Black Bear Inn

Black Bear is an elegant, rustic lodge in South Lake Tahoe offering luxury accommodations in a relaxed mountain setting and it is positioned close to all mountain and Lake Tahoe activities. The newest addition to our staff is Chef Alex Elsaesser who will be baking our breakfast breads and serving catered gourmet dinners to our guests in the evenings. We are excited to have him on board.

To location scouts: our lodge and cabins have been used for countless catalog shoots, and we have been featured once on HGTV and twice on ABC's The Bachelor. We are "film friendly," so please give us a call.

Voted one of the best B&Bs in California, Black Bear's main lodge has five comfortable guest rooms, each with private bath, king bed and gas fireplace. Three spacious, romantic cabins of varying sizes and a hot tub gazebo sit on the back grounds beneath the pine trees. Each cabin has a private patio. Every morning a full, hot breakfast is served.

Voted one of the best B&Bs in California, Black Bear Inn is an elegant, rustic lodge in South Lake Tahoe offering luxury accommodations in a relaxed mountain setting, close to all mountain and Lake Tahoe activities.

Go to our Restaurant page for more information about Chef Alex's superb dinners and to see this month's menu.

Black Bear's main lodge has five comfortable guest rooms, each with private bath, king bed and gas fireplace. Three spacious, romantic cabins of varying sizes and a hot tub gazebo sit on the back grounds beneath the pine trees. Each cabin has a private patio. Every morning a full, hot breakfast is served. (Breakfast is included in the rate, dinner is not.)

Visit the Room & Rate page for room photos and information. For photos of the lodge, cabins and grounds, visit the Lodge page. Our Things To Do and Links pages will tell you all about Lake Tahoe activities, restaurants, beaches, ski resorts -- everything you need to plan your trip. Use Black Bear Inn as your home base for a romantic weekend getaway or family reunion while you experience extraordinary Lake Tahoe.

To location scouts: our lodge and cabins have been used for countless catalog shoots, and we have been featured once on HGTV and twice on ABC's The Bachelor. We are "film friendly," so please give us a call.

The Restaurant at Black Bear Inn is open to the public and offers patrons an extraordinary culinary experience. The menu is revised each month to take advantage of seasonal produce, always with an eye on local and organic suppliers. Chef Alex has a passion for the artistic and his imaginative use of ingredients fuses old school technique with surprising, delightful twists. His devotion to cuisine results in the impressive quality of each dish.

Call (530)327-9339 or visit our website to make your reservation.

Black Bear Inn's tranquil, inviting atmosphere captures the spirit of old Tahoe. As you sit by the fireplace you will be captivated by the rustic elegance of the lodge. Once seated at your table you will be taken on a journey that will awaken your appetite and stimulate your palate.

"A must do dining experience in South Lake Tahoe. There is nothing comparable in
fine dining anywhere in Tahoe. Don't miss it!" ~ ~ A & J, Las Vegas

We offer an exceptional array of wines, including many local wines, presented by a knowledgeable wine specialist.

Reservations for the restaurant are strongly advised. As our intimate restaurant grows, a reservation is the only way to be certain you will be seated. Once secured, your table it will be yours for the evening. Seating begins at 6 pm, Thursday through Sunday (for April and May). Contact the restaurant line directly at (530) 327-9339.

Particulars:

• We strongly advice against bringing young children. The restaurant does not have a children's menu or booster seats.
• Reservations at (530)327-9339    (Please note that this is not the same as the inn number.)
• In April and May, dinner will be served four nights a week (Thurs through Sun), with seating beginning at 6pm.
• The restaurant is open to the public. You do not need to stay at the inn in order to dine at the restaurant. If you ARE a guest, breakfast is included in the nightly rate but dinner is separate.
• To purchase a gift certificate to be used in the restaurant, please call us rather than purchasing a gift certificate online.
• Wine and beer available. Corkage fee: $20 for 750 ml.

Due to our intimate size, weddings at Black Bear Inn are not for everyone, but only for the discerning bride and her guests. This is a special event and we want it to be just right for you.

Our capacity is seasonally limited because of the weather. We can only accommodate 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors (outdoor weddings are possible June through September). Ceremonies with up to seven guests (plus bride & groom) do not need to rent all the inn rooms. Out of consideration for outside guests, for any larger event, we ask that you take all the rooms.

