Can You See Vikingsholm on an Emerald Bay Cruise?

The castle from the water

Vikingsholm was built in 1929 for Lora J. Knight, a wealthy Chicago widow, with around 200 workers on the project. California bought the land in 1953 and the mansion joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. From a boat you see the whole building, which you cannot do from the trail, where trees block the view until you reach the beach.

Fannette Island rises about 150 feet above the water just offshore. The stone tea house on top was built in 1928 and 1929 in the same period as Vikingsholm, and only the stone shell remains today. The island is closed in April and May for wildlife breeding and is day use only from sunrise to sunset.

What it costs to see it from the water

A standard 2-hour Emerald Bay sightseeing cruise starts at $105 per person on the Daytime Scenic Cruise and runs to $150 per person for a wine tasting cruise. A private yacht-class boat tour is $642 per group. These prices cover the bay and its sights but not a tour inside the castle.

The land tour inside the castle

The guided tour inside Vikingsholm lasts about half an hour. It runs every half hour from 10:30 am to 4 pm, with no 12:30 pm tour for staff lunch, first-come first-served. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $15 for students 7 to 17 with valid college ID, active duty military and seniors.

Children 6 and under are free. Tours run seven days a week from Memorial Day until the end of September.

Combining boat and castle

The simplest day is a partner package. You board in the morning, cruise into the bay, land near the castle and join the guided tour, then ride the boat back. That saves you the climb out of the bay, which is the hardest part of the land route.

The two trail options

The short way is the steep one-mile trail from the Highway 89 parking lot. The gentler way is a less steep 1.5-mile trail from the Eagle Point Campground campfire center. Dogs are not allowed on either route. Down at the bay, Lower Eagle Falls is about a quarter mile behind the Emerald Bay visitor center if you want to add a waterfall.

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. An Emerald Bay Transit Pilot Program runs Memorial Day to Labor Day and affects highway parking, with shuttle service from South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma. Check the shuttle before you drive, because parking fills early in summer.

Boat versus hike, side by side

Hiking is cheaper once you have paid parking, but the boat saves the climb and the parking hunt. Here is how a cruise day compares with driving and hiking.

What you get for the money

The Sightseeing Cruise of Emerald Bay from Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave Cruises costs $125 per person for 2 hours and holds a 4.8 rating from 1,036 reviews. The Daytime Scenic Cruise from Zephyr Cove Resort is $105 per person with a 4.5 rating from 437 reviews. Wine tasting versions run $150 per person, and the Sunset Champagne Cruise is $134 per person.

Zephyr Cove's Daytime Scenic Cruise asks you to check in 30 minutes before departure. On-site parking there is limited and a complimentary shuttle runs from select Lake Tahoe areas, which you opt into at booking. Spirit of Tahoe runs daily year-round Emerald Bay cruises of about 2 hours from Ski Run Marina at 900 Ski Run Blvd in South Lake Tahoe, and Tahoe Bleu Wave departs seven days a week, year round, from Tahoe Keys Marina and Yacht Club at 2435 Venice Dr.

Who it suits best

Choose the cruise if you have limited time, are not keen on a 400-foot climb at 6,225 feet lake level, or want wine and sunset with your scenery. Choose the hike if you want the inside tour at the lowest cost and enjoy a workout. Do both if you have a full day: cruise in the morning, land tour after, since tours run every half hour until 4 pm.

Booking and timing

Tours are first-come first-served and bought at the Visitor Center, so arrive early in the day in summer. Skip the 12:30 slot, which does not run because of staff lunch. If you arrive by boat on a partner package, your castle tour is coordinated for you.

How to plan around a closure

A cruise is the safe bet in any season, because the bay and the castle exterior are visible from the water whenever boats run. Fannette Island closes in April and May for wildlife breeding, which affects photography plans but not a bay cruise. If the inside tour matters to you, confirm tour status on the Emerald Bay State Park website the day before you book.

Options if the trail is too much

Email EmeraldBayADA@yahoo.com before your trip for ADA assistance between June and September. A partner boat and castle package through Cruise Tahoe, Action Water Sports or the Sierra State Parks Foundation gets you from the water to the tour without the mile of steep trail.

What else pairs well

Eagle Falls Picnic Area is at 138 Emerald Bay Rd, about 8 miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89, and Eagle Lake is a 20-minute walk beyond it, though day hikers past Eagle Falls need a wilderness permit from the self-serve area at the trailhead. If you bring your own boat to the bay, motorized vessels need a Tahoe inspection, $65 for vessels up to 17 feet and $95 for larger, and boats may anchor only in the designated anchor zone to protect historic artifacts.

Lake water runs 40 to 50 F in February and 65 to 70 F in August, so a summer swim at Vikingsholm beach is pleasant and a spring one is not. Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide with 72 miles of shoreline, and its deepest recorded point is 1,645 feet, so there is plenty more water to explore after the bay.