The recent closing of North Lake Tahoe's Ponderosa Ranch may have left some tourists feeling left in the lurch, but Incline Village isn't just a one trick pony when it comes to attractions. How much sarsaparilla can a person really drink anyway? Here's a novel way to spend the day in Incline Village: see what it's like to be a rich guy as well as a regular Joe.
Start your day at the top of the heap. A man known to his friends as "Captain" George Whittell built the Thunderbird Lodge in 1936, but don't let the name of the place fool you. It's not another knotty pine hotel. The house is an architectural beauty, sitting on part of the 40,000 acres the Cap'n acquired with visions of building a million-dollar casino and hotel. Before you start thinking of the man as the Mr. Burns of Tahoe, look around you: he obviously changed his mind. A developing interest in nature and conservation refreshingly outweighed his desire for big bucks, and he held on to the huge estate for the rest of his life. Present-day tourists can now essentially step through a time tunnel into the Tahoe of the past, when only the ultra-elite had property here and built opulent homes worthy of envy.
Guided tours include the stunning main house (plus behind-the-scenes areas such as the cooks' quarters) as well as its unusual additions, such as a lighthouse and a glass-enclosed bridge. Take a gander at the fancily embellished elephant garage, which housed - you guessed it - an Indian elephant that once lived on the estate. The card house is supposedly one of the few remaining examples of its type of building: a spot where men and their best pals supposedly played cards, but just as readily smoked, drank and otherwise caroused. Something about the atmosphere will make you suddenly crave a single malt Scotch.
If you make plans to coincide with one of Thunderbird Lodge's ritzy wine and dinner events, you can have that drink after all. Don't despair if you miss a special event, as there is plenty yet to do, including the simple marvel of trying to imagine this place if Whittell's original vision had panned out. Play the "I'm a developer" game while viewing the pristine landscape and see if you can pick out the best spots for neon signs and diners.(5000 Hwy. 28, 775-832-8750 Tour costs vary from $25 for a bus tour to $110 for boat tours. Tours dates and times are seasonal, so check ahead.)
After seeing how the rich half live, contemplate the pleasures of being an ordinary working class stiff with the best that lowbrow Americana has to offer: bowling. Bowl Incline is a comfortable place to get away from the chi chi tourist restaurants and the ski snobs, with 16 lanes for laid back bowling bliss. Practice your best Fred Flintstone imitation while having a cold beer and mingling with the locals. Try out the golf simulator and redeem yourself for all of your real-life golfing gaffs on the greens. Test the theory that each beer improves your score.(920 Southwood Blvd., 775-831-1900 $3.75 per game with $2.25 shoe rental.)
Afterward, further celebrate the simple life with a big fat burger at Rookies, a popular neighborhood sports bar nearby. Now this is the good life! Savor each bite with thankfulness that you don't live on a mansion on a hill where you have to eat tiny arugula salads and sip wine from a dainty flute. It's good to be Joe.
This guide to the best of both worlds in North Lake Tahoe's Incline Village was brought to you by Elizabeth Kelly.