The average price of a 7-day trip to Lake Tahoe is $2,099 for a solo traveler, $3,770 for a couple, and $7,067 for a family of 4. Lake Tahoe hotels range from $78 to $355 per night with an average of $105, while most vacation rentals will cost $320 to $1060 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) are between $557 and $876 per person for economy flights and $1,748 to $2,749 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $48 to $134 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Lake Tahoe, CA, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to RNO and stay in a Lake Tahoe hotel:
- January 8th to March 4th
- April 16th to May 6th
- August 13th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Lake Tahoe is usually mid to late September.
Average Lake Tahoe Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $1,286-$3,499($184-$500 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $134 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $362 to $701 for economy
Lodging: $98 to $122 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $254 to $310 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $2,374-$5,488($339-$784 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $268 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $724 to $1,402 for economy
Lodging: $98 to $122 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $254 to $310 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $3,968-$9,160($567-$1,309 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $192 to $536 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,448 to $2,804 for economy
Lodging: $196 to $244 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $381 to $434 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Lake Tahoe
How cheap can you make a vacation to Lake Tahoe? The cheapest trip to Lake Tahoe is about $100 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $62.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $698-$1,582($100-$226 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $59 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $362 to $701 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $78 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $41 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $1,270-$2,696($181-$385 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $118 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $724 to $1,402 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $78 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $41 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $2,462-$5,392($352-$770 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $236 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,448 to $2,804 for economy
Lodging: $124 to $156 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $29 to $66 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Lake Tahoe cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Lake Tahoe Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Lake Tahoe.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $2,696-$17,473($385-$2,496 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $106 to $255 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $898 to $1,696 for first class
Lodging: $176 to $355 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,060 to $2,332 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $4,336-$20,954($619-$2,993 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $212 to $510 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,796 to $3,392 for first class
Lodging: $176 to $355 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,060 to $2,332 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Lake Tahoe for a week is $8,672-$36,310($1,239-$5,187 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $424 to $1,020 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,592 to $6,784 for first class
Lodging: $352 to $710 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,484 to $3,731 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Lake Tahoe is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Lake Tahoe due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Lake Tahoe Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Lake Tahoe hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Lake Tahoe.
Flight Costs to Lake Tahoe
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $876 average in late December to a low of $557 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $548. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Lake Tahoe our data includes 472 originating airports, and 106 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Lake Tahoe from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $7,032 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International (SJC) in San Jose, CA (the United States) at an average of just $166.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Lake Tahoe, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $319, so you can easily save about 57% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Lake Tahoe can easily cost $440 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $30 per person. Private tours can cost $885 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.