Lake Tahoe is ideal for the entire family. Incredible adventures await your kids, whether you’re in the north, south, east, or west shores. There are just so many fun things to do and so many places to go with kids in Lake Tahoe located just a hop, skip, and a jump from you no matter what. Explore Lake Tahoe attractions for kids and enjoy its breathtaking atmosphere in its full glory all year round.
Hence, we’ve put together a list of 20 fun things to do and the best places to go with kids in Lake Tahoe to make planning that much easier for you!
11711 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, CA 96161
Phone Number: (530) 587-5437
One of the best places to go in Lake Tahoe lies in Truckee, the small town between Northstar and Squaw Valley. Here, the Kidzone Museum offers exploration areas, nature programs, art studio space, indoor play spaces, and other ways to engage young minds. They also have exhibits that focus on building cognitive, physical, social, and creative skills through play.
Help your kids participate in positive social play with others and ensure they are safe when trying new activities such as climbing and sliding. Drop into their Scientastic lab anytime and check out the hands-on science activities and tools for self-guided science fun. This room has live animals, a child-friendly microscope, building materials, and a light table. The baby area is perfect for little crawlers.
Visit their website HERE!
1012 Al Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (530) 541-5994
Looking for some things to do with kids in Lake Tahoe to take them to get their wiggles out? Bring them to Tot Spot for a playdate! This indoor play area for young children includes gymnastics, art and music classes, and a giant pit of colorful balls.
The Tahoe Tot Spot also has a Mini Gym with giant balls, a padded mountain, monkey rings, balance beams, and material for building forts. The Play Room includes costumes, toys, bean bags, and a relaxing place to hang out for parents. The Tahoe Tot Spot also offers a Date Night for parents: drop the kids off for a couple of hours where dinner, games, and a movie will be shown.
Visit their website HERE!
2005 Highway 28, Incline Village, NV 89451
Phone Number: (775) 832-1616
One of the places to go with kids in Lake Tahoe is the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. The festival is a unique outdoor theater experience that highlights the iconic works of the Bard and other shoes throughout the summer months. They also offer various educational opportunities for youth throughout the year for families to take advantage of. Currently, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is planning for a regular season at Sand Harbor for summer 2021!
Comedies, tragedies, and even an exceptional performance featuring Shakespeare’s complete condensed works delight patrons who settle into Adirondack chairs and munch on gourmet fare from the “food court” — actually, several booths set up by local restaurants inside the gates. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival will also have children’s events, such as short adaptations of famous plays, in the afternoons before the primary production.
Visit their website HERE!
CA-89, Tahoma, CA 96142
Phone Number: (530) 525-9530
One of the great places to go with kids along the south shore of Lake Tahoe is Vikingsholm Castle, located next to Emerald Bay and open from May through September. To reach the castle, you and your family can take a moderate one-mile hike to the estate. Here you will experience authentic Scandinavian-style architecture among beautiful alpine scenery, not to mention the beautiful trek to and from the historic building.
If you’re still confused and wondering about things to do in South Lake Tahoe with kids, paying a worthwhile visit to this gorgeous remnant of the past might excite your lil’ ones. Take the whole tribe on an eventful trip as you explore the vast mansion, be captivated by the jaw-dropping interior and exterior, and be engrossed by the rich history behind everything!
Visit their website HERE!
4080 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (775) 586-7000
Looking for a thrill? The Ridge Rider Mountain Coaster is one of the best Lake Tahoe attractions for kids set to reopen this summer. It will send you soaring through the beautiful Tahoe forests and rock formations which is why it’s one of the best places to go with kids. It’s perfect for kids who are looking to shake things up and experience a little adrenaline.
This gravity-powered alpine coaster will exhilarate you and your family as it coasts through the forest and natural rock formations. As always, the views are incredible, and the memories will be too. The coaster sleds fit up to two riders so that you can enjoy this activity with others.
Visit their website HERE!
725 Granlibakken Rd., Tahoe City, CA 96145
Phone Number: (530) 807-1004
The Tahoe Treetop Adventure Park is located at the Granlibakken resort on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, run by North Tahoe Adventures. This is the first aerial park in California and comprises a series of courses linked between large pine trees in the Tahoe forest. The Treetop Adventure Park offers various things to do with kids in Lake Tahoe, from kids’ zip lining to thrilling adventure ropes courses.
