Zephyr Cove · RedAwning

Zephyr Cove Resort & MarinaPowerboat & jet-ski rentals, the M.S. Dixie II paddlewheeler, and the south shore's only beach horseback rides

A 28-acre lakefront resort and marina on Highway 50 four miles north of Stateline — homeport of the 570-passenger M.S. Dixie II Mississippi-style paddlewheeler, a fleet of 18 powerboats and 30 jet skis available for hourly rental, parasailing flights from the pier, the south shore's only horseback-riding stables operating along the lake, and a 28-cabin lakefront resort opened in 1908. The single most-visited boat-rental dock on Lake Tahoe.

Hours today8:00 AM – 9:00 PMMonday hours
TicketsFrom $79M.S. Dixie II — Emerald Bay sightseeing cruise
LocationZephyr Cove, Nevada760 US-50
Official sitezephyrcove.comPlan your visit

1908Resort founded
570M.S. Dixie capacity
18Powerboat fleet
30Jet skis

Zephyr Cove Resort opened on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe in 1908 as a one-cabin family fishing camp run by Carrie Bliss — by the 1930s it had grown into a full lakefront resort with 28 rustic cabins, a beachfront restaurant, and the boat dock that anchors the operation today. The U.S. Forest Service has owned the underlying land since 1965, with Aramark Leisure operating the resort under a long-term concession contract. The 28-acre property occupies the only naturally protected anchorage on Lake Tahoe's south shore — Zephyr Cove itself is a quarter-mile-wide horseshoe bay that stays calm when the rest of the lake is whitecapped.

The marina is the headline draw. The M.S. Dixie II — a 151-foot, three-deck Mississippi-style paddlewheeler with capacity for 570 passengers — runs daily 2-hour Emerald Bay sightseeing cruises year-round and 3-hour sunset dinner cruises May through October. The boat-rental fleet covers 18 powerboats (21-foot to 26-foot deck-and-bowrider), 30 jet skis, twelve kayaks, ten paddleboards, parasail flights, and four pontoon party boats. The horseback-riding stables across Highway 50 are the south shore's only commercial trail rides operating along the lakeshore.

Plan a half-day for the cruise plus beach time, a full day to combine a cruise with a cabin night. The resort's 28 lakefront cabins range from rustic singles to 4-bedroom units; book six months ahead for July and August. Day-trippers pay $12 to park; resort guests park free. The CalTrans 50 corridor from South Lake Tahoe is a 7-minute drive; Reno-Tahoe International is 65 minutes north on US-50 and US-395. The cove freezes over in deep-winter cold snaps, but the cabins, restaurant, and M.S. Dixie cruises run year-round.

M.S. Dixie II — Emerald Bay cruise
A 151-foot Mississippi-style paddlewheeler, 570 passengers, three decks — the most-booked boat tour on Lake Tahoe. Daily 2-hour Emerald Bay sightseeing cruises (year-round) take you past Vikingsholm and Fannette Island; the 3-hour sunset dinner cruise (May–October) adds a buffet and a window-table sunset. Adult sightseeing $79, dinner $119.
Powerboat & deck-boat rentals
A fleet of 18 powerboats — 21-foot Sea Ray deckboats (8 passengers, $595/4 hours) and 26-foot Sun Tracker pontoon party boats (12 passengers, $895/4 hours). Captain-included options for inexperienced boaters. Required AIS inspection ($35) and $500 credit-card deposit at the marina kiosk.
Jet ski & WaveRunner rentals
30 jet skis available — single-rider Yamaha WaveRunners ($165/hour, $295/2 hours, $495/half-day) and three-passenger models ($200/hour). Required orientation video at the rental kiosk before launch; mandatory life jackets included; under-16 riders only with a chaperone.
Parasail flights
Twelve-minute parasail flights from the Zephyr Cove pier — 600 feet up over the south shore with views of Mount Tallac and the Heavenly ridge. Single $99, tandem $179, triple $249. May through October only; flights launch every 20 minutes from a custom 28-foot Cobra parasail boat.
Lakeshore horseback trail rides
The only commercial horseback rides operating along Lake Tahoe's south shore — from the stables across Highway 50, on a 1- or 2-hour beach loop ($75/$135). Mounts are intermediate-friendly American quarter horses; the 1-hour ride is the kid-friendly orientation, the 2-hour adds the lakeside ridge climb.
Kayak & paddleboard rentals
On-beach rentals from the marina concession — single kayaks $30/hour, doubles $40, paddleboards $30, paddleboard yoga lessons $65. Calm-water Zephyr Cove anchorage is the easiest beginner SUP launch on the south shore; the morning glass before 10 AM is the photographer's slot.
28 lakefront cabins
The resort's 28 cabins date to the 1908 founding — rustic-modern interiors after a 2018 renovation, ranging from 1-bedroom studios ($265/night) to 4-bedroom family cabins ($785/night). Lakefront access from the cabin porches, walkable to the marina and the Sunset Bar. Reserve six months ahead for July and August.
Sunset Bar at Zephyr Cove
The west-facing beachfront bar — the south shore's most-photographed sunset patio, with a wood-fire pizza oven, a 1908-photograph gallery on the back wall, and a long-running burger-and-IPA menu. Live acoustic music seven nights a week in summer; the dinner-cruise crowd's pre-board hour fills the patio at 5 PM.

Open hours

Beach and resort open year-round. Marina rental operations (powerboats, jet skis, parasail) run Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. M.S. Dixie II Emerald Bay sightseeing cruises operate year-round; sunset dinner cruises May through October. Horseback rides run June through Labor Day.

MondayToday8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Saturday8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday8:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Note · Last marina rental return at 6:00 PM (jet skis) or 7:00 PM (powerboats). M.S. Dixie sunset dinner boards 90 minutes before departure; check-in closes 30 minutes prior.

Ticket pricing

Per-person admission. Buy in advance to skip the gate line.

M.S. Dixie II — Emerald Bay sightseeing cruise$79Adult, 2-hour daytime cruise to Vikingsholm; daily, year-round
M.S. Dixie II — Sunset dinner cruise$119Adult, 3-hour dinner-and-cruise; reserve 48 hours ahead in summer
Jet ski rental — 1 hour$165Single rider; double-rider models +$35
Powerboat rental — 4 hours$595From — 21-foot deck boat sleeps 8 with cooler space
Parasail flight$99Single rider, 12-minute flight; tandem $179
Beach day-use parking$12Per car — non-resort guests; resort guests free

Reserve M.S. Dixie sunset dinner cruises 48 hours ahead in summer for window-table seating. Jet ski and powerboat rentals require a valid driver's license, a $500 credit-card deposit, and the Lake Tahoe AIS inspection sticker (purchased on-site, $35). Horseback rides ($75/hour, June–Labor Day) book at the stables across Highway 50, not the marina kiosk.

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