Birthday Getaway: Reno & Tahoe

Joe and I have a tradition of doing a joint birthday getaway ever since 2012 (our first birthday together). The only exception was 2015 when I was less than one month postpartum. Here's a little walk down memory lane:

2012: Vegas (pre kids - bottom right)

2013: Santa Barbara (bottom middle)

2014: San Francisco (top right)

2016: Pinecrest (top middle)

2017: Reno/Tahoe (left)

As you can see, aside from 2012 when we didn't have kids, this was our first kid free birthday trip in a lonnnng time. Much overdue, you could say. Reno has been on our bucket list since we moved to Sacramento so that was the first stop on our getaway, followed by North Tahoe the next morning. 

We got to Reno around 10:30 in the morning and explored the "biggest little city" while killing time until we could check into our hotel. We lost some money gambled for a bit, hit up a buffet complete with mimosas, walked along the river, and gambled a bit more. Our hotel was called Whitney Peak and it's one of the few non-smoking, non-gambling hotels in the city, which I highly recommend if cigarette smoke is not your thing. We settled in and caught up on Game of Thrones (we're already behind again - #parentlife). Then it was off for dinner and a show. We ate more sushi than two people should possible be able to eat. I'm talking SIX rolls...and not small ones either. It may be awhile before we eat sushi again, but it was so, so worth it. Afterward we saw Cirque Le Noir, which is an acrobatic show with former Cirque du Soleil members. I think Joe said "Wow!" about a million times and I bit off all my nails, so definitely a must-see if you're in Reno. Afterward we wandered around sipping margaritas and trying our luck at the slot machines one more time (spoiler alert: we're not lucky). Even though she took most of our money, Reno was the perfect start to our birthday weekend. Scroll down for part two, Lake Tahoe.

Sunday morning we checked out bright and early and headed down to North Lake Tahoe (about 40 minutes away) for a kayaking adventure. I haven't spent much time in North Lake Tahoe, but after our visit I can already promise we'll be back. It is easily one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, and I'm counting Hawaii in that assessment. The water was the most beautiful clear turquoise right along the shore, and a deep dark blue that let you see all the way to the bottom of the lake further out. Being surrounded by pine trees, and snow capped mountains in the distance...it was too pretty to put into words and these pictures don't do it justice. Expert tip: get there early because the parking lot fills up fast in the summer and then you have to take a shuttle (thankfully we got a spot). We explored the rocky areas near the beach for a bit and then we got our kayak and paddled up the shore until we came to the wise conclusion that it was much easier to just let the lake take us where it wanted while we relaxed with our feet in the water, taking in all the sights. After a few hours and a very awkward capri sunburn on the bottom third of my legs we headed back to shore and reality. The only consolation to leaving was that we've already decided we'll be back with the kids. I could easily have spent a week right there at that beach and I know the kids will love it just as much. 

Thanks for following along on our birthday adventures! I have a feeling next year's will top them all since we'll be going to Germany for my sister's wedding.