By Maggie Parker, about.com
Upfront Costs
The upfront costs of vacations are predictable. It’s the little
things—airport snacks, cocktails before dinner, tipping a tour
guide—that can throw even the most well-planned vacation budget off
track. In this new series, we’ll look at the spending patterns of real
travelers in popular destinations, so you can estimate what you’ll
actually spend. (Thanks for the inspiration, Refinery29!)
In this installment, two couples travel to Tahoe for a two-day vacation.
Upfront Costs:
[post_ads_2]
Accommodations: A two-bedroom residence at the Grand Residences by Marriott in South Lake Tahoe with two bathrooms, a living room with a fireplace, and a full kitchen. Cost: $244.18 per couple for two nights with taxes and fees.
Rental Car:
Both couples drove in separate Enterprise rental cars from San
Francisco International Airport to Lake Tahoe. The hotel had valet
parking for a fee. Cost: $146.36 for one car with taxes and fees; $58 for parking for one car.
Day 1
9 a.m. Ready to hit the road, my boyfriend
and I grab coffees and smoothies and pile into the car. The three-hour
drive takes us through Sacramento and the Eldorado National Forest, where we get our first glimpse of the California mountains. Cost: $15.75
[post_ads_2]
1 p.m. We arrive in Lake Tahoe in the afternoon. Our room isn’t ready yet, so we get lunch right outside the hotel’s driveway at Driftwood Cafe. The weather is beautiful, in the low 60s, so we decide to get takeout and eat outside.
2 p.m. The condo is ready early, so we head up to the room to refresh.
3:30 p.m. Time for our first hike of the trip. You cannot go to Tahoe without seeing the famed Emerald Bay view, so we decide to tackle that first and drive 30 minutes to the lookout point (we somehow manage not to get out of the car at all the other photo-worthy spots along the way). Then, we do a short hike to Eagle Falls for more great views. Cost: $0
7:30 p.m. We made reservations at Artemis’ recently opened second outpost right on the lake (the original is right off Lake Tahoe Boulevard). We start with some wine and the famed Artemis fries (seasoned with a secret dipping sauce). Two Artemis salads, one lamb gyro, and one vegetarian Greek pasta (with zucchini, kalamata olives, capers, garlic, homemade marinara, and feta cheese — swoon!) later, we are stuffed and ready to walk it off down by the lake to enjoy what is left of the sunset.
10 p.m. Exhausted from a day of driving and hiking, we head back to the hotel to watch the Olympics. Cost: $0
[post_ads_2]
1 p.m. We arrive in Lake Tahoe in the afternoon. Our room isn’t ready yet, so we get lunch right outside the hotel’s driveway at Driftwood Cafe. The weather is beautiful, in the low 60s, so we decide to get takeout and eat outside.
Between the four of us, we have two vegan
burritos (filled with sautéed veggies, homemade salsa, and potatoes,
topped with guacamole), one old-fashioned burger with fries, and one
meat lover’s omelet (with bacon, sausage, ham, avocado and Jack cheese).
To hydrate, we get two orange juices and two waters. Cost: $49.30
3:30 p.m. Time for our first hike of the trip. You cannot go to Tahoe without seeing the famed Emerald Bay view, so we decide to tackle that first and drive 30 minutes to the lookout point (we somehow manage not to get out of the car at all the other photo-worthy spots along the way). Then, we do a short hike to Eagle Falls for more great views. Cost: $0
7:30 p.m. We made reservations at Artemis’ recently opened second outpost right on the lake (the original is right off Lake Tahoe Boulevard). We start with some wine and the famed Artemis fries (seasoned with a secret dipping sauce). Two Artemis salads, one lamb gyro, and one vegetarian Greek pasta (with zucchini, kalamata olives, capers, garlic, homemade marinara, and feta cheese — swoon!) later, we are stuffed and ready to walk it off down by the lake to enjoy what is left of the sunset.
Cost: $95 with tip
Day 2
9 a.m. A few shops on Lake
Tahoe Boulevard are calling our names, so we start the day there. First,
my boyfriend and I head to Jamba Juice for two breakfast smoothies. Cost: $14.02
[post_ads_2]
10 a.m. We make our way down Lake Tahoe Boulevard wandering in and out of shops before we hit the jackpot at Mahogany Smoked Meats & Premium Jerky, where we sampled some interesting meats and left with a small collection of elk and buffalo jerky.
12 a.m. Time
to check out Lake Tahoe’s beaches, and luckily our hotel offers guests
free passes to Lakeside Beach a few blocks away (usually $5). We
consider participating in some water sports, but opt for relaxation on
the sand. You can rent umbrellas and chairs, but we are perfectly fine
on towels. Cost: $0
2 p.m. We buy some supplies for lunch and take advantage of our kitchen. We go with deli meats for sandwiches for the group. Cost: $20
4 p.m. Ready for some action, we all drive over to Kayak Tahoe to hit the water. We rent two double kayaks and glide across the lake, enjoying views of the surrounding mountains. We only last an hour, but it was plenty of time. Cost: $35 per kayak
6:30 p.m. For dinner, we decide to stay local and walk down the block to the Stateline Brewery & Restaurant. We order the Stateline ribeye, roasted half chicken, pacific salmon, and an ancient grains salad. Of course, we can’t leave without trying some local brews. Unable to choose, we order two samplers, each with seven different tastes.
Cost: $116 with tip.
8:30 p.m. Somehow, we saved some room for dessert and walk over to the Nestle Toll House cafe just up the block. We indulge in two chocolate chip cookies to split between the four of us. Cost: $6
[post_ads_2]
10 a.m. We make our way down Lake Tahoe Boulevard wandering in and out of shops before we hit the jackpot at Mahogany Smoked Meats & Premium Jerky, where we sampled some interesting meats and left with a small collection of elk and buffalo jerky.
Cost: $9.86
2 p.m. We buy some supplies for lunch and take advantage of our kitchen. We go with deli meats for sandwiches for the group. Cost: $20
4 p.m. Ready for some action, we all drive over to Kayak Tahoe to hit the water. We rent two double kayaks and glide across the lake, enjoying views of the surrounding mountains. We only last an hour, but it was plenty of time. Cost: $35 per kayak
6:30 p.m. For dinner, we decide to stay local and walk down the block to the Stateline Brewery & Restaurant. We order the Stateline ribeye, roasted half chicken, pacific salmon, and an ancient grains salad. Of course, we can’t leave without trying some local brews. Unable to choose, we order two samplers, each with seven different tastes.
Cost: $116 with tip.
8:30 p.m. Somehow, we saved some room for dessert and walk over to the Nestle Toll House cafe just up the block. We indulge in two chocolate chip cookies to split between the four of us. Cost: $6
Day 3
10 a.m. We hit the road, checking out and packing up. For our car, we grab a breakfast bagel sandwich and a yogurt parfait from Heaven’s Little Cafe, and we fill up the tank on the way out of town. Cost: $45.08Totals:
Accommodation: $244.18
Transportation: $235.46
Activities/Entertainment: $35
Food and Drink: $339.91
