Venture to South Lake Tahoe

Wake up and have breakfast at the hotel; either something quick and easy from Tahoe Provisions or a full meal back at the Lone Eagle Grille. You'll start the day with a bike rental from Big Blue, an on-site bicycle shop. The staff is great about recommendations and can offer helmets and locks as well.

Make a stop at the panoramic view of the lake. Here you can walk down to the water and wander around the rocks for a while. In the evening, there is a beautiful sunset, which tourists and locals come to watch.

Take your bike and enjoy a scenic ride along the water on the Tahoe East Shore Trail, which has more than a dozen vista points and access to several beach areas. The paved pathway is wide and easy to share with joggers and other pedestrians. Once you reach Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, you'll want to hop off the bike and explore the area on foot.
The centerpiece of the park is Sand Harbor, a gorgeous area where water, trees and easy-to-climb rocks all meet in one place. There's also a beach to stretch out and soak in the sun, so don't forget to bring a towel from the hotel. Keep in mind: you're in a state park. So be prepared to pay an entrance fee, even when biking.

Bonsai Rock is one of the most photographed spots in Lake Tahoe. It's an odd, but beautiful sight, emerging from the water with four trees on top, limited in how tall they can grow due to their barren location.
Take one of several unmarked trails down to the water to see Bonsai Rock to the north in all its glory. It's a steep, but quick hike – and the photographs are totally worth it.

Bike back to the Hyatt Regency and return your rental to Big Blue. If you're ahead on time, take a few minutes to bike west of the hotel down Lakeshore Boulevard, a stretch dubbed "Billionaire's Row" by locals due to the expensive real estate.
Check out of the hotel and pick up your car. Time to drive toward South Lake Tahoe.

Park at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and have lunch at The Oyster Bar, a true hidden gem in the lobby and gaming area. The ultra-casual restaurant combines a raw seafood bar with jumbalaya, pan roasts, gumbo and other savory dishes. The Oyster Bar also carries red Manhattan-style clam chowder, which you don't see often in the western United States.
All guests are served at a single wrap-around counter for a direct, interactive experience. No reservations. Seating is first come, first serve. Lunch shouldn't take long, but account for extra time in case there is a wait.

Wrap up your Lake Tahoe getaway with a visit to Vikingsholm, a striking (and surprising) example of Old World Scandinavian architecture on the water in beautiful Emerald Bay. The mansion, modeled in the design of a castle, was built in 1929 by a Swedish architect and is now a historic landmark.
It's a quiet, but serene setting that includes sweeping vista points and the only waterfall that flows directly into Lake Tahoe. Visitors take a short one-mile hike from the official parking lot to Vikingsholm. Tours run every 30 minutes in the summer months from June to September with tickets available at the Visitor's Center.

Break up the drive back to San Jose with dinner in Placerville, a captivating mountain town in the heart of El Dorado Country's wine and lumber industries. Drive through the historic downtown area, which feels like a trip back in time to the mid-20th century and have dinner at Franny's Farm Table.
Chef Frederick Reyes presents dishes with fresh, simple ingredients, whether it's new takes on comfort food favorites (like chicken and waffles or avocado fries) or prime steaks and wild-caught seafood.