Truckee, California

One of the things that Californians always seem to tout as one of the best things about their state is that you can swim in the ocean in the morning and ski down a mountain in the evening.  I have checked out a bit around the ocean side so when my friend Ashley suggested a weekend in Truckee, I jumped at the chance to not only see her but explore the mountain side of California.  As a Floridian, I have to admit that every time I see snow I feel like it is Christmas because that was the only time I saw snow as a kid when we made our way north to grandma's house. So when it started to snow on Sunday morning, I felt like a giddy little kid.

Truckee is a small town that is about a 30 minute drive to the north side of Lake Tahoe. We stayed downtown in the Truckee Hotel that has been a continuously running hotel since the 1800s. The location is great, right in the middle of the town and an easy way to walk around and explore the shops, restaurants, and bars in the area.

We spent Saturday afternoon snowshoeing around nearby Donner Lake.  The town has a shop where you can rent gear.  We bundled up in the cold only to start shedding layers as soon as we built up a sweat with the activity. I have not been snowshoeing in many years and my hips were definitely talking to me afterwards but we saw some beautiful scenery and it was a fun way to get out and see the nature in the area.  The snow was so high that at times we were level with the branches and I almost tripped over a picnic table that was completely covered in snow.