Tahoe's North and East Shore are the closest jumping-off points to Nevada's high desert and the old mining country. Here's what's worth the drive.
"The Biggest Little City in the World" — casinos and nightlife, a surprisingly good food and arts scene, the riverwalk on the Truckee, and the National Automobile Museum.
Drive: ~45 min from Incline Village
Nevada's laid-back capital, with the silver-domed State Capitol, the Nevada State Museum (old U.S. Mint) and the Kit Carson Trail through historic neighborhoods.
Drive: ~30 min from the East Shore
A remarkably preserved Old West boomtown built on the Comstock Lode silver strike — wooden boardwalks, saloons, museums and a historic railroad.
Drive: ~50 min from the East Shore
Closer and very Tahoe in spirit: a historic railroad downtown packed with breweries, restaurants and shops, plus Donner Lake and its state park.
Drive: ~35 min from the North Shore
Fold a city or an Old West detour into your wider Tahoe plans.