Laurie Johnson

Lake Tahoe is Now Open to Tourism

The gradual re-opening of all areas around Lake Tahoe has finally arrived! Tourism is a major part of our economy, but with this re-opening, visitors are encouraged to take precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19.  All visitors are required to wear masks, recreate responsibly and keep a safe distance, whether at local businesses or while hiking on trails.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Our area is unique in that it is comprised of several counties and spread across two states. Each county may have different restrictions on re-opening. A campaign called ‘Know Before You Go’ encourages visitors to check with the specific county they are visiting prior to coming. You can find local information here:  North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Incline Village.

Restaurants, short term rentals, recreational parks, gaming and lodging are all opening, while also following necessary precautions. Carol Chaplin, CEO and President of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority said: “Lake Tahoe is the perfect destination for visitors to begin to venture out and our communities are ready to offer the ultimate ‘travel therapy’ experience with everything visitors love about our region including the wide open outdoors, unparalleled beauty and the ideal environment to celebrate being together again.”

CAMPGROUNDS OPENING

Last Friday, the U.S. National Forests in Northern California began allowing overnight camping. This is a phased re-opening coordinated by federal officials.  Campgrounds throughout the Lake Tahoe region, including El Dorado, Tahoe, Stanislaus National Forests and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit had been closed since March. They re-opened for day use on May 15th. As of June 12th, visitors can now access enjoy overnight camping and recreational activities.

Some forests will maintain the closure of part of their campsites to allow for social distancing. It is important to check with the National Park Service for usage and availability. Our local campsites normally book quickly, and with the safe distancing measures, availability can be a challenge.

BOATING ON LAKE TAHOE

Boat entry onto Lake Tahoe has been limited to local boats displaying the Tahoe Local decal. Watercraft inspection stations have remained closed. By the end of June, boating restrictions should be lifted too. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency has begun staffing boat inspection stations, but the exact date they will be open has yet to be announced. For more information visit this link.

GOLFING AT LAKE TAHOE

There are also safe-distancing guidelines to be followed when playing golf. Most of the golf courses around Lake Tahoe and Truckee have opened:

North Lake Tahoe & Olympic Valley

Brockway Golf | Open
Incline Village Championship | Open
Incline Village Mountain | Open; driving range open
Links at Squaw Creek | Open
Tahoe City Golf | Open

Truckee & Northstar

Coyote Moon | Opens
Gray’s Crossing | Open
Northstar California | TBA
Old Greenwood | Open
Ponderosa | Open
Schaffer’s Mill | TBA
Tahoe Donner Golf | TBA

On July 8-12, the Celebrity Golf Tournament at South Lake Tahoe is expected to open as planned.  The PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship at Old Greenwood will take place from July 27 to August 2nd.

We are really excited to welcome visitors back to our area, but since this is a world-wide destination, wearing masks, washing your hands thoroughly and keeping a safe distance, especially while shopping, is very important.

The real estate market has continued to remain strong throughout this pandemic and there are many great opportunities to buy a home at Lake Tahoe and Truckee. I can help arrange a ‘safe’ home tour or can also provide a no obligation market analysis of your property.

The volatility in the stock market seems to have driven continued demand for luxury homes at Lake Tahoe and Truckee. Articles from SFGate and Tahoe Tribune have explored the growing demand for real estate at Lake Tahoe because so many Silicon Valley businesses want their employees to work remotely indefinitely. Many people are looking at commuting to the Bay Area once a week, while living at Lake Tahoe.  There has never been a better time to buy your home at Lake Tahoe!

Contact me today!

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