Memorial Day Weekend has arrived which is the official kick off of summer in Lake Tahoe! This year is looking a lot different for both the locals and visitors alike. With COVID19 restrictions still in place, only locals, essential workers and homeowners are allowed to be at the lake this year. Which means staying at your favorite Lake Tahoe vacation rental is still off limits. So how do you enjoy summer activities outside once travel is allowed while still respecting the guidelines set forth by health officials? Here are some great tips from the folks at Leave No Trace.
Go Play Outside…..Safely
It is important during this time that has caused so much stress to enjoy the fresh mountain air as much as possible. It is good for your body and mentality to move and soak up some nature. However, you want to make sure you are going about it in a way that is safe for you, the community and the environment. If a Shelter In Place is in order, respect that. While a lot of Governors are encouraging that you go for walks or runs, the local outdoor recreation may be closed. If local trails and beaches are open, give people their space. A minimum of 6ft to be exact.
Be Prepared For Closures
Do your due diligence ahead of time to find out if a specific place you’d like to go to is open. This means finding out if parking is available and bringing some of your own necessities like toilet paper, food, water and hand sanitizer. With some food services not operating and places like public bathrooms potentially being temporarily closed, it is key to be prepared so that you can enjoy yourself without feeling stressed because you need something and don’t have access to it.
Pack It In, Pack It Out
Speaking of all the things you are bringing with you: Whatever it is, bring it home. Staffing is limited which means services like trash may not be available. Don’t leave it behind for someone else to deal with or an animal to get into.
Avoid Crowds
After being cooped up for months, you may want to enjoy your time at the lake in the way you used to do it before. That really isn’t something that you should be doing right now. Be cautious and refrain from jam packed trail heads, beaches and place that are not observing social distancing.
Don’t Be a Daredevil
Right now is NOT the time master a new extreme sport at the lake. Our local healthcare system is small. Show our local medical workers and first responders some respect by staying mellow this round and saving that big mountain bike jump for later when things resume back to normal. This allows them to focus their efforts and limited resources on emergencies.
Before coming up to the lake, be sure you are completely up to date on everything you need to know regarding what is and isn’t allowed, what is open and what is closed, where masks are required and more. Don’t be upset if one of your favorite places isn’t operating as normal. All of our small, locally owned businesses are doing the best they can. In fact, right now is a great time to practice kindness, patience and grace. We look forward to enjoying our big beautiful lake with EVERYONE once we are able. If you have questions about booking a Lake Tahoe vacation rental or what is and isn’t allowed, feel free to ask us once booking opens back up. We’d be happy to provide as much information as we possibly can.
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