, and a rare example of ancient…

4. DL Bliss State Park

2.44 MILES

DL Bliss State Park has the western shore's nicest beaches at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. A short nature trail leads to the Balancing Rock, a giant…

5. Tallac Historic Site

2.82 MILES

Three 1920s-era estates – Baldwin, Pope and Valhalla – sprawl across this 150-acre site on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Free, self-guided tours wind…

6. Meeks Bay

5.55 MILES

With a wide sweep of shoreline, sleek and shallow Meeks Bay has warm water by Tahoe standards and is fringed by a beautiful, but busy, sandy beach. West…

7. Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum

6.63 MILES

This small but interesting museum displays artifacts from Tahoe’s pioneer past, including Washoe tribal baskets, vintage black-and-white films, hoary…

8. Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

7.08 MILES

This elegant 1903 Queen Anne–style mansion on the lakefront is also known as Pine Lodge. Guided tours take in the richly detailed interior, including…