Since 1990, actors and athletes have descended on Stateline, Nevada for a summer golf tournament on the south shore of Lake Tahoe. It’s the longest-running celebrity golf tournament in the United States — and a delightful excuse for people-watching in a picturesque vacation spot where the Silver State meets the Golden State. The 2025 edition of the American Century Championship teed off on July 9.
Summer at Lake Tahoe is eclipsed in its beauty only by winter. Six separate lifts with close-up views of the lake whisk skiers and snowboarders to the top of the Sierra Nevada for fresh snow; another nine sit within driving distance of the water. To some, the powder might be better in Utah or Colorado, but the views of the lake are second to none among winter vacation spots in the U.S.
Heavenly, Tahoe’s Crown Jewel For Skiing And Golfing
Of the local ski lifts, only one (Heavenly) is adjacent to the south side of Lake Tahoe, where the village immediately surrounding America’s most visible celebrity golf course maintains its relatively quaint feel. The casinos on the Nevada side of the lake give way to modest inns, bars, and restaurants on the California side. The volume of amenities on each side of the border caters perfectly to snow junkies, but few historically met the definition of “luxury.”
That’s created an interesting dichotomy: celebrities flock to South Lake Tahoe to golf, but the most opulent hotels, restaurants, and vacation homes historically sat to the west and north of the lake. (Incline Village, on the Nevada side of Tahoe’s north shore, boasts Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg among its part-time residents.)
Against this backdrop, residents of the city of South Lake Tahoe, California, approved Measure T in 2018 to phase out short-term vacation rentals in residential areas of the city. It was a win for locals living in the city year-round who felt encumbered by seasonal tourists, and a defeat for anyone who purchased a cabin in town with the intent of renting it out.
Live Like The Kardashians In South Lake Tahoe – Rental Vacation Homes On The Rise
As a result, the best offerings from luxury vacation-rental operators like RnR Vacation Rentals sat just outside South Lake Tahoe city limits. Mansions disguised as cabins became a secret hideaway for wealthy out-of-towners looking to ski Heavenly in the winter and enjoy a day on the lake in the summer. One such property, conspicuously towering over the rest of the hillside dwellings beneath the ski resort, temporarily became the Kardashians’ home away from home. (The 16,500-square foot property was recently listed for sale at $19.8 million.)
Then, in March, a county court overturned Measure T. As the short-term vacation rental market opened its floodgates, visitors to South Lake Tahoe saw a community transform. Family-owned establishments that have sat lakeside for years now sit side-by-side with recently opened microbrew pubs. A brand-new Target opened on the California side of the lake in April; on the Nevada side, the local Caesars casino with its own Hell’s Kitchen is undergoing a $160 million renovation. The gondola riders at the base of Heavenly’s ski lift appear 10 percent better dressed than last year.
Rather than infecting a slow-paced resort town with an elitist vibe, however, the new South Lake Tahoe remains warm and inviting.
Inside Noel’s Coffee & Apothecary, morning coffee gives way to delicious spirits in the afternoon as craft cocktails are served under vintage fixtures, evoking an earlier era of opulence. At TipsyPutt, a kid-friendly indoor miniature golf course has craft beer on tap for grown-ups. An adult-oriented Elevated Wine Experience sits next door. The Loft Theatre serves up an evening magic show for all ages, along with dinner and drinks. Dog-friendly restaurants are the rule, not the exception.
Where the 1 Percent Stay In South Lake Tahoe
Although the Kardashian Kastle is the (literal) high point, the breadth and volume of luxury lodging options is growing. Sierra Shores, a cluster of wood-construction luxury townhomes pressed against the lake, hosts celebrities in town for the golf tournament. At RnR Vacation Rentals, a well-heeled family can rent a 10-bedroom cabin with a private movie theater, sauna and pool. So could a dozen friends looking to turn a miniature high school reunion into a weekend on the slopes. (The “Mountain Majesty” cabin lists at $18,000 for 30 days; those interested in shorter stays can contact RnR through the property’s website.)
“South Lake hasn’t always been the first town that people think of around Lake Tahoe for luxury,” explained Lauren Gresh of RnR Vacation Rentals. “But there hasn’t really been that luxury-stay market in South Lake probably until the last 10, 15 years.”
Rather than announcing their presence with an oversized property on a small lot, the new vacation homes are blending seamlessly into the woods, comfortably occupying the same block as Tahoe’s smaller traditional cabins. Added up, the transformation of South Lake Tahoe is opening up more of the lake region to luxury vacationers. Formerly the best-kept secret among locals in Northern California and Nevada, it’s evolving into a national treasure.