How much does it cost to travel to South Lake Tahoe?
You should plan to spend around $118 per day on your vacation in South Lake Tahoe. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $38 on meals
- $24 on local transportation
- $108 on hotels
A one week trip to South Lake Tahoe for two people costs, on average, $1,652. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
-
One Week
Per person
$826
-
2 Weeks
Per person
$1,652
-
One Month
Per person
$3,541
-
One Week
For a couple
$1,652
-
2 Weeks
For a couple
$3,305
-
One Month
For a couple
$7,081
How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to South Lake Tahoe cost?
A one week trip to South Lake Tahoe usually costs around $826 for one person and $1,652 for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
A two week trip to South Lake Tahoe on average costs around $1,652 for one person and $3,305 for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in South Lake Tahoe will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.
A one month trip to South Lake Tahoe on average costs around $3,541 for one person and $7,081 for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to South Lake Tahoe has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is South Lake Tahoe expensive to visit?
Prices in South Lake Tahoe are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, South Lake Tahoe is a reasonably affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 25% of cities in North America for its affordability. You can find more affordable cities such as Vernon, but there are also more expensive cities, such as Key West.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is South Lake Tahoe Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to South Lake Tahoe?
The average South Lake Tahoe trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these South Lake Tahoe travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
$108
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
$24
|
|
Food 2
|
$38
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
$56
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
$17 -
52
|
Accommodation Budget in South Lake Tahoe
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in South Lake Tahoe is $54. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in South Lake Tahoe is $108. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in South Lake Tahoe? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in South Lake Tahoe
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in South Lake Tahoe is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $24 per person, per day, on local transportation in South Lake Tahoe.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$24
How much does it cost to go to South Lake Tahoe? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in South Lake Tahoe will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in South Lake Tahoe
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in South Lake Tahoe can vary, the average cost of food in South Lake Tahoe is $38 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in South Lake Tahoe should cost around $15 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in South Lake Tahoe is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$38
Entertainment Budget in South Lake Tahoe
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in South Lake Tahoe typically cost an average of $56 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$56
Alcohol Budget in South Lake Tahoe
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $34 on alcoholic beverages in South Lake Tahoe per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$34
Last Updated: Oct 17, 2022
South Lake Tahoe On a Budget
Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous
Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.