How much does a trip to South Lake Tahoe Cost?
The Cost of a Trip to South Lake Tahoe
Typically, the daily expenses for a trip to South Lake Tahoe for one person fall between $52 and $224, while for two people, it can range from $104 to $447. These price ranges are based on the average daily cost of $118 which is calculated from the expenses of previous travelers. These numbers include expenses for food, accommodation, sightseeing, and local transportation. Keep in mind that prices can vary depending on your overall travel style, level of luxury, and the activities you choose. If you book standard hotels, eat at typical restaurants, and take in the main attractions, your budget should stay close to this average cost. Below, we provide a breakdown of travel expenses by category, as well as a general price range for accommodation and activities for your visit. Please bear in mind that individual attractions and hotels may vary in price, although they generally adhere to the price ranges discussed in this article.
How much money should you budget for your trip to South Lake Tahoe?
Budget travelers to South Lake Tahoe often spend around $52 per day. This usually includes a stay at a hostel and meals at affordable restaurants around town. Many budget travelers also prefer free activities over those that cost too much money. If you have a bit more money to spend, you should budget around $118 per day. This average includes a mid-range hotel and more meals in restaurants, along with a higher budget for entertainment and activities. Luxury travelers should plan to spend around $224 a day which includes higher-end accommodations, restaurants, tours, and activities. For more details, see our average travel costs for South Lake Tahoe here.
Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
| Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation1 | $24 | $54 | $99 |
| Local Transportation1 | $11 | $24 | $47 |
| Food2 | $17 | $38 | $74 |
| Entertainment1 | $24 | $56 | $108 |
| Alcohol2 | $15 | $34 | $67 |
How much does a weekend trip to South Lake Tahoe cost?
Travelers spend, on average, $354 per person on a three-day trip to South Lake Tahoe. This includes sightseeing, hotels, food, and local transportation. You can stick close to this average price by staying at mid-range hotels and eating at mid-level restaurants, while also paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. If you wish to travel cheaper, it's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities. It's also common for many visitors to have a much higher travel budget, as many high-end hotels and restaurants can be found around town.
Lake Tahoe
How much does a five day trip to South Lake Tahoe cost?
With five days in South Lake Tahoe, you can expect to spend about $590 total, not including transportation to and from the city. It's possible to stay close to this daily average by booking mid-range hotels, eating at normal restaurants, and paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. It's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities if you want to spent less money.
How much does a one week trip to South Lake Tahoe cost?
Most visitors spend between $362 and $1,566 for a one week trip to South Lake Tahoe, with the average being $826. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in South Lake Tahoe. Also, one week allows you to be more flexible with your time and money, so you can potentially save money on some aspects of your trip while spending more on others.
Hostel Prices in South Lake Tahoe
With more than 1 hostels in South Lake Tahoe, the average price is $18 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $18 and the most expensive is $18. Usually popular with younger travelers, hostels are a great way to save money while also being social. But not all hostels are the same, and we've analyzed the prices of both dorms and private rooms to find the average prices and best places to stay. You can see more details about the hostel prices in South Lake Tahoe here.
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in South Lake Tahoe.
- $18 for a dorm bed at Mellow Mountain Hostel in South Lake Tahoe
Hotel Prices in South Lake Tahoe
The average price for a hotel room in South Lake Tahoe is $418 per night. This average is based on our detailed analysis of available hotels in the area. If you want to save money, or if you're planning a more luxurious trip, it's important to look at hotel prices based on the overall star-rating as well as guest reviews. Also, prices can vary by location and amenities. You can see more details from our analysis of hotel prices in South Lake Tahoe here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.
Hotels by star rating in South Lake Tahoe
| Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 1 | $1,038 |
| 4 stars | 18 | $638 |
| 3 stars | 54 | $551 |
| 2 stars | 34 | $141 |
| No rating | 3 | $708 |
Lake Tahoe, California
Should you do a tour in South Lake Tahoe?
You'll find a wide range of guided tours in South Lake Tahoe and many visitors enjoy the convenience of having an expert guide leading them through the chosen activity. Tours range in price from $70 for the Guided Tour of Historic Virginia City and Carson City from South Lake Tahoe to $90 for the Wild West Day Trip to Virginia City from Tahoe with Train Ride.
- Electric Dirtbike Adventure in Lake Tahoe: $200
- Tahoe Coastal Self-Guided E-Bike Tour - Full-Day | World Famous East Shore Trail: $140
- Introductory Snowshoe Shared Experience: $75
- Tahoe National Forest Moonlight Snowshoe Tour Under a Starry Sky: $90
- Tahoe's Sand Harbor Helicopter Tour: $276
- Sunset Kayak Experience in Lake Tahoe: $75
- See The Whole Lake: 6 Hour Shared Tour of Lake Tahoe by Van: $175
- Scenic Snowshoe Adventure in South Lake Tahoe, CA: $110
More for South Lake Tahoe
If you're planning a trip to South Lake Tahoe, California, check out these other informative travel guides.
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.
1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.
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.
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