LAKE TAHOE: Our Annual Trip

Plus the Redwood National Forest, the Sequoia National Forest, & the Pacific Ocean.

August 20, 2026

I grew up on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, on the California side. I now live in Utah, and every summer, we take our family on vacation to Sand Harbor State Park at Lake Tahoe. This year, we decided to visit some national forests and go to the Pacific Ocean as well. It was a fun week, full of adventures and 107 degree temperatures and amazing beaches and beautiful forests.

THE SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST

We wandered around on all the trails and had a great time. The trees are truly spectacular!

The General Grant Tree

Height: about 268 feet

Diameter: about 29 feet at the base

Circumference: about 107.6 feet at the base

Age: approximately 1,600-2,000 years old

Weight: estimated at approximately 1,250 tons

THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Any time I go to the ocean, it always amazes me. It is so vast. I always expect to see the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria coming over the horizon at any moment!

CALIFORNIA’S GREAT AMERICA

I went here as a kid, when it first opened up and was Marriott’s Great America. It was fun to go back to a place that is so memorable to me. Especially since it is scheduled to close for good in 2027! (Santa Clara, California amusement park)

This map is from California’s Great America Amusement Park.

THE REDWOOD FOREST

What beautiful and inspiring forests! The feeling of such splendor is hard to put into words. It’s no wonder that writers and poets struggle to do it.

THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

Just driving across it is an adventure!

LAKE TAHOE

This is where I grew up. I miss being able to go to the beach any time I wanted. As kids, we were at the beach all the time! After school, all summer, even in the winter. There’s nothing like sitting on the edge of a pier, watching snowflakes come down and fall into the lake. Or walking along the beach with the snowbanks soaking up the sound, leaving a unique and calming silence.

We had a wonderful summer vacation together as a family. Take the time to get together with your family, and go do something fun. Something new and different. Or, something that you always do, with a twist. Gather with friends and take a break from the responsibilities of life, and go have an adventure. And make a memory!