Versus, Series 1: North Tahoe versus South Tahoe

North versus South. No this isn't an analysis of the the Emancipation Proclamation, studying the course of Sherman's march, or rote memorization of the Gettysburg Address. This is a heated debate that many Californians go through when they plan a trip to the Lake Tahoe: Go to North Tahoe or South Tahoe?

Though the two towns straddle the same lake, they can't be more different than one another in terms of personality. How you, as a traveler to Tahoe, would choose depends mainly on one trait: Are you a misanthrope?

View from the north shore of Lake
Tahoe in November 2010.

If the answer is "yes," then chances are North Tahoe will be the pick. The communities comprising North Tahoe are bit more remote and have more of that sylvan charm that is associated with the lake's surroundings. North Lake Tahoe Boulevard edges the northern of the lake, through the tiny communities of Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, Carnelian Bay and others--the lakeview in front and the forest and mountains behind. Perfectly serene, with less tourists breaching your personal space.

Restaurants are independent and local, which I appreciate, and exist to serve the population living there rather than the hordes of tourists looking for a quick bite before their next trip up to the slopes. When we were there in November for a daytrip, we stopped by a place called CB's Pizza and Grill on a whim. Granted, it's no pizzeria in Rome or even Hot Italian in SacTown, but the food was quite tasty and the location was nice--cross the street and you reach the lake. Hell, it's better than CPK, and that's good enough for me.

South Lake Tahoe, on the other hand, is for those that like crowds. (Interact and be around other people? God forbid!) Unlike the north shore where there are a number of communities that comprise "North Tahoe" there is actually a city called South Lake Tahoe. (The city is about 40 miles south from Kings Beach, the community at the northern-most tip of the lake. The drive, though long, is beautiful, at times on the edge of the deep blue lake, other times through thick forest.) South Tahoe always seems to be busy any time of year, with cars filling the streets, zooming around; hikers during the spring and summer, skiers during the autumn and winter; expensive tourist traps, chain restaurants, and hotels and motels.

View from the south shore on a warm,
early September day (2011).

And the casinos. I didn't mention the casinos? South Lake Tahoe butts up against the state line. Literally step across to the other side of the street from the Embassy Suites, and you're in Nevada and gambling heaven, where the clanging and beeps of the slot machines fill the air, with wisps of cigarettes brush across your nose. Yeah ... not so much my thing.

It's pretty obvious what I prefer. Give me peace and quietness anytime over hustle and bustle. But what do you prefer? Take the survey just below and we'll see which Tahoe community more people prefer--South Lake Tahoe, with its larger crowds, more lively atmosphere, or North Lake Tahoe, with its fewer tourists and serenity?

Which Tahoe do you prefer?