Eating & Sleeping
South Lake Tahoe 1
5 Burger Lounge Fast Food $
(717 Emerald Bay Rd; menu items $3-6; h11am-
8pm, to 9pm Jun-Aug; c) Look for a giant beer
mug propped above a shingled cabin. Step right
up for tasty burgers, including ‘Just a Jiffy’ (with
peanut butter, bacon and cheddar cheese), and
zingy fries.
5 Ernie’s Coffee Shop Diner $
(www.erniescoffeeshop.com; 1207 Hwy 50;
mains $7-11; h6am-2pm; c) A sun-filled local
institution, Ernie’s dishes out filling four-egg
omelets, hearty biscuits with gravy, fruity and
nutty waffles and bottomless cups of locally
roasted coffee.
4 968 Park Hotel Motel $$
(%530-544-0968; http://www.968parkhotel.com;
968 Park Ave; r $139-289; iWs). Recycled,
rescued and re-envisioned building materials
have made this LEED-certified motel a hip
ecohaven within easy walking distance of
Heavenly Village.
4 Alder Inn B&B $$
(%530-544-4485; http://www.thealderinn.com; 1072
Ski Run Blvd; r $89-229; Ws) Even better than
staying at your best friend’s house by the lake,
this hospitable inn is painted in color schemes
that really pop, plus pillow-top mattresses and
organic bath goodies in your room.
Emerald Bay &
DL Bliss State Parks 2
4 Tahoma Meadows
B&B Cottages Cabin $$
(%530-525-1553; http://www.tahomameadows.com;
6821 W Lake Blvd, Tahoma; cabin incl breakfast
$95-199; Wc#) Cute but not too kitschy,
these country cabins with fireplaces and claw-
foot tubs dot a pine grove, 8 miles north of DL
Bliss State Park.
Truckee 4
5 Coffeebar Cafe $
(www.coffeebartruckee.com; 10120 Jiboom
St; items $2-8; h6am-8pm; W) Acid-orange
molded chairs are scattered around this
beatnik, industrial-chic coffee shop on a
backstreet.4 Cedar Sport
House Hotel Boutique Hotel $$$
(%530-582-5655; http://www.cedarhousesporthotel.
com; 10918 Brockway Rd; r incl breakfast $160-
290; aiW#) Environmentally conscious,
design-savvy contemporary lodge will get
you back to nature, but also doesn’t skimp
on plush robes or the outdoor hot tub. Stella
bistro serves seasonal California fusion dinners
(restaurant mains from $25 to $35).4 Larkspur Hotel
Truckee-Tahoe Hotel $$
(%530-587-4525; http://www.larkspurhotels.com;
11331 Brockway Rd; r incl breakfast $159-249;
aiWsc#) You’ll forget about retro
ski-lodge kitsch when you’re inside these
crisp, earth-toned hotel rooms where you can
sink back after sunset into feather-topped
mattresses.Kings Beach & Tahoe Vista 5
5 Old Post Office Cafe American $
(5245 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe Vista; mains $6-12;
h6:30am-2pm) Head west to Carnelian Bay,
where this always-packed wooden shack serves
scrumptious breakfasts – buttery potatoes,
crab-cake eggs Benedict and fresh-fruit
smoothies. Waits can be long.4 Franciscan
Lakeside Lodge Cottage, Cabin $$
(%530-546-6300; http://franciscanlodge.
com; 6944 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe Vista; d $90-275;
Wsc) Spend the day on a private sandy
beach or in the outdoor pool, then light the
barbeque grill after sunset. Simple cabins,
cottages and suites have kitchenettes.CENTRAL.CALIFORNIA..18
.LAKE TAHOE LOOP