Ultimate Lake Tahoe Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Description
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone can listen together! Explore Lake Tahoe’s dazzlingly blue waters and stunning mountainous backdrop with this self-guided audio tour! Drive around the entirety of the lake as you learn about its origins, admire its breathtaking vistas, and dive into its Gilded Age history. Explore hikes, historic homes, and waterfall views along the way. This self-guided driving tour allows you to experience all of Lake Tahoe with maximum flexibility and value. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour of Lake Tahoe begins at the Tahoe South Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe. From here, you'll embark on a scenic journey around the lake which some have called the most beautiful lake in the United States. Along the way, you'll pick up essential history, pass top notch hiking trails, and of course have plenty of opportunity to visit the lakeshore! NOTE: The tour is over 65+ miles long, with more than 70+ audio stories, and takes about 3-4 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
The Pope Cabin owes its name to its eccentric former owner, George Pope. Pope called this home the Vatican, and would bring celebrities out for all kinds of crazy parties. While Pope and his family vacationed here, they hired a retinue of 35 servants!
Pope Beach is one of Lake Tahoe's 40 public beaches. It's defined by dunes and pine trees and makes for a perfect swimming, boating, or picnicking spot. Entry is $8 most days, but can go up to $20 on peak holidays.
Like Valhalla, Vikingsholm is built to emulate the architecture of Scandinavian castles. This 38-room mansion sports Norse carvings around the entrances and Nordic dragons on its roof. It also boasts a view that rivals any of Norway's fjords!
Emerald Bay gets its name for the lovely green hue created by the sun shining on the bay's crystal clear waters. At Emerald Bay State Park, you'll have the opportunity to embark on all manner of activities in this water, from kayaking to scuba diving and beyond. If you didn't bring your own gear, don't worry, the park offers rentals!
Eagle Falls Trail leads to the only waterfall that flows into Lake Tahoe. This moderate, 2-mile hike is a hugely popular stop, and for good reason. The trail boasts not just the beautiful waterfall at the end, but also some splendid views along the way.
Meeks Bay features a pristine white sand beach that's perfect for lounging lakeside. The water also remains shallow for a long way out, making this a great spot for families. This beach can get pretty crowded in the summer, so it's important to plan ahead.
An optional detour can take you to Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. As the name would suggest, sugar pines dominate this park. Interestingly, a huge portion of this 2,500-acre park is new growth forest due to heavy logging in the 1800s.
If you're visiting in the winter, you won't want to miss this detour. Olympic Valley, high in the Sierra Nevada, offers some of the best skiing areas in the region. It has actually hosted the Winter Olympics, hence the name!
The Tahoe City Visitor Information Center marks just how far you've come. Located on the north side of the lake, it's a great place to pause, find restrooms, and pick up snacks for the final leg of your journey.
Carnelian Bay is a popular, picturesque spot which was once famous for something besides its postcard beauty. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, this was a major destination for boat racing! Today, it's a great spot for fishing, paddleboarding, and all sorts of other activities.
Kings Beach is one of the warmest beaches on the lakeshore, so if you're wary of the chilly alpine waters, this is the spot for you! The recreation area also features a playground and a basketball court, and there are plenty of well-shaded picnic tables here as well. It's got a little something for everyone.
Memorial Point Trail is an easy half-mile hike along the lakeside. It offers some seriously unbeatable views, so make sure to keep your camera at the ready!
Sand Harbor isn't just another beach. It features unique rock formations that make it a favorite spot among scuba divers, and has some of the clearest water of anywhere on the lakeshore. It's also where you'll find the trailhead for the fully accessible Sand Point Trail.
Logan Shoals is hands down one of the best vistas of Lake Tahoe. It rises 300 feet above the lake, offering panoramic views of the water and the lush greenery all around. There's a reason this is a hugely popular wedding spot!
Cave Rock, also known as the Lady of the Lake, is the remnant of an old volcanic core. This three million year old rock was very important to the Washoe people. Today, it's a popular sunbathing spot and fishing hole. This is the last stop along your tour route, but there are plenty more optional stops to keep the journey going.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Important Note: Construction may cause closures and delays, so please plan your tour accordingly and check the North Tahoe Community Alliance website for more details.
