June 4 – 9, 2026 · Lake Tahoe

Derek's
fortieth.

Six days at the lake. Boat day, beach time, banana splits.

The House

197 Juniper Dr,
Stateline, NV 89449

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The Crew

Derek + partner + 6-month-old, plus the Bondos, the Southerns, and Shea / Holly, and the toddler.

Getting Around

Foot of Kingsbury Grade. ~5–7 min drive to Stateline / Heavenly Village. Uber back up after drinks.

The crew: Derek + partner (and the 6-month-old), plus the Bondos, the Southerns, and Shea / Holly, and the toddler. Adults + two little ones.

Quick logistics: The house sits at the foot of Kingsbury Grade. Nothing is walkable, but Stateline / Heavenly Village is a ~5–7 min drive down the hill. Anyone drinking at the casinos: Uber back up.

Arrival.

Trickle in throughout the day. Low-key first night to settle in.

Afternoon

▸Staggered arrivals, settle in, claim a room, exhale.
▸Grocery run for the weekend, Raley's Stateline (closest, ~5 min) or Safeway at the Y.
▸Hot tub · sauna · deck.

Evening

▸Dinner at the house, easy pizza night, pickup from Base Camp Pizza in Heavenly Village.
▸Optional late casino walk for the night-owls, Hard Rock or Harrah's. Uber down + back.

Heavenly + Casual Dinner Out.

A relaxed first full day, gondola views, lake breeze, dinner in the village.

Morning

▸Slow coffee at the house.
▸Heavenly Gondola to the observation deck, stroller-friendly at the top. Kid pick carousel, candy shop, Magic Carpet mini-golf at the plaza.

Afternoon

▸Lunch: Tamarack Lodge mid-mountain (gondola access) or Cold Water Brewery back down.
▸Pick your own:
·Van Sickle waterfall loop, flat, stroller-OK, trailhead at Heavenly Village.
·Nevada Beach chill (5 min from house, baby + toddler easy). Baby-easy
·Spa day in Heavenly Village.
▸5:00 PM back to the house, hot tub reset.

Evening

▸6:30 PM · Casual dinner out, Heavenly Village / Stateline Open · no reservation
Candidates: Base Camp Pizza · California Burger Co. · Azul Latin Kitchen · Cold Water Brewery · McP's Irish Pub.
▸After dinner, casinos for the willing (Uber back up the hill).

Water + Boat Day. 🛥️

The big lake day. Late lunch waterside, then the boat at 4.

Morning

▸Slow start, breakfast at the house.
▸Options:
·Paddleboards/kayaks at Nevada Beach or Zephyr Cove (5–10 min).
·Scenic drive, Emerald Bay overlook + Inspiration Point (~25 min).
·Sauna + lake dip locally.

Afternoon

▸1:30 PM · Riva Grill, late lunch + drinks at Ski Run Marina. 🔒 Locked
▸4:00 PM · HH boat ride, departs right next to Riva. 🔒 Locked

Heads up: Confirm infant policy with the boat operator before Saturday, bring car seat / life vest as needed.

Evening

▸6:30 PM back at the house.
▸Southerns cook dinner. 🍳
▸Fire pit · hot tub · drinks on the deck.

Boys' Moto Day. 🏍️

The house sits at the foot of Kingsbury Grade, the boys roll straight out the driveway. Everyone else stays close.

Suggested moto routes

Derek owns the actual plan; these are classic Tahoe-area inspiration.

Kingsbury Grade → Carson Valley loop, drop down NV-207, lunch in Genoa or Minden, return via US-50.
Monitor Pass loop, south on US-89 → CA-4 → high alpine, ~150 mi.
Full Lake Tahoe loop, Emerald Bay → Truckee → Mt Rose Hwy → back via Spooner & US-50.
Carson Pass (CA-88) → Kirkwood, quieter, alpine meadows.

Non-boys menu, theme: stay close, baby-easy. Short bursts so naps work.

