This trio of Lake Tahoe resorts may not nab all the headlines, but they quietly deliver some appealing options when it comes to après ski. Here are highlights.
SIERRA-AT-TAHOE
This smaller resort on Lake Tahoe’s southwest side, home mountain for a fleet of gold-medal-winning skiers and boarders, invites you to relax in Solstice Plaza, a 30,000-square-foot sun deck, and tuck into a meal at Solstice Eatery for a relaxed après-ski experience. The menu is geared toward healthy eating, and you can sip on a cocktail from the indoor/outdoor Corkscrew Bar.
HOMEWOOD
After a long day of tackling the slopes, treat your kids (or yourself) to complimentary s’mores from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at West Shore Café. The longtime favorite spot, which prides itself on pairing old Tahoe charm with fresh California cuisine, sources everything they can locally. Grab a beer from local breweries Lake Tahoe Aleworx or Alibi Ale Works, lean back by a lakeside patio fire pit, and talk about the day’s thrills.
SUGAR BOWL
This resort in Norden (10 miles from Truckee) is one of the oldest in the state and the first to have a chairlift. It’s also home to California’s largest cross country resort, Royal Gorge. Some of its après options have had a presence on the mountain for more than a half-century, including The Dining Room at Village Lodge and The Belt Room Bar. Drop in for dinner or a cocktail before retreating to the Sporthaus, a luxurious 2013 addition that features a pool, hot tub, sauna, steam rooms, and massage rooms. What better way to shift gears into total relaxation? If craft beers and comfort food are more your après style, head over to FiftyFifty Brewing Co., in nearby Truckee, to try the highly coveted, award-winning Eclipse on draft.