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Tallac Historic Site

1 Heritage Way, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA

https://valhallatahoe.com/

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At the <a href="https://www.afar.com/places/tallac-historic-site-south-lake-tahoe">Tallac Historic Site</a>, you can stroll past lakefront mansions from the early 1900s on your way to the Valhalla Art, Music, and Theatre Festival, held across the property’s historic boathouse, Grand Hall, and Grand Lawn. Three stately homes here belonging to the Baldwin, Pope, and Heller families are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still have some of their original furnishings. The Baldwin Estate, built in 1921, now houses the Tallac Museum, while the neighboring Pope Estate, built in 1894, offers docent-led tours. On summer weekends, costumed staff walk around the property, playing real people from its history. Be sure to wander through the Pope Estate’s arboretum, a tranquil spot with a pond, a small waterfall, and a collection of plants and trees from around the world.

At the Tallac Historic Site, you can stroll past lakefront mansions from the early 1900s on your way to the Valhalla Art, Music, and Theatre Festival, held across the property’s historic boathouse, Grand Hall, and Grand Lawn. Three stately homes here belonging to the Baldwin, Pope, and Heller families are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still have some of their original furnishings. The Baldwin Estate, built in 1921, now houses the Tallac Museum, while the neighboring Pope Estate, built in 1894, offers docent-led tours. On summer weekends, costumed staff walk around the property, playing real people from its history. Be sure to wander through the Pope Estate’s arboretum, a tranquil spot with a pond, a small waterfall, and a collection of plants and trees from around the world.

Photo by Russ Bishop/age fotostock

Garden pond at Tallac Historic Site, Lake Tahoe, California USA.

Russ Bishop/age fotostock

A 150-acre lakefront property, the Tallac Historic Site showcases Tahoe’s long-ago “Era of Opulence.” In the late 1800s and early 1900s, several prominent San Francisco families built their summer homes here, constructing more than 20 lodge-style mansions in the woods and along the beaches.

Now owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the area is also home to the 200-seat Valhalla Boathouse Theatre, which hosts excellent concerts all summer long, and the Valhalla Grand Hall, which accommodates larger shows and events.

Time your visit to the Valhalla Art, Music, and Theatre Festival in mid-June through August, or just stop by and stroll the grounds after a day of hiking, swimming, or hanging out on the lake.

By Ann Marie Brown