Enjoy a thrilling time ziplining from one three to another, teach your kiddos the ropes of forest exploration and treetop adventures for an unforgettable experience. The park is family-friendly and has over 50 platforms and bridges, monkey courses, and several zip lines, some of them over 300 feet long. If you participate in all the courses, you will have zipped 2,618 feet through 16 zip lines.
Visit their website HERE!
1960 Squaw Valley Rd., Olympic Valley, CA 96146
Phone Number: (800) 403-0206
One of the best Lake Tahoe attractions for kids is Squaw Valley’s Aerial Tram. This panoramic 10-minute ride soars above the iconic Tram Face, offering stunning mountain vistas and beautiful views of Lake Tahoe itself, ending at Squaw Valley’s High Camp, located at 8,200 feet above sea level.
Kids can also enjoy an indoor 30-foot climbing wall at the tram’s base, as well as Sky Jump, where a two-point harness and bungees give kids a safe and fun way to practice their backflips.
Visit their website HERE!
3860 Saddle Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (775) 586-7000
Savor a panoramic and overlooking view of the entirety of South Lake Tahoe with the little ones for an unforgettable encounter with the city’s lush landscapes and breathtaking nature. Have the youngsters stare in awe of the 2.4-mile journey with the Heavenly Gondola, one out of the many fantastic Lake Tahoe attractions for kids featured in this peaceful city.
Heavenly Mountain Gondola offers a ride with stunning views over one of Lake Tahoe’s top ski resorts and attractions. One of the best places to go in Lake Tahoe, those who come when the slopes aren’t blanketed in snow can enjoy spectacular views on the ride. During the warmer months of the year, you’ll be able to soak up panoramic views of the lake, Carson Valley, and Desolation Wilderness under typically brilliant blue skies. It is considered to be one of the best attractions in Lake Tahoe for kids!
Visit their website HERE!
35 Visitor Center Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (530) 543-2674
One of the best things to do in Lake Tahoe is to visit the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. It is a one-of-a-kind facility offering the perfect introduction to a fun-filled adventure by Taylor Creek. At this fun-filled attraction, you and your kids can get an up-close and personal experience with the diverse water life in the area and get an idea of what awaits you. Here, your kids will enjoy themselves as they explore the floor-to-ceiling glass windows and experience what it feels like walking at the base of the creek.
At its aquarium-like bottom, expect to see creatures like frogs, colorful fish, trout, and more. The paved trails and bridges throughout the marshlands are stroller friendly, and there are both guided and self-guided interpretive trails, an underground “aquarium” area where you can see an actual part of Taylor Creek. During the fall, the Kokanee Salmon are spawning, and visitors can watch the process through glass windows.
There is also an easy and beautiful interpretive hike behind the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. This is an excellent place to see Tahoe’s black bears. Visit their website HERE!
1901 Lisa Maloff Way, #106, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 96150
Phone Number: (530) 544-2211
See some of the best attractions for kids in Lake Tahoe — including Emerald Bay, Fallen Leaf Lake, Desolation Wilderness, Crystal Bay, Sand Harbor, and more — from the air with a one-of-a-kind helicopter tour. Kids of all ages are allowed to fly and will have the unique opportunity to learn about helicopters and aviation!
Its scenic helicopter tours allow you to soak in peak-to-peak views, fly over the pristine wilderness, and see the unparalleled beauty of Lake Tahoe from the air. Daily helicopter tours are offered, departing from the Lake Tahoe Airport. Their expert pilots will guide you through a one-of-a-kind tour over incredible destinations. 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60-minute tours are available.
Visit their website HERE!
2435 Venice Dr. E, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (775) 588-9283
Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave is the perfect activity for families traveling with a baby, little toddlers, or even teens who want to spend a peaceful and relaxing vacation together. This world-class spectacle can take you and the entire family on a luxurious trip around the beautiful waters of South Lake Tahoe—paired with equally amazing food and amenities.