All wedding dinners are provided by our own chef here at Black Bear Inn. Chef Alex can provide a set menu for a seated dinner (max of 30 people) or provide a buffet style dinner for larger groups. All food contracts are arranged with the chef.

Our license allows us to serve only beer, wine and champagne. We cannot serve liquor, and liquor cannot be brought on site. We sell wine and champagne by the bottle. A corkage fee of $20 per bottle applies to all wine and champagne brought in by guests. The site fee does not include the outside rental of tables, chairs, linens, glassware, flatware or china.

You are welcome to write your own vows if you like. If you would like flowers, a cake or a photographer, please contact us and we will send you referrals.

Due to the strict local noise ordinance we do not allow amplified music outdoors.

In order to reserve your spot, a non-refundable deposit is required. Payment must be paid in full at least six months in advance of your wedding date. A site fee guideline is shown below, though it may fluctuate due to certain circumstances. Please call for pricing.

site fee

• 2-4 people $500
• 5-7 people $750
• 8-20 people $1000
• 21-30 people $1500
• 31-50 people $2500

For California weddings, no blood test or waiting period is required. The couple must be at least 18 years of age and have identification. Any divorce/termination within the last 90 days requires verification. The fee is $60 for a public license and $53 for a confidential license (a confidential license carries more conditions). The license is available at any California county recorder-clerk's office. For more information, visit the El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk's Office in South Lake Tahoe at 3368 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 108, or call (530)573-3409.

Testimonial

"Let's be candid. We have all seen beautiful locations advertised in magazines, on postcards or on the internet but upon visit, we have been disappointed. I have to admit the pictures of the Black Bear Inn looked too good to be true so I made a special trip from Pasadena to check out the Inn.

I have to tell you, I found the Inn to be picture perfect: rich, lush, filled with color and beautifully decorated. Upon seeing the Inn in person, I so fell in love with its beauty, tranquility and charm that on the spot, I reserved the whole Inn for our September 17, 2011 wedding. I was mindful that the Black Bear Inn is a business but for an everyday Joe like me, our wedding plans came down to the issue of trust. Could I completely trust that the Black Bear Inn staff would fulfill the vision of our wedding? After sitting down and discussing the proposed plans with the Black Bear Inn staff, with their warm and caring reassurance, I bet the farm and placed all of our hopes and dreams for our wedding into their hands and came up aces.

Our wedding was absolutely beautiful. Everything we had hoped and prayed for came out exactly the way we wanted it to be. Looking back on it now, the wedding was perfect principally because the staff at the Inn made sure everything turned out beautifully just as they promised it would some months before. All of my friends and family members were so impressed and reported that the Black Bear Inn staff were always professional, caring, willing to go the extra mile to assist and always treated them with respect. To each and every one of the staff members at the Black Bear Inn, my wife and I want to thank you for our gorgeous September wedding and for our perfect beautiful memories that will always be cherished."

Wintertime is when Tahoe shows off its 15 ski resorts, including Heavenly Mountain Reseort (just one mile from the inn), Squaw Valley and Kirkwood. Tahoe winters are famous for huge dumps of light powder and beautiful blue skies. This is world-class skiing at its best.

15 ski resorts
Cross country skiing
Snowmobile tours
Ice skating
Horse drawn sleigh rides
Snowshoeing through the forest
Dog sled rides

There are countless activities to enjoy in the summertime, and below is a starter list. Please check out our Links page for links to specific events.

Hiking, biking
Golf, tennis
Inline skating
Horseback riding
Fishing and boating
Canoes, kayaks, sailboats
Rafting (white water or long 'n lazy)
Catamarans, paddle wheelers
Historic towns (Truckee, Virginia City, Placerville, Coloma)
Tour the Apple Hill wineries
Hot air balloon rides
Glider rides, helicopter tours
...or ask to borrow our Ultimate Driving Tour CD

Throughout the year there are a wide range of special events: outdoor concerts, the marathon, bike races, a Shakespeare Festival, antique car and boat shows -- something for everyone. Links to many of those events can be found on our Links page.

Whatever the season, Lake Tahoe has several casinos that happily welcome anyone of legal age. The larger casinos have major entertainers, shows and concerts. Shopping at one of the many stores in town is another year-round activity. A lot of our guests like to kick back in the lodge and take advantage of our free Wi-Fi set up. And don't worry -- if you didn't bring a laptop, we've got one you can use.

