One of my favorite spots in all of Tahoe is Meeks Bay which lies on the beautiful West Shore of Lake Tahoe. Once a gathering place for The Washoe Indian Tribe, Meeks Bay is a welcoming beach resort today. Comfortable lakefront lodging and modern campsites are available at Meeks Bay Resort. The resort also offers a convenience store, snack bar, and group picnic areas. It’s the perfect base camp for entering the Desolation Wilderness, Sugar Pine Point  State Park, and surrounding areas.

Each summer my family spends a week camping on the State side of the Meeks Bay Resort. This has been a tradition since our first child was a baby, some thirteen years ago. It seems funny that we live in Lake Tahoe, yet we are so compelled to pack up each summer and call Meek’s Bay home. The white sand, crystal blue water, and laid back feel are what make this an area where we cherish making memories. We enjoy the lake’s finest white sand beach, fish for Mackinaw Trout, or take advantage of the marina by bringing our ski boat. Each morning we enjoy coffee on the beach, followed by a day enjoying the lake or hiking right from the campground. I am able to access Desolation Wilderness trailheads and take our dogs (allowed in the state side of the campground) for a hiking adventure up to one of several lakes directly from the campgrounds. Furthermore, Tahoma (only a mile away), has a wonderful market with the famous PDQ sandwiches to grab-and-go.

I like to say that the waters in Meeks Bay are “magic.” I have enjoyed telling my kids that simply by dunking their heads in the water, they are letting all of the magic that the Indians experienced in through their ears! Enjoy a day trip or camp out to Meeks Bay, only 25 minutes down the West Shore from Tahoe City.