With sunshine, mountains, beautiful Lake Tahoe, and a charming town culture, there is no shortage of things to do in North Tahoe. You’ll want to spend all of your vacation enjoying Tahoe’s spectacular scenery, but don’t miss the historical sites and opportunities for learning that North Tahoe also has to offer.

The Donner Memorial Park, Museum, and Pioneer Monument honors the infamous Donner Party, stranded for six months at Donner Lake in the dead of winter in 1846. Take a self-guided tour through the cabin where they lived and watch a half-hour movie about their plight.

The Watson Cabin is the oldest on-site constructed structure in Tahoe City and is open for exploration in the summer months. Walk through the cabin on your own or take a tour led by a costumed guide who will teach you about life in early 1900’s North Tahoe.

South of Tahoe City in Sugar Pine Point State Park is the Ehrman Mansion which today stands as a museum to Tahoe’s wealthy families of the same era. Take a tour or wander on your own and soak up the history of this great area.

The Cal Neva Resort Hotel and Casino is a great place go to for gaming, but it has its share of history, too. Owned for a period of time by Frank Sinatra and frequented by the likes of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Marilyn Monroe, the Cal Neva is a great place to get a taste of old Hollywood. Friday and Saturday evening walking tours detail this fascinating history, show-off Marilyn’s cabin, and even mention a few lingering ghosts.