Eat, Sleep, Play: South Lake Tahoe, California Elevation Outdoors Magazine

EAT

Catch some pre-ride stoke at the Driftwood Cafe (driftwoodtahoe.com), a bustling breakfast joint filled with good energy and massive meals, like the breakfast burrito, a mountain of fresh, protein-rich ingredients for under $10. Take a break between runs at the Base Camp Pizza Co. (basecamppizzaco.com) situated just outside of the lift line in Heavenly Village. Hearty pasta and pizza dishes steam from tables on the outdoor patio, perfect for boozing with locals in the California sunshine. Come last chair, head to one of South Lake Tahoe’s diverse dining establishments, like the cozy and casual Blue Angel Cafe (blueangelcafe.com) for margaritas and fried pickles or Azul Latin Kitchen (azullatinkitchen.com), where you’ll find hard-to-beat happy hour bar specials from 2-6 p.m. daily.

SLEEP

Fluff your pillow at the Basecamp Hotel (basecamptahoesouth.com), an adventure-themed property a stone’s throw from Heavenly Village. It has an onsite beer garden with live music and winter room rates start at $129 per night. Or grab a room at the Coachman Hotel (coachmantahoe.com), a modern twist on the classic ski lodge, which is only a short walk to the lifts and costs just $125 per night.

PLAY

They don’t call it Heavenly (heavenly.com) for nothing. South Lake Tahoe’s angleic mountain resort transmits divine views of the Sierra Nevada range and the glassy waters of Lake Tahoe. Pair that with an average snowfall of 360 inches per year, 4,630 skiable acres, 3,500 vertical feet and 28 chairlifts—all accessible from the town’s main drag—and the stats don’t lie (even if this has been a tough snow year in the Sierra) Looking to mix it up? Rent a pair of snowshoes in town and make the scenic drive to Emerald Bay, which is one of the most popular places to photograph the Lake. Hop on The Rubicon Trail for an eight-mile (round trip) snowshoe which includes an up-close view of Vikingsholm—a historic 38-room mansion—the quiet solitude of a snowy forest, and exceptional views.

—Tyra Sutak