Heiress Lora Knight's quirky mansion on the bay, Vikingsholm Castle is the focal point of Emerald Bay State Park, and a rare example of ancient Scandinavian-style architecture. Completed in 1929, it has trippy design elements aplenty, including sod-covered roofs that sprout wildflowers in late spring. The mansion is reached by a steep 1-mile trail, which also leads by a visitor center.
© iStock
Vikingsholm Castle
South Lake Tahoe & Stateline
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.22 MILES
Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved Emerald Bay, a teardrop cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most…
27.68 MILES
Just 12 miles north of Carson City off Hwy I-580, almost halfway to Reno, you'll find this fabulous regional park with manicured gardens perfect for…
Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
7.28 MILES
The largest, and arguably most luxurious of the state parks at Lake Tahoe, Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine State Park (formerly known as Sugar Pine State Park), sits…
-
3.29 MILES
Three 1920s-era estates – Baldwin, Pope and Valhalla – sprawl across this 150-acre site on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Free, self-guided tours wind…
-
23.56 MILES
Housed inside the 1869 US Mint building, the Nevada State Museum generally hosts one visiting exhibition to complement its four excellent permanent…
-
0.5 MILES
Swoon-worthy views of Emerald Bay, as the camera-wielding crowds testify.
26.09 MILES
Good for hikes in summer and skiing and snowshoeing in winter; there's also a sledding hill.
-
2.19 MILES
DL Bliss State Park has the western shore's nicest beaches at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. A short nature trail leads to the Balancing Rock, a giant…
Nearby South Lake Tahoe & Stateline attractions
0.22 MILES
Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved Emerald Bay, a teardrop cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most…
0.38 MILES
This uninhabited granite speck in Emerald Bay State Park is Lake Tahoe’s only island. It holds the vandalized remains of a tiny 1920s teahouse belonging…
0.5 MILES
Swoon-worthy views of Emerald Bay, as the camera-wielding crowds testify.
2.19 MILES
DL Bliss State Park has the western shore's nicest beaches at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. A short nature trail leads to the Balancing Rock, a giant…
3.29 MILES
Three 1920s-era estates – Baldwin, Pope and Valhalla – sprawl across this 150-acre site on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Free, self-guided tours wind…
5.2 MILES
With a wide sweep of shoreline, sleek and shallow Meeks Bay has warm water by Tahoe standards and is fringed by a beautiful, but busy, sandy beach. West…
6.76 MILES
This elegant 1903 Queen Anne–style mansion on the lakefront is also known as Pine Lodge. Guided tours take in the richly detailed interior, including…
8. Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum
7.06 MILES
This small but interesting museum displays artifacts from Tahoe’s pioneer past, including Washoe tribal baskets, vintage black-and-white films, hoary…