The best place to rent a vacation property in Lake Tahoe is at Everline Resort & Spa (previously named The Resort At Squaw Creek). Everline Resort is located at Palisades Tahoe, which was previously called Squaw Valley prior to 2021.
I've been coming to Everline Resort & Spa since 2001. I firmly believe it is the best place in Lake Tahoe for couples, friends, and families.
Lake Tahoe, California is also one of my favorite places to vacation in America. Lake Tahoe is situated roughly 205 miles away from San Francisco and 35 minutes from the Reno, Nevada airport.
It offers amazing skiing/snowboarding during the winter and golfing, hiking, swimming, biking, and fishing during the summer.
Most people think of Lake Tahoe as a winter destination given the 1960 Winter Olympics were hosted in Olympic Valley USA. Palisades is one of the largest mountains with a 2,850 foot vertical; a top elevation of 9,050; 4,000 acres of skiable area and 270 trails after joining forces with Alpine Meadows in 2012.
The mountain is so big that even during peak holiday weekends, there's hardly ever a wait for the lifts when they are all open. Palisades Tahoe is great for beginners and advanced skiers alike.
But if you're a summer lover, summer in Lake Tahoe can be even more beautiful! Every year I spend 4-5 weeks up at my place during the summer and fall for a writing retreat. I love to hike and there are scenic trails all around.
Best Place To Rent A Vacation Property In Lake Tahoe: Everline Resort & Spa, Olympic Valley, CA
I fell in love with Everline Resort & Spa when I first moved to San Francisco in 2001. I was 24 years old and just relocated from New York City for a new job in finance. The closest thing New York City has to skiable mountains is the Catskills, which are puny in comparison to the mountains of Lake Tahoe, Colorado, and Utah.
When I first began fantasizing about my ideal life I planned to create, I told myself I wanted to live and work in San Francisco and vacation in Lake Tahoe and Hawaii. I made it a goal to save as much money as I could to be able to buy a primary residence in San Francisco first and then seek out a vacation property in Tahoe later.
It wasn't until five years after I bought my primary residence in SF in 2003 that I saved up enough to buy a place in Tahoe. Everline Resort & Spa had sold its initial wave of condos in 2006-2007, and a couple were up for resale.
Best Time To Rent In Lake Tahoe
For all you bargain hunters, the best deals and the quietest times are in April, May, September, October, early November (Resort shuts down for cleaning second half), and the first half of December before the holidays start.
The best times for winter skiing/snowboarding are December, January, February, March, and April, often through spring break. Prices tend to be more expensive, but the units below are ~25% cheaper than if you book directly with The Resort. Check availability and make a reservation via the links below.
The best times for warmer weather are end of May, June, July, August, September, and October.
Here are the details of my Lake Tahoe vacation rental for those interested.
The two bedroom, two bathroom condo has the following features:
- One king size bed, two queen size beds, and a pull out bed that occupies 1,025 square feet of space.
- Two full bathrooms
- Kitchenette and Dining table
- Gas fireplace and comfortable living room
- Three TVs
- Two desks
- Three closets
- Wifi included in the Resort Fee which goes to the Resort and not me.
- Peaceful forest view
The Everline Resort & Spa: 5 Diamond Resort
Given the best place to rent a vacation property in Lake Tahoe is the 5-diamond Everline Resort & Spa, you can expect the following amenities:
- Two pools, a water slide, and three hot tubs.
- A world class restaurant, Six Peaks Grill, where I've never had a bad meal
- A deli that's always open, two more restaurants that are open depending on the season, and plenty of patio seating
- Ski-in/Ski-out access to a blue mountain run called Squaw Creek. The run attaches to the rest of Squaw Mountain through a blue or black run called Red Dog, which goes down to The Village at Squaw Creek.
- Valet service for your skis and snowboards. After you're done, just leave them on the rack and the valet will take away your gear and bring them outside the next morning.
- An on-site golf course, where they will also valet and clean your clubs for free. The course is challenging, and you will probably lose some balls because it's tight. I'd focus on using a 3 wood instead of a driver, unless you are incredibly accurate!
- Multiple hiking trails.
- Dog sledding during the winter.
- Onsite fly-fishing training pond.
- A world-class spa with incredible different types of massages and other body treatments.
- Great gym with locker rooms that contain steam and sauna rooms.
In 2024, I had the best family ski vacation ever. Everyone Resort is an incredible place to vacation for family. There's ski school, lake sports, and so much more.
Renting My Luxury Condo At Everline Resort & Spa
My 2/2 condo can be rented in three different, private configurations. Click the links to book and bookmark!
1) A one bedroom suite with a living room (two rooms), king size bed, pull out queen bed, dining room, kitchenette (microwave, dishwasher, dishes, silverware, two electric cooktops, refrigerator, coffeemaker). Can comfortably sleep 4.
