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Vikingsholm Mansion & Visitor's Center
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
7 reviews for Vikingsholm Mansion & Visitor's Center
The mansion and visitor's center were closed since it was October.
The walk down was easy - about a mile down.
Then we walked to the Lower Eagle Falls - that was about a half mile. Up man made stairs, up through a nice trail. Don't think you can go through with strollers or someone who has problems walking. But I did see a Diva with Knee High leather boots on - should of taken a pic of that! hahah The Falls were gorgeous! I thought at any moment that a near was gonna come up and eat me! (I'm a City girl!)
The hike back up was a bit of a pain for me - I get Altitude Sickness. It is a trek back up - all up hill back to the parking lot. But I kinda got my second wind when a this old couple was gaining up on us! haha But it totally took my breath away!
But the views were fantistic and it was nice to go outdoors and be one with nature! There is a beach at the base where the vistior's center is and looks like a good place to chill out with the family!
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Wow...this is just amazing. Emerald Bay is one of my favorite areas in Tahoe...what a gorgeous spot!
The house was built with granite for the site...and no trees were harmed in the process!
This is very rustic, and much smaller than your average "castle", but I loved all of the neat Scandinavian furnishings.
The view from the bedrooms was just awesome.
We had a parking problem, and did not go the "short route" so it was an all afternoon affair...what a fun girl trip!
Do bring your own food, all that is available in the Visitor center is water, jerky and trail bars...which were very good, and stuck with us for the 1.7 mile hike back to the car!
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This was my second visit...the first was about 10+ years ago and I must say I enjoyed it even more as an adult. The tour is $5/p.p. and not too long...my 5-month old enjoyed it thoroughly as well. You can really tell how much effort has gone into the restoration and maintenance of this beautiful property. Sad to think that the Forestry Dept. was going to knock it down years ago...apparently 4 other buildings were destroyed before historians stepped-in.
If only $250K would buy such a beautiful spot today!
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Just adding my compliments to a great set of reviews already. I love the hike down, and to walk along the beach. Great to imagine what it was like in its heyday. Took the tour of the home, and talked to the ranger in detail. She was a guest there often as a 5-8 year old, so her stories are amazing.
Lovely setting, very serene, nice! There are other hikes also in this pristine forest. The hike to Eagle Lake is always one of my favorites. Take a picnic lunch, your best companion and head on up. Sitting on the rocks or meadow there looking at the magnificent granite peaks is breathtaking.
Highly recommended.
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This is yet another spot my parents would take us kids to for an easy 2 mile hike and picnic.
The house was built by a woman who said the bay reminded her of the fjords of Norway. The small 16x 16' castle on Fanette Island was her tea house! The house has nice intricate celtic detail, the stable buildings have grass growing on the roof which is very Scandinavian( I am scandinavian) and when the house was being built she said do not cut down one tree to build this house. So as a result the trees are inside the property or part close to the walls.
I like this area becasue there is a nice beach where lots of people come and tie up their boats and hang out all day because the Bay is calm and not so windy as the rest of the lake.
There are GREAT trails that head through here like the Rubicon hiking trail and Bays Head. Up at the road you can park and hike uphipp 1 m ile to Eagle falls and Lake. This little lake is AMAZING, clear, and surrounded by cliffs. Just beautiful and romantic all in one. A great place to hike up to and take a book and picnic and chill all day.
The best part about it, DOGS ALLOWED! All of Tahoe's hiking for the most part, dogs are allowed.
But Vikingsholm is a must do, when you are in Tahoe as a tourist.
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While this place is verrrry popular in the spring and summer months, its easy access - a short hike downhill on a paved road - makes it a good choice when I have less-adventurous friends and family visiting.
There's picnicking, boat camping, and a trail that winds around Emerald Bay north to D.L. Bliss State Park. For those interested in the mansion itself, tours are available from June - September. I've never timed a trip there to see the inside from the inside, but you can get glimpses as you walk the perimeter. For those who are curious about Fanette Island, sitting out in Emerald Bay, the old trail to the former owners tea house just received funding for restoration.
This is definitely a must-see for anyone remotely interested in Lake Tahoe's history, or the history of the Sierra. The folly of building a house like those in the Norwegian fjords with a tea house on an island is not something you encounter regularly.
My four star rating is only because the tours aren't available through October, which is when a lot of my family visits.
Although the hike down to this place was pretty nice, the "castle" itself was a bit dissapointing. It was being renovated and we didnt sign up for the tour so could only look at it from the outside. I think if you've been to the Hearst Castle in San Luis Obispo, it's probably somewhat similar inside. The architecture of the castle was really nice, the mansion was huge and it's scandinavian and built a long time ago with a lot of hand carved detail that was impressive. I really liked the hike