We have given our site a much needed makeover!  It was time to bring our site up to date and give it a look that properly portrays our high end image and services.  Our homepage slide show is a collage of our luxury vacation homes as well as Tahoe activities to give guests an idea of what kind of experience we and Tahoe have to offer.  We are now featuring new buttons on the homepage for our lakefront homes, homes with virtual tours (they are incredible and life-like, I highly recommend you check them out) and our seasonal lease homes.  We have also simplified the site and condensed many of the pages down to help make the site more user friendly.

The weddings/events and concierge pages are still there, and are featured directly on the homepage as well as our blog and weather widget (so you can keep an eye on our beautiful summer weather or our latest snowfall).  Also, at the bottom of every page is an index of all our pages for easier maneuvering around on the site.

And most importantly, our search rentals page is still the same bringing you real time availability and pricing, as well as photos and detailed property descriptions.  Please feel free to give us a call with any questions; we are very knowledgable about all of our properties and their surrounding areas.  Or should you find yourself surfing our properties after hours and some questions pop up, please feel free to call our answering service to leave us a message for the following morning, or use the “contact us” link at the bottom of the page to have your questions emailed directly to us!

http://www.buckinghamtahoerentals.com/

Enjoy!

I stumbled upon this great activity for kids recently, and I had never seen it before, so I had to share it! The “Junior Rangers” program is put on by California State Parks for kids between the ages of 7 and 12.  The program offers 12 different activity areas, here is a small sampling of some they will get to explore are: geology, ecology, history, safety, plants and wildlife.  They get to play games, hike trails, “create your own animal,” discover tracks, observe wildlife and make some new friends!  Each activity lasts about one hour, and there is no fee to visitors who have already paid park entrance or camping fees.There are a few parks on the South Shore that offer some of the Junior Ranger program activities, they are:- D.L. Bliss State Park- Ed Z’burg-Sugar Pine Point State Park- Emerald Bay State Park(all are located on the southwest shore)Before you go, make sure to print out the “Junior Ranger Adventure Guide” for your little ones to fill out as they complete the activities — when they complete the guide, they win an award!  And the whole family can participate in all of the activities too!Here is a link for the guide: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24064For more information on the program and which activities are offered at each park, please go to this link:http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/22783/files/envedprograms_castateparks.pdf

 Buckingham has joined forces with South Tahoe Refuse to start a recycling mission!  Our vacation rentals will now have the “Blue Bags” for recyclables, with a list provided on the fridge of what to (and what not to) put in the bags.  South Tahoe Refuse has always, and will continue, to sort the regular trash that is brought in to separate the recyclables; so if something gets thrown in the trash that should have been in a blue bag, it will get caught in the sorting process!

Five Star Alpine Rentals offers a great service for Tahoe vacationers needing to rent skiing or snowboarding equipment — they deliver it to you!  It’s a great way to avoid the stress of waiting in line in crowded rental shops, and have more individual and prompt attention from a very knowledgeable staff.

So here’s how it works: Call to make a reservation, Five Star will bring a variety of equipment for fitting to be sure to meet the needs of everyone in your group, and when you’re done, they come pick everything up!  It couldn’t be easier!  And should you have any problems with the equipment, or even if you want an upgrade, they will come meet you back at your place of lodging, or at the bottom of Heavenly Ski Resort.

Reservations are highly recommended.

Website: http://www.fivestaralpinerentals.com/index.htm
Phone: (530) 542-1490
Email: mail@fivestaralpinerentals.com

View from the top of Kingsbury Grade.

The question I get asked the most often by vacationers is “where is a good place to eat on the lake?”  The Beacon Bar & Grill at Camp Richardson is always my answer.  Open year round, the Beacon is located on the beach with fabulous lake views from its dining room and outdoor dining deck (open during the summer months).  With live music Wednesdays through Sundays, it is one of my favorite summertime destinations for some sun, delicious calamari and one of their infamous oh-so-tasty (and oh-so-dangerous) Rum Runners in their outdoor dining area.  In the evenings, the restaurant transforms into a wonderful fine dining restaurant featuring steak, seafood and pasta dishes.

Located on the water in Historic Camp Richardson along Highway 89 (also known as Emerald Bay Road), it is also a nice stopping place along a lengthy stretch of bike trail if you are looking for a somewhere to rest during a nice afternoon bike ride.

Phone: (530) 541-0630
Website: http://www.camprichardson.com/the-resort/restaurants/beacon-bar-a-grill

On the white sandy shores of Sand Harbor, the Shakespeare Festival takes place every summer in July and August with Lake Tahoe as a backdrop at what is deemed “The Most Scenic Venue in the World.”  Featuring different plays each summer, the festival offers plays on every night of the week except Tuesdays.  Enjoy a feast in your seat from the Shakespeare Kitchen which offers a wide range of culinary treats from dinners to desserts, and even small plates for the kiddies.  Pair your feast with a cool beverage from the full service bar where they serve fine wines, lagers, ales, a selection of liqueurs and spirits as well as hot drinks and specialty coffee.

On certain weekdays, they offer Young Shakespeare where your little ones can experience the fun and interactive world of Shakespeare during a free matinee performance (chaperones are welcome).

Sand Harbor is only a 45 minute drive from the South Shore travelling north up scenic Highway 28 which has spectacular lake and mountain views with a couple of turnouts along the way for photos!

Website: https://www.laketahoeshakespeare.com/

What town would be complete without a bowling alley?  Tahoe Bowl is our local bowling joint and has come a long way over the years.  Located right smack in the middle of town, Tahoe Bowl has 16 lanes for open and league bowling.  They have a great bar called Lane 17 Sports Bar with flatscreen TV’s, billiards and a full bar to wet your whistle.  They now have a new restaurant serving incredible, gourmet pizza called Blue Dog.

In the words of Tahoe Bowl, “Come on down to enjoy some 10 pin action, arcade games, some 8 ball, pizza, drinks and lots of fun for the whole family!”

Located at 1030 Fremont Avenue (directly off Highway 50/Lake Tahoe Boulevard)
Phone: (530) 544-3700
Website: http://www.tahoebowl.com/index.html

Mt. Tallac from the Southeast Shore

One of my favorite places to see Lake Tahoe’s true splendour is up on the Tahoe Rim Trail.  The views are unparalleled from what seems like the top of the world.  Only a short drive from the hustle and bustle of the South Shore, the Tahoe Rim Trail is easily accessible.  It takes you from the Upper Kingsbury area to Spooner Summit (if you’re feeling adventurous enough to travel that far!), and it even takes you up above the tree line by the weather station giving you breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley.

In the summertime, it is the perfect place for hiking, biking, off roading and ATV’s.  In the winter season, I don’t personally know if it is accessible, but it would be great for snowshoeing or snowmobiling.

Directions: From the casino area at the state line, go up State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) and make a left hand turn onto North Benjamin which will turn into Andria.  Continue all the way up Andria until the road ends and you are there!