Something Different
When someone mentions Lake Tahoe, I think I’m like most people. Winter ski slopes, hot chocolate, hot toddies, and cozy fires come to mind. Friends and family stuffed comfortably into rustic cabins. That’s usually the picture I have.
Recently that all changed. My husband (Spouse) and I were seeking a getaway from triple digit heat. We were also looking for a “different” way to celebrate our anniversary. So, Spouse did what he does best and glued himself to his computer for some intense internet research. Exhausted and sweaty he approached me with an idea. “How about a cruise on Lake Tahoe. We could see the Thunderbird Lodge.”
What? A cruise? The Thunderbird Lodge? Never heard of it. But then again, I never really considered Lake Tahoe a summer destination. But I was game. And that was it. Tickets purchased and hotel booked, we set off to enjoy a day on the water and some sight-seeing at an otherwise unknown lodge.
Boy oh boy, we were surprised. We spent two hours on the blue, blue, waters of Lake Tahoe sipping cocktails and soaking up the sun under a cloudless sky. And only 80 degrees. It doesn’t get any better.
We docked at the Thunderbird Lodge and stepped off our boat into the world of George Whittell, Jr., one of the wealthiest men in California. I was shocked. Oh, I had expected to see opulence. Because we’re talking riches here, I knew this would be no ordinary lodge. But…it was beyond anything I could conjure. It was stunning!
The Thunderbird Lodge
The “little lodge” I expected to find was anything but little. Main house, card house, gazebo, boathouse, fountains, you name it. Even some eccentric spaces for George’s pets…Mingo the elephant, and Bill the lion. Definitely not your ordinary “lodge”. In fact, the entire estate is known as The Castle in the Sky.
All the houses are built from stone hand-crafted by Native American Indians. George established a special masonry school for them to learn their trade.
The inside of the main house is done in knotty pine. The boards and beams have all been hand-crafted in the European style. And by the way, there are no nails. All the boards are held together with pegs.
And let’s not forget the 600-foot secret tunnel hewn out of the existing stone. George used it to access the game room where raucous parties hailed long into the night. George certainly loved dancing ladies and high-stakes poker. There’s even a dungeon off the tunnel where less-than-gentlemanly party guests were thrown so they could sleep off their liquor.
Finally, George’s pride and joy, the Thunderbird Yacht, caught my breath. Considered the jewel of Lake Tahoe, the vessel is built of Honduran mahogany, polished stainless steel, and expensive crystal. Total cost? A mere $87,000…more than $33 million by today’s standards. The yacht is available for rental…at the rate of $10,000 for a 2 hour cruise. Now that’s a pretty penny!
3 Sights You Must Not Miss
The Thunderbird Lodge brought the summertime history of Lake Tahoe alive for me. And you can bet I’ll be back. Especially since I now have a bucket list of sites to see and explore. Here are my top 3:
Thunderbird Lodge.
Owned by The Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society.
Open daily for guided tours.
Vikingsholm Castle.
Part of Emerald Bay State Park and declared a National Natural Landmark.
Open daily for guided tours in the summer months from June to September.
Tallac Historic Site. Owned by The Tahoe Heritage Foundation.
All buildings are open for guided tours from Memorial Day through mid-September.
The buildings close for the winter, but the grounds remain open all year.
Whether it’s winter sports or summer activities that bring you to Lake Tahoe, be sure to immerse yourself in the rich history of the lake. Visit a castle or two and experience the opulent lifestyles of the rich and wealthy…and the not-so-wealthy. After all, it’s the history that can only be Lake Tahoe.