- Please note that Tallac Historic Site, Pope Beach, and Eagle Falls Trail are closed for the winter season due to weather, safety concerns, and limited access. For the latest updates, please visit the official website.
- Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
- Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
- At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
- Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
- Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
- More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
- Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
- Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
- Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
- Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.
Reviews(465)
Poor support and usage guidance. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..,,…………………….,…….,.,,,,,,,,,,.
Lynn, I'm sorry to hear you had trouble starting my Ultimate Lake Tahoe tour. I recently made some improvements to how the tour starts and to how the different entrances are handled. I see you reached out to my support team, and they guided you through the steps to get started. I'd love the opportunity to help and make things right. Please reach out to my support team, and we'll be happy to get you up and running and ensure the tour works as expected. My team and I are available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM EST, and I can help with a replacement tour or refund.
Excellent way to learn about the history and the area! Viator audio is clear, concise, and easy to listen to while going around Lake Tahoe. It is timed perfectly for each "story". Highly recommend this service.
Jan, thank you for taking my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it was an excellent way to learn about Lake Tahoe’s scenery, history, and surrounding area. I’m happy the audio was clear, concise, easy to listen to, and timed well with each story around the lake. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
When I downloaded the tour at home as suggested, I had 4 starting points and different tour choices. When I arrived to Tahoe and signed in, I can only start the tour from one place, which is not convenient to my hotel. I feel like this was a bait and switch.
Cyndi, thank you for sharing your Lake Tahoe experience! I recently updated my self-guided audio tour app, so one version now works clockwise or counterclockwise from both the north and the south for greater flexibility. Please contact my support team daily from 9 to 6 EST for help, and I hope you’ll try another tour!
Didnt really warn about the parking or exits ahead of time so always missed them and had to turn around.
Shalyn, this should not happen when the correct clockwise or counterclockwise tour version is selected before starting. If the issue occurred throughout the tour, the opposite version may have been launched; if it happened only at a specific stop, please let me know so I can investigate it with my team. I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST to help.
It was easy to load the video, I appreciate the fact that I was given options where the narration would start. The facts & entertaining stories made it fun and the narration coordinated well with our location. We have a great time with it. We will definitely load other locations.
Bonnie, thank you for taking my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it was easy to load, gave you flexible options for where to start, and coordinated well with your location along the drive. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
I really appreciated this app! It was so easy to get the app on my phone, and I'm not the best with technology! It gave us directions as we were driving and checking out Lk. Tahoe, and also mentioned interesting history as we passed different places, as well as mentioning places of interest, rest areas and viewing areas along our drive. You stop wherever you wish, and the audio automatically picks up wherever you left off. I will definitely look to download another app like this when I travel somewhere new by car. Very affordable for all the info it gives you!
Aileen, thank you for taking my Ultimate Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it was easy to set up, had helpful directions, and included interesting stories, stops, rest areas, and viewpoints along your drive. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
Definitely stop in a comfortable place while you set the phone in the car up. There was a little bit of a learning curve for us, but we finally did achieve audio.
Shelby, thank you for taking my Lake Tahoe self-guided driving audio tour! I’m glad you got the audio working and could enjoy the history, ghost stories, and creature tales along the way, and I appreciate your helpful tip about setting everything up before driving. My audio tours are valid forever and work offline once downloaded, so you can revisit them anytime with the same flexibility and convenience. Happy exploring!
Was a great trip, affordable and informative, thanks
Hi there, thank you for taking my Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it was convenient, affordable, and informative for your trip. If you're ready for more California adventures, my Central California Self-Guided Driving and Walking Bundle Tour includes the 17 Mile Drive, Yosemite Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, and more. Happy exploring!
The app was hard to navigate and you could not sync map with car.
Diana, since it’s an audio tour, the best way to use it is to launch the app at the starting point and follow the route so the map and audio can guide you properly. If you need any help with audio setup, please don’t hesitate to contact me; my support team (separate from Viator) is available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM ET and is always happy to help.
I will be purchasing more of these tours in the future. It really enhanced our drive, and we like the history and tips on here to stop along the way.
Michael, thank you for taking my Lake Tahoe GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad it enhanced your drive and that the history, tips, and stop suggestions made the experience more enjoyable. My audio tours are valid forever and work offline once downloaded beforehand, so you can enjoy the flexibility and convenience of taking them as many times as you want. Happy exploring!
