Lake Tahoe in the Winter - South OC Moms

We recently spent our Christmas holidays in North Lake Tahoe, NorthStar to be exact. We really enjoy all this area has to offer for our family. So if you are thinking about a trip to the snow this winter, consider going to the Northstar/Truckee area. We spent 10 days there and got to play in lots of snow.

The NorthStar Village has a lovely ice rink surrounded by fire pits and couches. You can order cocktails, french fries, pizza or Belgium waffles and enjoy some time on the rink. At night the place practically turns into a discoteque. Lights flashing, DJ’s spinning and cocktails flowing while the parents watch their kids turn it out on the ice. Don’t forget to order the Dirty Snowman cocktail I featured on an earlier blog post!!!

There are all sorts of lovely restaurants in the village. Our favorite is Rubicon Pizza for some warm delicious pizza. You can even order it to go and feed your ice skaters while they skate by. I really did this!!! We also enjoy Petra Wine bar sans kids for some tapas and vino.

If you are looking for some alone time, the Tahoe Spa & Wellness is perfect for yoga and massages. Mine was out of this world and got me right back into mental shape to take on my 3 kids. They are indeed lovely children, but come on every Mama can use a recharge! I suggest making an appointment right when you arrive, so that you ensure a time that works well with you and your family. The Ritz Carlton also has a lovely spa that will put you in a state of pure nirvana.

Speaking of the Ritz Carlton, this location is magical. If you aren’t staying here, take the free gondola from the NorthStar village up to the Ritz. The gondola ride alone is breathtaking. The views are boundless and it is so quiet. The Ritz has many restaurants you should give a try, specifically Manzanita. If you don’t want to stay for a whole meal, I suggest giving the Highlands Bar a try. Be sure to walk outside to the patio and you can see the skiers going by on NorthStar’s Big Easy run. This is where I get the best videos and pictures of my kids flying by. I am not a skiing mom, so this is my spot during the day while my kids are on the hill. I can still see them every few runs and enjoy lunch with them on the hill too!

 

 

My kids and husband love skiing at NorthStar. There are runs for every skill level. And we have many different ski levels in our group. I highly suggest purchasing your lift tickets online, you get a slight discount, as opposed to paying for them at the mountain. They do provide rental equipment too and have very efficient means of getting your in and out with your rental equipment. Lunch on the mountain is easy and your typical cafeteria style. I prefer the Mexican food stand outside on the patio. Nothing like tacos in the snow!!!

Last but not least, don’t forget to make those snow angels, have some snow ball fights and sled down some hills. Those are the free things my kids LOVE the most. The last day we were there, my kids spent almost the entire day outside building a snowball fort for an epic snowball battle. We had to drag them inside every few hours to eat or I don’t think they were ever going to come back inside. A great problem to have!

 

 

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