2) A studio with two queen beds, desk, and full bathroom. This is a stand-alone unit separated by a double door lockout. Can comfortably sleep 2-4.
3) The entire two bedroom, two bathroom which offers around 1,020 square feet and sleeps up to 8 comfortably. You get the entire unit you see in the picture.
Click the links above to check availability and pricing, which is on average about a 25% discount from the Resort's pricing. Click the check-in and check-out dates on the calendar and then click “Book Now.” You don't actually book anything yet after you press the button. The page just shows the total cost, including The Resort fee the Resort gets, and the one time cleaning fee upon departure.
One thing to note is there are variable cleaning fees based on your reservation dates and number of guests. There is also no intra-stay cleaning, only after check out prior to the next guests.
There is also a daily $50/night resort fee per bed, which is mandated by the resort, and a booking fee. You can see the breakdown of the fee details before you make a reservation.
Lake Tahoe Is A Great Place to Vacation
I've vacationed everywhere around America and the world, and I definitely pick Lake Tahoe as one of the 10 best places to relax any time of the year. Palisades Tahoe is just three miles away from the lake where you can kayak, rent jet skis, go parasailing, or swimming. It's awesome to eat lunch on a sun-soaked deck overlooking the lake afterward.
If you want to try your luck on the tables, you can drive 35 minutes to Reno or 10-15 minutes to the California / Nevada border right off Lake Tahoe's west side. It's much more adult-like and peaceful in the North and Western Lake Tahoe region. If you'd like more clubs, gambling, and rowdy times, South Lake Tahoe is the place for you.
The best place to rent a vacation property in Lake Tahoe is at The Everline Resort & Spa. I'm going to keep my Resort At Squaw Creek properties forever. I hope you enjoy your stay at Palisades Tahoe!
I truly believe The Everline Resort & Spa is the best place to rent a vacation property in Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe is awesome!
Enjoy!
Sam
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Sam got his MBA from Berkeley in 2006 and has owned his Lake Tahoe property since 2007. He's an avid skier and snowboarding. Every summer and winter, he goes up to Lake Tahoe. Sam is also the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Buy This, Not That: How To Spend Your Way To Wealth And Freedom.
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Hi can you please update the links to the appropriate Vacasa page? They are all broken links currently.
There shouldn’t be any Vacasa links in the post. I switched to Turnkey.
Can you show me which links you are referring to?
Thought about going in with multiple relatives (five families) on a 1M cabin in Tahoe. The idea would be leveraging the buying power with the numbers and low interest rates. Have all rental proceeds go to principal and attempt to pay it off inside of 5-10 years when it would then become a legacy property for all to enjoy without ever needing to rent it again if we didn’t want to. Thoughts?
First time poster here. Love all the info in your site. Regarding Resort at Squaw Creek, can you describe a bit regarding the whole condo-hotel structure and how the management association (Destination Hotels?) handles bookings versus Vacasa handles bookings for your 2 units? I thought that all owners at Resort at Squaw Creek have to go through the Destination Hotels folks to put your unit on the rental pool. Is that not the case and you were able to use Vacasa? How then do you coordinate the check-in process and cleaning with the Destination Hotels team? Does Vacasa handle all of that for you? I’ve heard that management associations like Destination Hotels charges owners 50-60% of the booking revenue (in ADDITION to the HOA fees). Is that why you went with Vacasa? How much does Vacasa charge?
I’m asking all this because we’re also very interested in purchasing units at either RSC or at the nearby Squaw Valley Lodge.
Do you have a transparent cost analysis sheet for this unit? My wife and I are thinking about a place in Colorado and trying to get a feel for cash flow with P/I, taxes, condo fees, booking fees, utilities etc. I have a feeling that they seem to be cash flow negative without a substantial (+40% down payment). Would you be willing to share this information?
We basically spend 10k per year renting vacation houses and I assume my yearly loss would be about the same as what I spend on rent.
Love your site, it is on my regular reading list.
Rent ranges anywhere from $50,000 – $90,000 a year. Mortgage is $30,000 a year, $12,000 of which is principal. Then there’s another $19,000 in HOA/Maintenance fees, and another $5,000 a year in property taxes. So it’s cash flow positive most of the time at a 60% occupancy rate after I put 20% down. I can do work to try and increase the occupancy by advertising on CL, advertising on my site, etc.. but I have a management company who does that and takes a commission. 8 years later, this property is about 5% of my net worth now, so I’m relatively passive versus when I first got the idea.
Vacation properties are a luxury purchase, and generally not a good investment financially. But, I do love all the amazing times I’ve had up there. They are priceless!
