Tahoe in February is bound to be snowy, so pack up your dog and bring your cross-country skis, snowshoes and boots for the daytime and retreat to your cozy cabin at night. The area is rich in cabin and cottage hotels, many dating to the 1930s-1950s and imparting a rustic, “old Tahoe” feel. But fear not that “rustic’ means creaky plumbing and saggy mattresses; our favorite DogTrekker retreats are comfortably furnished, and the hot water never runs out.
On the North Shore, the elegant, two-story Cedar Glen Lodge is surrounded by a cluster of smartly renovated cabins with studios and two-bedroom, two-bath units with a full kitchen and stone fireplace. There’s plenty of room for you and your dog to warm up by the outdoor fire pit, and while dogs aren’t allowed in the Rustic Lounge or wine bar, humans will relish the restaurant’s highly regarded cuisine and lake views.
We have many other cottage-hotel favorites at the lake, including Rustic Cottages on the North Shore, Fireside Lodge B&B in south Lake Tahoe, Tahoma Meadows B&B Cottages on the West Shore and Zephyr Cove Resort on the lake’s Nevada side. A bit farther afield, Sorensen’s Resort at Hope Valley, a beautiful area for outdoor recreation, is a well-kept cluster of historic log cabins with a highly regarded restaurant and quick access to cross-country ski and snowshoe trails.
