15 Best Things to Do in Truckee, California (2024)

Looking for thing to do in Truckee California? Truckee has a rich and interesting history dates back to the 1800s and it has a quaint downtown historic centre, and a few gems to explore in the area.

Truckee is a part of North Lake Tahoe, but its about a 20-minute drive from most of the other villages on the north side of the lake.

Truckee has a population of just over 17,000 so its a mid-sized town with a very walkable downtown core.

We just visited Truckee, as my brother lives in the area, and we really enjoyed our time in this historic town.

You can stay right in Truckee, as there are some great accommodations in town. However, Truckee also makes for is a good half day or full day trip from either Reno (known as “little Vegas”) or anywhere in Lake Tahoe.

If you’re in South Lake Tahoe, Truckee is about a 1-hour drive.

So lets jump in – 13 best things to do in Truckee, California.

Things to Do in Truckee, California

Here are the best things to do in Truckee California

1. Walk along the main street (historic downtown)

Take some time just to walk up and down the main street of Truckee. There are some cute shops (great place to find some Tahoe and California souvenirs) restaurants, candy stores and cafés.

Its a picturesque little town with the railroad tracks and the mountains off in the distance.

Give yourself a good 30 minutes just to walk up the main street. Most of the restaurants, shops and businesses are on one side, but there’s so much to look at at pictures to take, that you’ll want to take your time and not feel rushed.

Pro Tip: While the historic downtown of Truckee is very quaint, its also quite busy and heavily trafficked, especially in the summertime and on weekends. So, just be careful when crossing the street and finding a parking spot.

2. Visit a ski resort (in winter or summer)

Truckee is surrounded by ski resorts, and winter isn’t the only time you can visit them. They are open year-round for seasonal activities depending on the weather.

In winter, skiing and snowboarding are both available, and in the summer, these resorts have activities like hiking, swimming. They also have nice ‘ski resort’ villages that you can visit any time of year.

You might be surprised how late into the year you can actually go skiing for snowboard. My brother and his partner sometimes are able to go snowboarding into the month of July.

You have your pick of 3-4 ski resorts in the Truckee area, in both winter and summer:

• Northstar California Resort – 9 minutes from downtown Truckee. Rent a bike in the summer to explore the terrain, or stay at the lodge
• Boreal Mountain Resort -14 minutes from downtown Truckee. In the summer, you can book a drop-in 2 hour session for biking (all ages).
• Palisades Tahoe – 16 minutes from downtown, and Home of the 1966 Winter Olympics!
• Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area (15 minutes) Probably the most suitable to beginners and kids who are learning to ski or snowboard. Fantastic for families, especially those with parents of kids who don’t ski

3. Grab ice cream at and old-fashioned ice cream parlour

Bud’s Ice cream on the main street has a 50s diner style to the interior, and there are a variety of ice creams to choose from.

You can get an old fashioned banana split with a variety of toppings.

Aside from Bud’s Icecream, there are a few ice cream food trucks open in Truckee in the summer months, such as Little Truckee Icecreamery Truck

4. Whitewater rafting on the Truckee River

The Truckee River is 121 miles (195 km) long and flows through California and Nevada.

Its great for whitewater rafting because there are mainly Class II rapids (wide, clear channels which are easy to maneuver) with several Class III rapids (which are a bit more of a challenge) in the last mile.

The best way to raft on the Truckee River is with a guided white water rafting professional.

You can book tours with a few local providers, Tributy Whitewater and Truckee River Raft Co.

I recommend this whitewater rafting tour on the Truckee River (3.5 hours long, and about $120 per person) for ages 13 and over.

5. Discover local history at the Museum of Truckee History

There’s a lot of interesting things to learn about Truckee history. Between the fall of the Donner party, the railroad construction, and the indigenous heritage – there’s a lot to uncover.

In fact, Truckee is one of the few railroad towns that survived as a town (most of the other railway towns that popped up in the 1800s are now ghost towns.)

