Enjoy a day in the sun playing beach volleyball courts, enjoying a meal at Sunset Bar & Grille, as well as beach chair and umbrella rentals at Zephyr Cove Beach. You can also get out on the lake itself with Lake Tahoe's award-winning M.S. Dixie II cruise which departs from Zephyr Cove Resort & Marina.

Just over half a mile from Forest Suites Resort sits Lakeside Beach. While privately managed by Lakeside Park Association, access is available to anyone through visitor passes, year round. The beach enables you to have an easy day on the shore, go for a swim, or eat and drink at the adjacent Lakeside Beach House.

El Dorado Beach offers not just a beach, but a boat ramp. If you’re bringing a boat or plan to rent one once you arrive in South Lake Tahoe, this beach should be among your first stops. Located on Highway 50 at Lakeview Avenue, El Dorado Beach is the place to go for recreation you’d expect from a lake. Their facilities can accommodate picnics, water toy rentals, bike trails and summer concerts at Live at Lakeview.

This beach and campground is popular for out-of-towners looking for a more outdoorsy beach experience. Old-growth trees are scatted around the beach, casting shade over picnic tables. Go for a swim, host a picnic, or take in the views of the lake with Nevada Beach kayak rentals. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better view of the largest 4th of July fireworks displays in the west.

Pope Beach is unique among South Lake Tahoe beaches. Because it sits within the National Forest, it also offers views other beaches can’t beat. This sandy beach stretches on for three-quarters of a mile, creating plenty of space for both swimming and picnicking. Pope Beach opens up for Memorial Day Weekend, and remains accessible until mid-October.

Drive four miles down State Hwy 89 and you’ll discover Baldwin Beach. This beach is beloved by locals for its soft sand, which spans nearly half a mile. Sweeping views of the surrounding Sierra Nevadas make this as much a scenic beach as it is a relaxing one. Like other beaches in South Lake Tahoe, Baldwin invites visitors to go swimming, set up a picnic, or launch their kayak.

Kiva Beach is a beach of many names. You might also hear locals refer to it as Kiva Point, Tallac Point, or the Visitor Center Beach. No matter the name, this beach is over 200 yards long and is adjacent to a fragile marsh zone. Though visitors are asked to avoid the marsh, there’s still some shoreline to enjoy. Stay on the beach or walk the Lake of the Sky Trail to the visitor center.

Thomas F. Regan Memorial Beach may be South Lake Tahoe’s oldest beach facility but it also offers some fun recreation areas that other beaches lack. The shallow water is perfect for swimming, and the playground is ideal for kids. Regan Beach is also home to a seasonal café so you can get a bite to eat without giving up your spot on the beach.