The resort at Squaw Creek is one of my fav-o-rite places in the world! The last time we were there it was July and the weather was absolutely fantastic. Did lots of chilling, hiking and kayaking on Tahoe. One day the Thunderbird was docked when we went to launch; man that might be the coolest boat in the world. Have you ever seen it?
I’ve got two kids, don’t drink, gamble or party, so we rented one of the two-bedroom penthouses – two stories of glass in the main area made for a neat panoramic view and the size (over 1000 sq ft) made for terrific stay-at-home evenings.
My next trip we may be staying in your place. :)
Sounds great Chaz! Hope you do indeed rent out my place and have a great time!
Aloha! Just landed in Honolulu :)
Looks wonderful. I have always wanted to go there and never have. Cold weather, I like CO.
I love the back bowls of Vail. They are incredible!
I love Tahoe! They’ve already got snow this season which is exciting. Hopefully it will be another fantastic ski season and I can’t wait to get on the lake next summer too. Tahoe is such a great place to escape and just relax while also having plenty to do if you like activities. I love going hiking up there in the spring and summer b/c there’s an endless amount of trails and the air is so clean. Some of the mountains you can hike there are incredible too, especially the views at the top of the Lake or the valley.
Squaw Valley USA has a great mix of ski/snowboard terrain which I like, and once you try ski in/ski out, it’s hard to give that up! I like Squaw way better than Northstar and Sugarbowl too. I’ve stayed at several places in North Lake Tahoe over the years – Plumpjack, the Village at Squaw, a rental house, a dive hotel along the NV border, and The Resort at Squaw Creek. And the Resort is my fave by far. You sure have a sweet vaca property! I need to plan a trip up there soon to unwind and do some writing.
Do it! Learn to ski or snowboard and feel amazed by the new adventure ahead of you. Nothing is more fun than learning something new and getting better. Relaxing in the hot tub after is simply the best.
Skied at both Squaw and Heavenly. Great powder with views of Lake Tahoe. Another in our party went fishing from a boat…we cooked the catch that night. Great times.
That’s all I want at the end of the day, Great Times!
The memories I’ve had at Squaw have been priceless and I will cherish them for the rest of my life!
A few years ago I was on a client near SF and went to Tahoe for a weekend (around fall some time, I think September maybe?).
It was great! Myself and a few other colleagues from out of town rented a boat for a few hours and rode around the lake during the day. We stayed in a hotel in South Tahoe and so went out to the casinos to some clubs the first night and to the tables the second night.
All in all, a great weekend. Nice mountains, fantastic weather, beautiful scenery, quiet if you want that or loud and fun if you prefer. A bit of everything, but I’m also a sucker for nice weather and peaceful areas.
Glad you had a great time Ravi. September is a GREAT time to visit. A little off peak, and the weather is still fantastic.
Squaw is in West/North Lake Tahoe, so a very different scene from the robustness of South Lake Tahoe. Lots more gambling and folks down there. Squaw is more peace and quiet, which I’m looking for when going on vacay.
But sometimes, I do enjoy hitting the card room 20 minutes away at the Cal/Nevada border!
I love the view from the top of Heavenly on a clear day, epic! And I can totally see myself in front of your fireplace doing some writing, then hitting the slopes followed up by some beers in the hot tub haha! Lmk when you need some company :)
Sounds good. We’ll invite Ellen and make it a business trip hot tub party!
Lake Tahoe is absolutely beautiful! Have you thought about using AirBnb for lodging?
I haven’t, b/c that would amplify the time I would spend on my vacation property. My goal is to simplify life :)
Wow, this place looks like a dream – and the golf course has just completed what sounds like my perfect holiday destination! Hawaii is always going to be hard to beat for me (and I have a soft spot for it as I got married there), but I’d never seen Lake Tahoe, and never new it was such a beautiful spot. And speaking of dreams, that plan of SF / Hawaii / Tahoe / international sounds just awesome and has certainly got me dreaming of a similar lifestyle (although perhaps a month or two extra in Hawaii, and a bit more golf) – better get back to work now if anything like this is ever going to be possible!
It’s always fun to dream right Jason? I dreamt of this combo since I was about 25 years old, and the funny thing is, the dream came true. I strongly believe if we write out some objectives and focus on our objectives, good things will happen.
It’s really the journey that is the most wonderful part of it all!
Don’t catch your boss surfing my site! haha
Oh Sam . .I love that resort! I went a couple of years ago with my brother and his family for Christmas and it was amazing. You’re very lucky to own property there. I used to own a rental property in the Tahoe Keys and, as you said, made a little money and was able to use it once in a while with family and friends. Such a great location. I always considered it a suburb of the Bay Area! Cheers.
Good to hear Marco! It’s always had a very warm feeling to it. Perhaps the large fireplace in the lobby and the 20 foot high ceilings help, along with the Christmas trees, decorations, and friendly service.