You can do self-guided or private tours of the Museum of Truckee History; both of them (like the other two museums in town) have no fee, but donations are highly appreciated.

A donation of around $20 USD is suggested for a private tour. The museum is open from 10-4 from Friday through Sunday.

7. Visit the Railroad museum

The Truckee Railroad Museum is right beside the Museum of Truckee History. Its very small, with the whole thing being inside of an old train carrier.

It’s a great place to learn about Truckee’s role in America’s first transcontinental railroad, and the construction of the railroad by Chinese workers.

You can see the whole thing in half an hour to an hour at the most. It is open on weekends only throughout the year from 10 am to 4 pm.

Admission is by donation. (Anywhere from $2-$5 USD would be appreciated.)

8. Try some local food on the main street

Truckee has a lot of small business restaurants serving classic American food. In the summer, there are many outdoor patios to eat outside. In the winter, you can cozy up inside the rustic atmosphere.

For breakfast or lunch, I recommend heading to Squeeze In on the main street (its small, so you might literally have to ‘squeeze in’ to get a spot, but its a beautifully decorated interior!)

Squeeze In serves pancakes, eggs, and great coffee.

For lunch or dinner, try Old Town Tap, which has Italian-inspired food, and local beers on tap. In the warm months, it has a nice outdoor patio looking onto main street.

4. Eat mouthwatering sandwiches

The first thing we did when we got to Truckee was grab sandwiches at Full Belly Deli, and it didn’t disappoint. Fully Belly Deli is not on the main street like the other restaurants mentioned above, but just a 5 minute drive away.

Full Belly Deli makes a good post-ski or snowboard meal after you finish off on the slopes in the winter months. (This is what my brother and his partner do.)

There is has a nice shaded area to sit outside in the warm months, and hot drinks to be enjoyed with your sandwich in the cold months.

As a vegetarian, I went with the veggie press sandwich (which was delicious) but there are lots of customization options for all their sandwiches.

Full Belly Deli has three different locations (all in Nevada) and is open for open for both breakfast and lunch.

10. Get outdoors at Donner Memorial State Park

The Donner Memorial State Park is open year-round, and is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

Its a beautifully scenic area to go hiking on trails, paddle boarding, kayaking and camping in the warm months; snowshoeing, sledding and cross country skiing in cooler months.

There is also a museum and memorial about the Donner Party inside the park (who the park is named after), a group of about 87 people (mostly men, but also women and children) who migrated from the midwest.

The story of the Donner party is learned in schools by American kids, but was new to me when I visited Truckee. I will save you the gruesome details, but it is something you may learn more about in the Truckee museums.

The Donner State Park, Donner Lake and Donner road in the area are all named after these migrants who braved this journey, only half of which survived.

Of course – this doesn’t really have anything to do with how you’ll spend your time in the park, but knowing the local history will make your visit to Truckee and the Donner State Park more meaningful when you hear about its history.

Good to Know: The Donner State Park is open from 10am – 5pm throughout the year, and you just need to pay $10/day per vehicle to park there

11. Take a walk on the Truckee River Legacy Trail

The Truckee River Legacy Trail, as the name suggests, runs along the Truckee River.

It’s suitable for bikers, hikers, walkers, families and dog walkers. So, pretty much anyone can use it.

The trail is 6 miles (9.6 km) out and back, and takes just over 3 hours to complete You can read more about the trail and the current conditions for when you’re visiting Truckee here.

12. Check out the Old Jail Museum

The Old Jail in downtown Truckee is one of the few remaining buildings from the 1800s when it was an old western town.

You can see recreated rooms, photos, and artifacts from that time and learn about what life in the jail was like in those days, as well as more history about Truckee.

Like the railroad museum, the Ol Jail is typically only open on weekends from 10-4, and Thursday evenings. Dress warmly if you come in the winter, because there is no heating in the jail.

There is no admission free, but the jail is volunteer-run and donations are highly appreciated so that this attraction can stay open for years to come.

12. Sample local wine at the Truckee River Winery

Truckee’s only winery is about 35 years old (established in 1989 by two locals) and gradually expanded over the years and decades since it opened.

