Vikingsholm State Park

Vikingsholm State Park consists of a gorgeous 1920s mansion on Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay. In order to get to the mansion, there is a steep one-mile hike on a gravel trail down to the lake. We made the trek one early morning before the crowds hit.

Tours of Vikingsholm run daily through the summer months, but we opted to just walk around the outside of the property. The architecture is amazing and, according to California State Parks, it is said to be one of the best examples of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere.

The views of the lake are beautiful from both the mansion and the parking lot above. We would recommend going early. Be aware that parking is paid and the elevation change on the hike is 400-500 feet. We devoured our breakfast at the Red Hut Cafe after this!