The place looks lovely. My wife and I have often discussed a vacation property, but ultimately can’t stomach the up-front cost and being locked to a specific destination. Rather, we’re planning to try long-term rentals, working remotely for a month/year. That’s long enough to be able to unpack, rather than living out of a suitcase, and really feel like you’re getting to know a place.
Tahoe has been on my list because of the close proximity to biking, skiing, and of course In ‘N Out in Reno..
Curious if you would offer discounted prices for month-long stays?
Sure, just shoot me an e-mail and let me know. For a month-long stay, you’ve got to book in advance.
I don’t think a vacation property is a good monetary investment. I bought the property out of nostalgia and for lifestyle reasons. I love driving up, valeting my card and going straight to my place. I also love not having to maintain anything.
I recommend people simply rent in different favorite areas in the world. Much cheaper that way!
I love Squaw Valley, especially as a summer destination. As far as skiing goes, I prefer Utah or the Tetons, but as an overall wonderful place to recreate, Lake Tahoe is killer. I used to love going boating and skiing and then docking the boat at Sunnyside for dinner and drinks. It is a great life. Hawaii is the best beach destination in the U.S., too. My best friend’s parents live there have a guest house that’s always available to me (they love me), so I try to take advantage of it at least once a year. Still, I feel very fortunate to live in Utah and vacation elsewhere. I love the consistent good snow here and the mountain biking is incredible. I’m house hunting in Park City right now because even though it doesn’t have the best skiing in UT, it has the best “vibe”, and a really fun town, and it’s only a 30 minutes drive to my office, so why not life in a resort full time? I can go biking and trial running after work from my front door and skiing every weekend.
So you approve of my grand plan of living the SF, Lake Tahoe, and Hawaii lifestyle! :)
I’ve only been to Utah once, but I’ve heard the access from the airport is easy and the powder is fluffy, and it’s not that expensive.
But, living in SF, I don’t want to get on a plane if I don’t have to. I’d rather just drive up 3 hours. But if I lived in Salt Lake City, I’d definitely get a place up in Park City!!
I agree with Mrs. Frugalwoods – looks beautiful and I too, would be really interested in the financial ins-and outs of a vacation rental property!
Thanks. Perhaps I write tell-all post on vacation properties in the future!
My brother and I recently purchased a vacation property near a large ski resort that we rent via VRBO. We are cash flow positive after mortgage / expenses and hope to pay off the property in 10 years. We are looking to acquire additional properties. Do you have separate LLC for your vacation rental property? Can you speak more about the tax laws and benefits for a vacation rental property that is also used for personal use…
I’ve been to The Resort At Squaw Creek many times over the past 10 years and I love it. The ski-in-ski-out and valet service is so convenient. Great for families.
My favorite is the spa. I’ve never had a bad massage there, although the price is not cheap.
Going rafting during the summer and eating at River Grill during happy hour is the best. I hope they don’t start building more condos there now that the economy is recovering!
Best mountain for skiing/boarding for sure.
The wasabe green beens at River Grill are the best!
Hey Sam,
Just wondering what was your reasoning for purchasing a condo in a resort and not a stand alone home in Tahoe? I’m assuming the amenities? Easier to rent in a resort with less upkeep?
You mentioned that you purchased for enjoyment not investment or appreciation so I’m sure that played a large part in your property decision.
Would you ever move to Tahoe full time?
Howdy Michael,
I was strongly considering a stand alone home, but I didn’t want to go through any of the maintenance hassle like shoveling, de-icing, cutting trees etc during the winter. I was willing to pay up for the peace of mind of never having to do any maintenance on my own. Perhaps if I just had this place and my primary residence in SF, I would be more amenable to a SFH in Tahoe. But I’ve got a couple more properties to manage, and was working long hours in finance back then.
Convenience and peace of mind gets much more valuable as you get older.
I’ve toyed with the idea of living in Tahoe for at least one year, but I think I’d miss the hustle and bustle of SF. 6 months SF, 1 month in Tahoe during the summer, 1 month in Tahoe during the winter, 2 months in Honolulu, and 1 month traveling internationally I think is my ideal balance!
Wow, looks gorgeous!
Someday I’d love a peek into the financial side of things with this rental property.
I’ve had relatives that managed to come out even with owning a beach house, but they weren’t exactly cash flowing.
And I may be misremembering, but isn’t there somewhat complicated IRS rules around personal use of a vacation home and expense deductibility? Do you fall safely under the bar for that?
There’s heavy positive cash flow during the Summer and Winter months for 6-7 months and fades during Spring and Fall. I enjoy going up during the Spring and Fall as a result. Less people, although never really that many people since it’s such a huge mountain.
Vacation property is pretty straight forward. It’s treated like a rental property with income minus expenses. Don’t be afraid of the IRS Mr. Frugalwoods! They aren’t out to get yah.