You can do a wine tour, a tasting and sit on their patio and enjoy with a view.

The winery is very small, and probably seats about 12 people inside in their tasting room, but has a beautiful outdoor seating area with lots of space.

You can reserve a visit to the Truckee River Winery via their online booking system.

13. Go golfing at Coyote Moon Golf Course

Coyote Moon is the only golf course in the Truckee area, and its said to be one of the best golf courses in the state of California.

They are just a 10 minute drive outside of downtown Truckee. You can book a tee time online on their website (they have daily slots open throughout the day, in the warm months.)

14. Head to KidZone Museum (if you’re in Truckee with kids)

If you’re in Truckee with kids, KidZone is a must. I’ve never seen a kid’s indoor playground quite like this one. Its inside of a dome, and has both indoor and outdoor play areas.

The indoor play areas are very much pretend-play based, and all the kids there seemed very engaged (including my two kids, 2 and 10.) There was a train station, a theatre, an art room, science room and a little playground. There was also an area specially for babies and toddlers under 2.

KidZone is probably most suited to kids who are 7 and under. However, we were visiting Lake Tahoe with our toddler, plus our older child, so we brought both of them to KidZone.

There is less that would interest older children, so I wouldn’t bring a bunch of preteens here. But our older child enjoyed playing with her younger sibling.

Good to Know: KidZone closes at 3pm on the days its open (Tuesday through Saturday) so plan your visit accordingly. They open at 10:30, and admission is $10

9. Take a day trip

Depending on where you’re staying, there is a lot to see in this area. I would definitely make sure you’re taking the time to explore the local towns.

North Lake Tahoe is only about 20 minutes from Truckee, while South Lake Tahoe is just over an hour.

• Virginia City is about an hour from Truckee. Reminds me a little of Truckee, but it was even more historic and picturesque (I’d recommend it, if you have time!)
• Carson City which has a historic downtown and lots of things to do as well. We didn’t make it there during our last trip, but my brother and his partner enjoy heading there
• Lake Tahoe (North or South), of course! Great for all travellers – we visited with a toddler

Where to Stay in Truckee

Truckee is a good place to stay because of its proximity to Lake Tahoe, Reno, Virginia City, and other places to see in the area. Here are some options in Truckee.

• Budget: Hampton Inn & Suites Tahoe-Truckee– Outdoor pool, continental breakfast and only 2 miles from downtown Truckee
• Mid-Range: Gravity Haus Truckee-Tahoe 4-start hotel with a rustic cottage vibe. They offer bike rentals to explore the area
• Luxury: Truckee Donner Lodge Very close to activities, with amenities like a pool, hot tub and a complimentary breakfast

Things to Do in Truckee, California: FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about visiting Truckee and things to do in the area

Is Truckee CA worth visiting?

Truckee is a great winter destination for winter sport enthusiasts. In the summer, you can enjoy walks in the historic downtown, whitewater rafting on the Truckee River, and outdoor activities in Donner State Park, or nearby in Lake Tahoe.

What is Truckee famous for?

Truckee is well known for the Emigrant Trail, as well as for the tragic journey of the Donner Party. It was also instrumental in the construction of America’s first transcontinental railway, which many Chinese workers assisted with. In the area, you can visit the museum of Truckee History, a Railway Museum and the Old Jail.

Is Truckee considered Lake Tahoe?

Truckee is considered apart of the North Lake Tahoe area, but its further west than the immediate Lake Tahoe area. It would take about 20 minutes to drive to Truckee from North Lake Tahoe, and vice versa.

Things to Do in Truckee, California: Conclusion

Whether you visit in winter or summer, Truckee makes for a nice place to visit while you’re in the Lake Tahoe and/or Reno area, on your own or as a family. Truckee has three museums, a cute downtown core, great restaurants and treats, outdoor activities (golf, skiing, tubing, hiking) and its not far from other places to see in the area as well.

We hope this guide has been helpful in planning your time in Truckee!