Does the Emerald Bay Cruise Pass Fannette Island and Its Tea House?

What you see from the deck

From the water you get clear views of the island, its stone Tea House shell on top, Vikingsholm Castle on the shore, and Eagle Falls. The Bleu Wave sightseeing cruise covers the 6 miles of water from South Lake Tahoe with views of Fannette Island, Vikingsholm Castle, Eagle Waterfall and the Rubicon aboard a 1966 classic yacht with indoor and outdoor seating.

The bay is small and sheltered, about 1.7 miles long and about two-thirds of a mile wide at its widest point, so the island stays in view for a good stretch of the trip.

Bring a camera with a zoom if you want a close shot of the Tea House. The stone shell is small from deck level, and the boat holds a legal slow speed while you are inside the bay.

The island rules

California State Parks manages the island as part of Emerald Bay State Park. It is day use only, open from sunrise to sunset. Camping and dogs are prohibited. The state park page says the island is closed in April and May for wildlife breeding.

The island can be reached only by watercraft and swimming to it is prohibited. Kayak rentals at the bay are first-come, first-served from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through summer, and afternoon winds often rise, so mornings are best. Hand-launched kayaks get a free inspection at any Tahoe watercraft inspection station and all gear must be clean, drained and dry before and after launching.

The Tea House itself is an open stone shell with no door, roof or floor furniture to see. There is nothing inside to tour, so most travellers are happy with the views and photos a cruise provides.

Option one: see it from a cruise

A Sightseeing Cruise of Emerald Bay takes 2 hours at $125 per person and passes the island, the Tea House and Vikingsholm in one trip. It is the easiest plan and needs no gear, permits or parking hike.

Option two: paddle your own craft

Launch a kayak and cross to the island inside the bay. Remember the rules: day use only, sunrise to sunset, no camping, no dogs, no swimming to the island, and the island closes in April and May for wildlife breeding. Afternoon wind on the lake is a real factor, so go early.

What about walking there?

You cannot walk to the island. The nearest land access is the Vikingsholm area at the head of the bay, reached by a steep one-mile trail from the Highway 89 parking lot, and the water crossing from there still needs a craft. Parking at Emerald Bay State Park and the Vikingsholm lot is $10.00 for vehicle day use or $3.00 per hour, by cash with exact change or card, and federal passes are not accepted.

Who built it and why

Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight built Vikingsholm, a 38-room summer mansion in the Scandinavian style, completed in 1929 after the foundation was laid in 1928 with around 200 workers. She also owned Fannette Island and built the stone Tea House on its summit in 1928 to 1929. The park records note that she rarely used it.

The tea house room measured 16 by 16 feet and held a small fireplace, a large oak table and four oak chairs. Vandalism later took its roof, door and windows, and the structure was restored in 2007. Only the stone shell remains today.

From private estate to state park

The estate changed hands after Knight. Harvey West sold the Vikingsholm land to California in 1953 for half of its appraised value, and Emerald Bay State Park was established the same year. The park now covers 1,533 acres, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969 and became an underwater state park in 1994.

Vikingsholm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. When you pass the island on a cruise, you are looking at the last private building from that estate era still standing in the bay.

Price comparison

The table below lists the daytime options first, then the sunset and wine sailings. All pass through Emerald Bay. Book ahead in summer, since the most popular daytime departures fill first.

What justifies the fare

Emerald Bay was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969, and Fannette Island is the only island in a lake with 72 miles of shoreline, so you are not going to see it by accident. Glaciers carved the bay and the island is believed to be a granite rib the glacial ice flowed over, which is why it stands alone in the water.

On the water you also get the scale of the lake. Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, sits at around 6,225 feet at lake level, and plunges to 1,645 feet at its deepest recorded point. On a clear day the water is remarkably transparent, though clarity has fallen about 25 percent in recent decades and the 2025 annual average Secchi depth was 69.2 feet.

Practical points check out too. Crews are US Coast Guard licensed captains on the longest-running operators, some of whom have cruised Tahoe for 47 years. Check-in is 30 minutes before departure on some sailings, on-site parking is limited and a complimentary shuttle runs from select Lake Tahoe areas if you opt in at booking. Against a $10.00 day parking fee and a demanding hike, many travellers find the $105 to $125 daytime fare fair value.

Tour details and prices

Tours run 7 days a week from late May through the end of September, lasting 30 minutes, with departures every half hour from 10:30 am to 4 pm and no 12:30 pm tour. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $15 for students 7 to 17, college ID holders, active-duty military and seniors, and children 6 and under are free.

Getting there is the hard part. The trail from the Highway 89 parking lot is a steep one-mile walk, so the climb back is the same mile uphill. The state park describes it as a steep two-mile round trip with about 400 feet of elevation gain. A less steep 1.5-mile trail reaches Vikingsholm from the Eagle Point Campground campfire center.

You can combine the two. The Sierra State Parks Foundation partners with Action Water Sports and Cruise Tahoe for Vikingsholm by boat packages, which spare you the hike. If you do both a cruise and the castle tour on the same day, book the morning sailing so the afternoon tour slot stays open.

Where to stay the night before

If you have an early sailing, base yourself in South Lake Tahoe. The Bleu Wave departs from Tahoe Keys Marina and Yacht Club at 2435 Venice Dr, and the Spirit of Tahoe sails from Ski Run Marina at 900 Ski Run Blvd, both in South Lake Tahoe. Staying near either marina keeps your morning simple.

Day hikers extending their trip beyond Eagle Falls need a wilderness permit from the self-serve area at the trailhead, and Eagle Lake is a 20-minute walk from there.

Typical schedules

A 2-hour Emerald Bay cruise operates May to October with up to 4 cruises a day, 7 days a week. The Spirit of Tahoe runs daily, year-round cruises to Emerald Bay, passing Fannette Island, Vikingsholm Castle and Eagle Falls, with fall sailings at 11:00am to 1:00pm on weekends and 2:00pm to 4:00pm until October 18, then 1:00pm to 3:00pm from October 19. The Sunset Champagne Cruise to Emerald Bay runs 4:30pm to 6:30pm until October 18 and 4:00pm to 6:00pm after, shifting with sunset.

The Tahoe Bleu Wave departs seven days a week, year round, from Tahoe Keys Marina and Yacht Club. If you want the Tea House in the best light, morning departures usually beat the afternoon, when wind picks up on the lake.