Stardust Vacation Club Owner Site

Summer Events

Do you want to play indoors or outdoors or both? In a town that never shuts down, both is often the answer when visiting the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.

Wildflowers are popping up at lake level now, with the higher elevations not likely to be awash in color until late summer. The delay is because of all the snow.

Before thinking about hiking in the higher elevations, check with our staff or the local Forest Service office. Explore Tahoe in the Heavenly Village is a great resource for where to hike, getting some history about the area and picking up the local public bus. It’s also an excellent place to take your kids.

Plenty of beaches in the area have water toys to rent - like kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboats and motorboats. The wind can pick up in the afternoon, so be cautious about getting too far from shore.

Cycling is another fun activity in the area. Rentals are available at the activities center if you don’t bring your own bike. Lots of fun dirt trails of all ability levels abound. A few paved trails exist, but it’s the dirt that makes you really feel like you are in Tahoe.

Less stressful is a ride up the Heavenly Mountain Resort gondola. The views - well - we don’t think they get any better. Be sure to get off at the midway point and walk the 360-degree platform. Make sure your camera battery is charged.

Another Kodak moment is being aboard one of the two paddle-wheelers - Tahoe Queen or M.S. Dixie II. They offer cruises to Emerald Bay in the middle of the day and at sunset.

If music is what you are looking for, Harveys is again having its outdoor concert series. There is also the Lake Tahoe Music Festival, events at Valhalla at the Tallac Historic Site, shows inside the casinos, and lesser-known acts at smaller venues. A good source for events is www.tahoesouth.com.

If you want to keep up with what is going on with local news now or when you are here, LakeTahoeNews.net is the only source for news and activities about Lake Tahoe seven days a week.

As always, our front desk staff doubles as our concierge service and are ready to assist you with your plans.

Happy Summer!
Kathleen

Best fireworks west of the Mississippi

Fourth of July in South Lake Tahoe is all about the fireworks.

The free extravaganza is appropriately called Lights on the Lake. This is because the fireworks are shot off from a barge floating in the lake. With the midnight, black sky, the colors are brighter than most anywhere else.

The American Pyrotechnics Association, a trade association for the fireworks industry, ranks the Lake Tahoe South Shore the fourth best Fourth of July display in the country. New York, Chicago and Washington took the top three spots.

The fun starts at 9:45pm - well, at least the fireworks do.

The show is set to music provided by KRLT-93.9FM - so be sure to be close to someone with a radio. It just adds a whole different dimension to the event.

The fun can be an all-day thing. If you are going to watch the fireworks from one of the beaches, be sure to stake out a spot early. Also, it gets chilly at night, so bring layers and not just traditional beach clothes.

Many of the beaches don’t allow alcohol on the Fourth.

Also, no personal fireworks are allowed - on either side of the state line.

Consider hiking to one of the waterfalls during the day - Eagle Falls and Cascade Falls are in the Emerald Bay area. With the abundance of snow this year, it’s still melting in the higher elevations and making its way to lake level.

Several restaurants have dusted off their out outdoor furniture to make dining outdoors an option. Some are near the lake, some more inland. Our staff can direct you to the flavor of food you crave.

Assigning Mountain Modern renovated rooms

GREAT NEWS! As of June 20, 2010 there will be at least ONE Mountain Modern renovated unit for each Unit Type at the Stardust (except the Moongates which were just remodeled).

Hmmm… so now that we have renovated rooms for each Unit Type - what reservations get assigned to Mountain Modern units? That and many other issues have been clarified in our most updated version of the Stardust Rules and Regulations.

To see the Rules and Regs, go to our Members section of this website by using the GREY TAB above the Slideshow at the right.

Haven’t registered to use the Members section yet? Don’t worry; just follow the steps listed on the Members page and (after we verify your ownership) you’ll be sent all the information needed to log-in.

We want you to understand your reservations, so please don’t hesitate to call us at 800.262.5077.

Happy Travels,
Kathleen

How many ways can you USE your timeshare?

Probably MORE WAYS than you think! For a quick refresher course on the many ways your Stardust timeshare ownership works for you - go to the Timeshare Use Guide in the Stardust “Members Only” section.

Haven’t registered to use the Members section yet? Don’t worry; just follow the steps listed on the Members page and (after we verify your ownership) you’ll be sent all the information needed to log-in.

We think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised to see all the different ways you can travel with your Stardust ownership.

Please give us a call for any further details. 800.262.5077.

Happy Travels,
Kathleen

Memorial Day, May 31st - Summer Begins

Memorial Day, the un-official “beginning of summer”, is almost here, and we’re ready for it!

This summer, in addition to the completion of more Mountain Modern upgraded units, we also have updated some of our favorite old standards.  Wait until you see the NEW Craft offerings we have waiting for you as part of our weekly Activities!

Our resident Craft Project Expert, Linda Adams, our Reservations Manager who can proudly claim 15+ years retail craft store management, has put together a grouping of projects that will have you showing off your handiwork when you return home from vacation.

Another upgrade launching this Memorial Day is the “This Week in Tahoe” local activities guide which will be updated weekly and available at check-in.

Big and small, our continued upgrades will help your repeat vacations stay comfortable without being stale.

BTW, our flowers are stunning, the grounds are coming back to green, and the snow-free lake level is beautifully complemented by the high Mountain snows.

We’re ready for summer!

See you soon,

Kathleen

Treat Mom to a Tahoe Getaway

Big names in music coming to Tahoe.

Tahoe is “officially” healthy… naturally!

One reason people live and visit Lake Tahoe is for the healthy lifestyle. It didn’t take a study to make me a believer, but one was done to confirm what we all know - Tahoe is pretty darn healthy.

El Dorado County in California ranked in the top 10 in a national report published by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Douglas County came in first for counties in Nevada.

The study analyzed mortality rates, smoking, obesity, binge drinking, access to primary health care providers, rates of high school graduation, rates of violent crime, air pollution levels, liquor store density, unemployment rates and the number of children living in poverty.

You can read the full article here.

Spring is almost here

Temperatures in Tahoe are letting us know spring arrives Saturday. This is quite a change from a week ago when fresh powder was the order of the day. With all the snow that has fallen this winter, it may be spring skiing until the calendar actually says summer. One of the great things about this time of year is most of the resorts start offering deals on next year’s season pass. Some places, like Sierra-at-Tahoe, offer free skiing for the rest of the season if you buy a pass for next season. In this economy, free is one of those good four letter words.

Come and visit us for some amazing spring skiing and weather.

Kathleen

2 Olympians from South Lake Tahoe compete in Vancouver

Two athletes from South Lake Tahoe, Hannah Teter and Elena Hight  are competing in this year’s Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.  Hannah won a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics and, at the same games, Elena’s sixth place finish helped earn her the sport’s “Rookie of the Year” title. 

There are another seven athletes competing from the Lake Tahoe Area, including, now two-time medal winner - Shannon Bahrke (freestylel moguls - just won a Bronze medal last night), Julia Mancuso and Stacey Cook (Alpine ski), Daron Rahlves and Erroll Kerr (skicross), Marco Sullivan (Alpine Ski),  and Nate Holland (boardercross). 

Our area is used to having it’s share of athletes around town, but watching this year’s Olympics knowing the names and faces of some of our neighbors who are competing is quite a thrill.  You can find out more about Tahoe’s Olympians, and follow their progess in Vancouver at the link below:

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/SECTION/olympics&SiteParentProfile=1057

If you want to enjoy a Winter Game of your own, come to Tahoe and play.  We’ve got Member Weeks still available and lots of Bonus Time.  Please give us a call at 530.544.5211.

Happy Travels,

Kathleen