Enjoy a day filled with sightseeing with your little ones as all of you witness the most amazing sunsets, the most enthralling landscapes, and the most picturesque mountain views South Lake Tahoe has to offer. Savoring a fantastic tour with Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave is among the best things to do in South Lake Tahoe, which is open to kids of all ages.
Visit their website HERE!
185 River Rd., Tahoe City, CA 96145
Phone Number: (530) 583-0123
Enjoy a leisurely raft ride down the beautiful Truckee River with the Truckee River Raft Company. It’s a great way to enjoy some family time during the summer months, and kids will love spending the afternoon on the water. They are currently accepting reservations for summer 2021. Pack a lunch and soak up the sun!
You will not be facing any Class III rapids on this lazy ride down the Truckee River. Book a reservation with the two local river rafting companies in Tahoe City (Truckee River Rafting or Truckee River Raft Co.) and commandeer one of their large rafts with shuttle service or bring your raft and float at your own risk!
The ride down the Truckee River takes around 2-3 hours and requires that you pull out at River Ranch, where you can sit on the deck and enjoy a plate of loaded nachos after your journey. Make sure to bring sun protection! Visit their website HERE!
8369 N Lake Blvd., Kings Beach, CA 96143
Phone Number: (530) 523-3203
Take your kids on an adventure of a lifetime to one of the best places to go with kids in Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach State Recreation Area. You don’t have to travel to the coast to visit a stunning sandy beach. Enjoy a fun family outing at this beach as you take advantage of its amenities, like rental facilities, picnic areas with grills, a playground, volleyball courts, and well-maintained restrooms and showers.
You can do activities with your little ones, like helping them make sculptures and castles out of the sand, splashing around in the refreshing water, and watching them play at the playground. Kings Beach is a great spot to go on parasailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, jet-skiing, fishing, and tons more. Although it’s open year-round, this park is a beautiful place to visit in the off-season of winter and spring. And because of its location on the North Shore, it gets a lot of sun and is an excellent place for a picnic.
Visit their website HERE!
1176 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone Number: (530) 544-7465
One of the best places to go with kids, the South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena is Tahoe’s only full-size Olympic ice rink. This full-service ice skating facility offers a regulation National Hockey League (NHL) size sheet of ice, locker rooms, a snack bar, a retail store, an arcade, and party rooms.
They also offer public skating times for adults and children, lessons, private lessons, a skate school, hockey games, and even curling events. Lessons taught by professional instructors are the fastest and safest way to learn and enjoy ice skating. Buckets and assists are also available for both adults and kids who are new to ice skating.
Visit their website HERE!
Reno, NV 89502
Phone Number: (800) 367-7366
While the Reno Tahoe area is known for its world-class skiing, there are plenty of places to go with kids and other options for playing in the snow. There is no shortage of kids activities in Lake Tahoe during the winter months, and sledding is only one of them! Dive into Reno Tahoe Snow Parks, including unlimited tubing at Northstar and more sledding at Boreal. If you are looking to avoid some of the more populated areas, play on over 40 acres of tubing runs at Adventure Mountain or carve out your sledding at some of the most popular snow play areas along I-80.
Reno snow parks are a little less formal than the Sno-Park program run by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, among a few other agencies. While many Tahoe ski resorts have snow play areas, the snow parks and sledding hills on Nevada’s public lands offer an exciting landscape for sledding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Visit their website HERE!
5001 Northstar Dr., Truckee, CA 96161
Phone Number: (530) 562-2267
Looking to take your tubing to the next level, go faster and slide further? The Northstar Tubing Center is among the best places to go with kids that offers fun for all ages so get the family on the snow for some heart-pumping adventure. The exhilarating ride down the hill will keep the kids happy and busy for hours. Both riders and their tubes are taken by tow lift to the top of the tubing hill, where tubers can slide down individually or in daisy chains.
The tubing hill itself is J-shaped. You’ll cruise down approximately 200 yards, and you curve over three whoops that keep you on your toes. The Northstar Tubing Center is located mid-mountain just above the Northstar Gondola. Get there early since tubing tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis only. Get your tickets at the Tickets & Season Pass Office in the Village at Northstar.
Visit their website HERE!