Here are links to several sites that can help you plan your trip to Lake Tahoe. If you prefer talking to a human being rather than surfing online, please feel free to call us as well! (10am-6pm daily, PST)  We will be glad to help you plan your weekend getaway.

The Lake Tahoe area has one of the highest concentrations of ski resorts in the world and is home to several ski resorts. Each mountain has its own personality, amenities and unique views of the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountain range. Black Bear Inn is just one mile from the Heavenly Mountain California base lodge. Follow these links for more info about each ski resort.

WINTER FUN

SUMMER FUN

EXTRAS

ANNUAL EVENTS

(not all of these are links)

There are countless web sites that supply information about the Lake Tahoe area. Here are some of our favorites:

If you are concerned about the weather and road conditions while lodging in South Lake Tahoe, here are a few sites that might help.

The shuttle service that runs between the Reno/Tahoe airport and South Lake Tahoe costs about $24 one way, or $43 round trip and is based in the far corner of the airport baggage claim area of the Reno airport.  The ride takes about seventy minutes and lets you off at the casinos in Stateline, Nevada, one and a half miles from Black Bear Inn. Taxis can be called from any casino. Once you're at Black Bear, public buses, casino shuttles and ski resort shuttles stop in front of the lodge.  Car rentals are also available at the Reno airport. Be advised that it is best to have a four wheel drive vehicle if you come during the winter months.

As of March 2010, there is a new shuttle service that runs between Sacramento International Airport and South Lake Tahoe. Currently, a round-trip costs $99 and one-way is $65. The shuttle will stop at four South Shore casinos, where taxis are readily available. We recommend you depart at Horizon. For more information, please call Super Shuttle at (800) 258-3826.

Do not rely on GPS systems; they have been routing guests the wrong way.

From Reno:

A new highway from Reno is under construction. For the next couple of years, as you drive this route you will be getting on and off the elevated highway/bypass. Once it's finished it will have a new number.

It's a seventy minute drive from the Reno airport to Black Bear Inn. Just beyond the airport exit, take Highway 395 south out of Reno. After a few miles, take exit 57B in order to stay on 395. Highway 395 takes you into Carson City. Just as you enter Carson, take the new 395 Business exit. Otherwise you will continue on a new elevated bypass that only goes a mile or two. While you are on 395 Business, Highway 50 merges with 395. When 50 and 395 split, turn to the right and stay on 50. You will immediately begin to ascend the Carson mountain range. In twenty miles or so you will see the only high rise buildings on the road: the casinos. They are located right on the California/ Nevada border at the Stateline Street traffic light. Four lights further south is Ski Run Boulevard.  Turn left onto Ski Run. Black Bear is one-half mile up on the right: 1202 Ski Run Blvd.

From Sacramento:

It takes approximately two hours to drive from Sacramento to Black Bear Inn. (If starting at the Sac airport, add 15 minutes to drive south on Interstate 5 to Highway 50). Take Highway 50 east out of Sacramento. Continue into the Lake Tahoe area until you reach the traffic light at Pioneer Trail, about one-half mile past the point where Highway 89 merges into 50 from the right. Turn right onto Pioneer Trail. Once on Pioneer, drive seven and one-half miles to the Ski Run Boulevard traffic light (the third light). Turn left onto Ski Run. Black Bear is one block down on the left: 1202 Ski Run Blvd.

From Minden (Hwy. 395):

If you are driving up 395 through Nevada, you'll want to take Highway 207 over the mountain rather than going further north to Carson City. Highway 88 is the short link between the two roads; Highway 88 hits Highway 395 at a traffic light in Minden. Make a sharp left onto 88. After two miles on 88, turn right at the light onto Mottsville Lane. This road becomes 207/ Kingsbury Grade. Kingsbury will take you up and over the mountain and dead end at Highway 50 near the lake. Turn left onto 50. Soon you will see the only high rise buildings on the road: the casinos. They are located right on the California/ Nevada border at the Stateline Street traffic light. Four lights further south is Ski Run Boulevard.  Turn left onto Ski Run. Black Bear is one-half mile up on the right: 1202 Ski Run Blvd.