South Lake Tahoe in the Spring

Thursday - May 10 - The Drive to Tahoe

Left the house. We took our time leaving the house. On the drive we listened to Tiffany Haddish's book "The Last Black Unicorn." Great autobiogrophy and I highly recommend.
Arrived at the 'Tahoe Seasons Resorts'. We got there and there was construction happening on the whole first floor. We were worried that it would ruin the whole weekend and it wasn't great but it didn't ruin the whole trip. Plus our stay was free! We bought into the Diamond thing so we got a free stay with an affiliate hotel by paying $150 and going to a 2.5 hour presentation. The seller gave us a $50 gambling token which we split into $25 and $25 and played on black jack until we made the money back. The key is to play one on red and the other on black. Then, after the presentation they gave us a $100 visa card so really we spent nothing (well if you don't count the 2.5 hours we spent at the presentation).
Dinner at Azul's. We sat outside in one of the cute booths with a heater. They provide blankets and it's so beautiful. I highly recommend the outside. I was starving so we started with guac and chips. Not great, the chips were oily and the guac had too much lime/lemon. But we shared the shrimp fajitas and that was amazing. We paid about $4 extra so they could throw in some extra chicken and do both corn and flour tortillas.

Movie in Bed. We were exhausted from the drive and crashed pretty early. They were playing Ms. Congeniality so we fell asleep watching that. 

Friday - May 11 - The Birthday

Wake up & Open Presents & Well Wishes. 

Breakfast at Artemis. It was decent. 

Shopping. We shopped around the area after Artemis. It was a great area and there are 4 shops that are all connected and have a deal where you spend over a certain amount then you and your whole group gets a % off your order. Well worth it! We love doing puzzles especially special places for us so we got an 1000 piece puzzle (which we did right when we got home - took a week), we got these beautiful leaf ornaments, and a few other items. 

Fortune Tellers & Beach Walks. Fortune teller was just something to pass time. She wasn't the best but something fun. 

My Mom Arrives & Catch up. 

Mini Tahoe Strip Tour. My mom's fiance had never been to Tahoe so we did a short drive around the area to show him the strip and a few of our favorite places. 

Dinner & Drinks at Chart House. So we love this place!! We have yet to have a bad meal or experience here. The service is impeccable. Our server was friendly and attentive from taking a snap story video for me to making excursion suggestions for the rest of our trip to Tahoe. We got the mojito flight which was delicious and a fun experience. Food, ugh, my stomach aches with desire just thinking back on our meal. Filet mignon, mac nut mahi, herb crusted salmon, shrimp crab avocado mango stack, and the calamari - it couldn't have been better because it was just so good. All of it. And the birthday dessert they provide for free. So sweet. These little touches make us life long customers. 

Casinos & Walks. We ended up at one of the big casinos and my mom tried a hand or two. Luck was not on our side. We were out of there pretty quick. 
Cake! From Sugar Pine Bakery - Delicious but a lot of cake. 

 

Saturday - May 12 - Fishing

Diamond Presentation. Boring but they were nice. We weren't budging and only took 2.5 hours of our time. We did get the gift we were promised so that was good. My mom has timeshare and it just isn't worth it. They tell you it's better to prepay for your trips because it is only going to get more expensive later which may be true but what they do not tell you about is the maintenance fees they charge you is ridiculous and basically the amount of a trip so you are paying twice for a vacation. Just don't do it. 

Brunch at 'A cup of cherries'. The hot chocolate was cute, they served it with a heart in the foam. They are kind of known for their foam art in their drinks. The french toast was yummy. Cute hole in the wall. Parking on the side of the building. The art on the wall is sourced from local artists and can be purchased. 

Fishing at 'Tahoe Trout Farm'. This was an experience. I have always wanted to go fishing and K wanted to make sure that I would catch something so we found ourselves here, plus we did not need to get a fishing license this way. The trout are raised for the purpose of being food (for humans or the bears). We each caught 1 fish, 4 total. We took our fish home with us and my mom's fiance bbqed it for us at the hotel. Most hotels in Lake Tahoe will have a grilling area or there is a local restaurant that will do it for you and make a meal out of the trout for you and your family. The farm has more information on this if interested. 

Tony BBQs the fish. He used a lot of butter and lemon slices. My mom made instant rice with our hotel microwave. It was a decent meal. 

Long Bath. Our rooms had these giant tubs so I ran a bath and watched Beetlejuice. K served me wine and lit candles. It was delightful. 

Movie & Dessert in Bed. 

Casino for Mom. While we were having our adventure, my mom and her fiance went back to the casinos and had a little better luck at the machines. They spent a few hours there and ended the night with Applebee's. 

Sunday - May 13 - Mother's Day & Homeward Bound

Wake up & Pack. 

Check out. 

Mother's Day Breakfast at Riva Grill. This was another great highlight of the trip. Riva Grill was in the same complex as Artemis. Beware they charge for parking and it can be pricey but Riva Grill was worth it. They have this beautiful view of the lake and it was a great day to sit outside. It was a buffet and delicious. We ate our weight in seafood (king crab, muscles, oysters), mimosas, egg goodies, dessert (pies, cake, french toast, waffles, etc.), and more.  

Hike Lam Watah Nature Trail to the Lake. This was a fabulous post buffet hike. The walk was scenic and informative. It is through an old airfield and there are many tree families and woodland creatures to see. When you get to the lake it is really breathtaking. The water was freezing this time of the year so sitting in the sand was good enough for us. 

Drive Home. Always sad saying good bye but a great trip with the people I love most. It was a wonderful birthday and mother's day!

  

** I may update the photos/media once I am back in the states. **