11603 Snowpeak Way, Truckee, CA 96161
Phone Number: (530) 587-9444
Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort is one of Lake Tahoe’s best ski resorts and attractions for kids. Especially for novice skiers and little ones, instructors at this smaller resort are adept at teaching kids as young as 3 to ski. Ask locals where their kids learned to ski, and there’s a perfect chance it was on the slopes at Tahoe Donner.
The ski area prides itself on being family-oriented. The learning isn’t only for the young either; private ski and snowboard lessons are available for kids and adults in individual and safe settings. Wide-open bowls, uncrowded slopes, gentle beginner terrain, excellent grooming, and a friendly, courteous staff await you. During summer, the resort offers water activities, horseback riding, golf, and more.
2005 NV-28, Incline Village, NV 89452
Phone Number: (775) 588-2953
What better way to enjoy Lake Tahoe’s magnificent terrain than on a horse-drawn sleigh ride? With Tahoe as one of the best places to go with kids for outdoor enthusiasts, wind down after a day on the slopes and kick up the relaxation a notch with an unforgettable tour with Borges Sleigh and Carriage Rides. In the spring, summer, and autumn months, their carriages meander from the Stateline area to the sandy shores of Lake Tahoe and through a quiet neighborhood.
Its one-hour private horse-drawn sleigh ride travels along spectacular Lake Tahoe and through towering pines. Private narrated tour for groups with opportunities to stop listening to stories and poems, sing songs, and snap those memorable photos to capture your memories. Whether you’re a child or a child at heart, you’ll find that Borges Carriage and Sleigh Rides are fun for all. Let massive Belgian horses guide your family on a magical excursion through the snow or streets.
Visit their website HERE!
12200 Joerger Dr., Truckee, CA 96161
Phone Number: (530) 401-0513
Do you want to introduce your kids to mountain biking? If so, Truckee is one of the best places to go with kids to learn and ride at the Truckee Bike Park in Lake Tahoe. It is a cycling destination that includes a pump track, dirt jumps, flow lines, drop zone, and dual-slalom. The Truckee Bike Park has given children a fun, exciting, safe, and well-maintained place to ride. With trails progressing from strider-friendly pump tracks to jumps that will send you to overhead heights, bermed trails, and flowing rhythms, there’s something for everyone!
This park is kid-friendly but be sure to pack a helmet and pads, especially for first-timers. More experienced riders will enjoy the downhill-oriented blue and black diamond-rated dirt jump lines. Many of the jumps are built progressively, allowing riders to slowly progress their comfort zone and improve their skills as they feel comfortable. Open to the public from sunrise to sunset (weather permitting), seven days a week during the summer months.
Visit their website HERE!
120 Grove St., Tahoe City, CA 96145
Phone Number: (530) 583-9253
The best way to see Lake Tahoe is from the water. For the most part, you should have a beautiful, sunny day, and there’s nothing like gliding around Lake Tahoe. North Tahoe Watersports has rentals and parasailing in three locations on the North Shore. Renting a kayak or jet ski for a few hours is also a tremendous family-friendly Tahoe activity. Give your kids some extra fun on the water with giant floating tricycles designed for two.
They are nearly the size of a car, but they are specially made for kids to maneuver. North Tahoe Watersports Inc. is your ideal choice for all your water-based activities. They offer parasailing, boat rentals, personal watercraft sea doo (Jet Ski) rentals, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards (SUP), two and four-person pedal boats, and aqua cycle trikes too!
Visit their website HERE!
Lake Tahoe is the perfect destination for kids and the whole family, with an endless array of attractions, big and small. With indoor or outdoor activities and great weather, kids can enjoy and have fun all day. Whether it’s touring a wildlife center, swimming or engaging in water activities at a gorgeous beach, watching a live show, visiting an adventure park, hiking, biking, skiing, or snowboarding, there are plenty of things to do and places to go with kids in Lake Tahoe all-year-round!
Lake Tahoe offers so many opportunities for kids to enjoy and have fun all year round! Check out our list of resources, or browse through our things to do in Lake Tahoe with kids. Still looking for more activities for kids in Lake Tahoe? No problem! Check out our comprehensive listing of places to go in the region and our highly recommended things to do blog posts.
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