Nothing beats getting out on the lake and seeing the 360-view of Lake Tahoe -- either by taking a guided tour or going off on your own to motor, sail, or paddle around. And plenty of companies around the lake would love your business. Zephyr Cove Marina (tel. 800/238-2463; www.zephyrcove.com) is the lake's largest marina and home of the paddle-wheeler MS Dixie II. Here you can parasail, charter sport-fishing trips, or take guided tours. You can also rent motorized boats, pedal boats, kayaks, canoes, water-ski equipment, and jet skis. Tahoe City Marina (tel. 530/583-1039; www.tahoecitymarina.com), at 700 N. Lake Blvd. in Tahoe City, rents motorized boats, sailboats, and fishing boats. This is also the location for Lake Tahoe Parasailing (tel. 530/583-7245; www. northtahoewatersportsinc.com). Tahoe Paddle and Oar, North Lake Beach Center, 7860 N. Lake Blvd., Kings Beach (tel. 530/581-3029; www.tahoepaddle.com), is a good place to rent kayaks, canoes, pedal boats, and windsurfing equipment. Paddling around in the clear waters of Crystal Bay is great fun. Other companies that rent kayaks and provide a variety of guided tours -- Emerald Bay tours, East Shore tours, sunset tours, moonlight/astronomy tours, to name a few -- include the Tahoe Adventure Company (tel. 866/830-6125; www.tahoeadventurecompany.com) and Tahoe City Kayak (tel. 866/816-4945; www.tahoecitykayak.net).
Action Water Sports rents boats, kayaks, jet skis, paddleboats, and other water toys; parasailing and guided tours are also available. Action Water Sports has two locations: 3411 Lake Tahoe Blvd. at Timber Cove Marina, South Lake Tahoe (tel. 530/544-5387; www.action-watersports.com); and across from the Hyatt in Incline Village (tel. 775/831-4386). Camp Richardson Marina, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd., off Highway 89 on the South Shore (tel. 530/542-6570; www.camprichardson.com), on a long sandy beach, rents power- and ski boats, jet skis, kayaks, and paddleboats. It also offers fishing charters, ski school, and raft and kayak tours to Emerald Bay. SunSports, 3564 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe (tel. 530/541-6000), provides rentals, tours, and lessons for kayaking, rafting, sailing, and scuba diving.