≤10 min from the house

▸Nevada Beach, sandy, summer lifeguards, picnic tables. Baby-easy Kid pick
▸Zephyr Cove, beach + restaurant + paddleboards.
▸🚢 MS Dixie II paddlewheeler, ~2 hr cruise, food + drinks, scenic. Kid pick
▸Round Hill Pines Beach, quieter sister to Nevada Beach.
▸Lakeside Beach, small, sandy, behind the casinos.
▸Heavenly Village stroll, carousel · Kalani's ice cream · Magic Carpet mini-golf · Tahoe Adventure Zone. Kid pick
▸Bijou Park, playground decompression.
▸Tahoe Wine Co. tasting room, adult break.

15–30 min

▸Camp Richardson, beach, old-timey general store, ice cream, beach cruiser rentals.
▸Taylor Creek Visitor Center / Rainbow Trail, flat boardwalks, salmon stream. Kid pick
▸Pope / Kiva Beach, bigger CA-side beach day.
▸Emerald Bay overlook + Inspiration Point, scenic drive.
▸Eagle Falls, short out-and-back.

Spa, brunch, indoor backup

▸Spa: Reflections Spa at Hard Rock · Lake Tahoe Spa at Marriott.
▸Brunch: Driftwood Cafe · Heidi's Pancake House · The Naked Fish · Big Daddy's Bagels.
▸Lunch on the lake: Beacon Bar & Grill at Camp Richardson.
▸Indoor backup: Tahoe Adventure Zone · Tahoe South Bowling · casinos (adults only).

Evening

▸7:00 PM dinner, Bondos or Shea / Holly cook. 🍳
▸Hot tub · cards · optional casino run.

Boys' Golf. 🏌️

🤫 Surprise · course TBA

Quiet early exit for the boys. Everyone else has the day to go bigger.

Morning

▸Early coffee, quiet exit. Boys gone for the day.

Non-boys menu, theme: go bigger / full pamper. Boys are gone all day; use the runway.

Big day trip, pick one

▸🏖️ Sand Harbor (~35–40 min north on NV-28), best beach on the lake, granite coves, kayak rentals. Arrive ~9:30 AM for parking.
▸🏔️ Tahoe City (~50 min, north shore), Commons Beach playground + beach, lunch at Sunnyside or Jake's. Kid pick
▸🛤️ Truckee (~50 min), historic downtown, lunch, shops, Donner Lake stop on the way back.
▸🛶 Camp Richardson + bike path, flat paved trail to Pope Beach + Tallac, rentals on-site (kid seat / trail-a-bike for the toddler).
▸🌲 Emerald Bay + Vikingsholm, hike down to the castle. Steep, baby in carrier only.

Stay-close alternates

▸Zephyr Cove or Nevada Beach lazy day (different beach than Sunday).
▸Heavenly Gondola + Tamarack Lodge lunch.
▸👧 Big Heavenly Village day with the toddler, gondola, carousel, mini-golf, ice cream all chained together.

Full pamper

▸Reflections Spa at Hard Rock · Lake Tahoe Spa at Marriott · Stillwater Spa at Hyatt Incline (pair with Sand Harbor up north).
▸Lunch out on the lake: Beacon (Camp Richardson) · Sunnyside · Jake's · Gar Woods.

Evening

▸Golfers wrap, shower, nap.
▸🎂 6:30 PM birthday dinner at the house, cooked by whichever family didn't cook Sunday.
▸🍌🍦 Banana splits for Derek.
▸Hot tub · fire · casinos · cards, Derek's pick.

🎉 The birthday moment. Cake-or-no, banana splits are non-negotiable.

Departure. 👋

Pack up, one last meal, hugs, drive home.

Morning

▸Pack, coffee, breakfast at the house, or brunch out.
▸Brunch options: Driftwood Cafe (5 min) · Heidi's Pancake House (10 min) · The Naked Fish (10 min).
▸Check out, hugs, drive home.