Kicking off our Annual Tahoe Trip

We packed up the Rivian and hit the road for our two-week summer escape to Lake Tahoe—nine hours of open road, playlists, and scenic stops. With Honey along for the ride, comfortably settled in her “best seat in the house,” the backseat was basically a mobile throne for one very spoiled pup.

We opted for the Bishop–Mono Lake route, planning ahead to line up Rivian chargers along the way. Our first charge was in Pahrump, then another in Bishop, and finally one near Mono Lake. It made the longer drive more relaxed—built-in breaks for stretching legs, snapping pictures, and keeping our EV topped off.

We rolled into Tahoe just as the sun dipped behind the pines—ready for fresh air, lake views, and a much slower pace.

Day 1: Gondolas and Coconut French Toast

We woke up to perfect summer weather—mid-70s and sunny, with just enough mountain breeze to remind us we weren’t in the desert anymore. First adventure: a trip to Heavenly. We parked near Cave Rock and made our way over to the Gondola, which took us up the mountain for some sweeping lake views.

From there, we took the Tamarack Express even higher and stretched our legs with a short walk at the top. The air felt crisp, and the scenery was as stunning as we remembered—blue skies above and Lake Tahoe’s deep blue below.

After our mountaintop outing, we made our way back down and straight to breakfast at one of our all-time favorites: The Getaway Café. Their banana coconut French toast is practically tradition for us at this point—crispy on the outside, soft inside, and topped with just the right amount of sweet. It was the perfect start to the trip.