6 Best Lakeside Towns in Nevada

Nevada is known for its stunning alpine lake, Lake Tahoe, which straddles the border between northern California and western Nevada in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Spanning 72 miles of shoreline, the Nevada side of the lake encompasses roughly 30 miles. In all, Nevada is home to more than 200 lakes and reservoirs. From Incline Village on Lake Tahoe's north shore and Boulder City near Lake Mead to Zephyr Cove on Lake Tahoe’s southeastern shore, Nevada's six best lakeside towns offer a unique blend of stunning natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and serene settings, making them ideal destinations for relaxation and outdoor adventure.

Incline Village

Incline Village is a thriving, year-round resort community. The town is named after the Great Incline Tramway, an impressive engineering feat that transported lumber from the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains to the shores of Lake Tahoe. Incline Village is renowned for its stunning beaches and upscale vibe and is the perfect destination to enjoy lake life. Visitors can rent a stand-up paddleboard or a kayak to explore the nearby coves. Outdoor enthusiasts can also head to Mount Rose Summit, an overlooked local landmark with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe, accessible by a winding roadway almost 9,000 feet above sea level.

If all that sounds too strenuous, visit Sand Harbor State Park—one of Lake Tahoe’s most photographed spots. Stretch out on the beach, swim in the spectacular crystal-clear waters, and admire the striking rock formations. It’s also a venue for the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, a well-respected cultural event held in the park since 1972.

Boulder City

Near Lake Mead, America’s first National Recreation Area (NRA), Boulder City has small-town charm in spades, with easy access to many recreational activities. Jet skiing, swimming, and fishing for striped bass in the lake’s brilliant blue waters are just some possible activities. For scuba divers, the lake is a must-dive location to see underwater buildings, streets, and artifacts frozen in time, submerged beneath the waters of Lake Mead.

Boulder City is also famous for Hoover Dam. To learn more about the dam's construction and the history of the town built during the Great Depression and the overlapping Dust Bowl, visit the Boulder City-Hoover Dam Museum.

Hawthorne

A must-visit town for military history buffs and armchair generals, Hawthorne is known as "America's Patriotic Home." The Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot is the world’s largest artillery storage facility. Its museum has a sizeable collection of inert missiles, bombs, and rockets to discover.

Hawthorne is also a popular destination for lake lovers. Nearby Walker Lake, a desert lake that is 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, offers plenty of outdoor adventures. The lake is endorheic, meaning it has no outlet, so water flows into it from the nearby Walker River but does not drain out. Still, it’s a striking natural landmark in the area and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. It’s also a prime spot for birders and boaters, and anglers are drawn to the lake for its bass and trout fishing.

Zephyr Cove

Zephyr Cove is famous for its sandy beaches, where sports lovers have free access to professionally-sized beach volleyball nets and courts with the sparkling blue waters of Lake Tahoe as a picture-perfect backdrop. Plenty of resorts are on the lake, including the Tahoe Beach Club, the Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, and the Zephyr Cover Resort, whose private rustic Tahoe-style cabins make for the perfect weekend getaway. The resort also operates the M.S. Dixie II, a custom-built paddlewheeler built in 1994, which is available for dinner cruises and private charters.

Near Zephyr Cove, Heavenly Mountain Resort is a year-round destination accessible from both the Nevada and California sides of the border. After a scenic gondola ride to the summit, over 10,000 feet above sea level, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the lake. In winter, it’s a major destination for skiing and snowboarding, but in the summer, it becomes a paradise for fitness buffs who like to hike, bike, or zipline through the trees.

Stateline

Visitors looking to enjoy Lake Tahoe at night need not look any further than Stateline, which sits on the border of California. Stateline’s downtown area has four casinos: Harrah’s, Harveys, and the Golden Nugget. The town is also known for its eclectic restaurant scene, with eateries like a location of Gordon Ramsey’s popular Hell’s Kitchen, the Edgewood, and the Chart House offering steak, seafood, and a side order of a spectacular view of the lake.

Van Sickle Bi-State Park is one of the few U.S. parks spanning two states. The park has several popular trails, like the Van Sickle Trail, a short walk that rewards hikers with stunning sunset views of the lake, and the Tahoe Rim Trail Connector, a 6.4-mile out-and-back moderately challenging trail that loops around the lake.

Silver Springs

Silver Springs is the perfect destination for visitors interested in learning more about Nevada’s storied mining history, thanks to its proximity to the Comstock Lode and Virginia City. The Comstock Lode was a rich deposit of silver discovered in 1859, giving Nevada its nickname as the “Silver State.” The town is located at the intersection of US-95A and US-50, also known as the loneliest road in America, near the Lahontan Reservoir. Originally built to bring water to nearby farmlands, the reservoir is part of the Lahontan State Recreation Area, a popular spot for boating, fishing, camping, and enjoying the great outdoors. The park is also home to wildlife, including bobcats, foxes, and deer. Migratory waterfowl also use the reservoir, and the area is a well-known nesting site for bald eagles.

Summary

Nevada, known for its arid desert landscapes, isn't naturally abundant in lakes due to its dry climate and limited rainfall. Its most famous lake, Lake Tahoe, is an oasis that stands out against the desert. In contrast, reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lahontan started as ambitious engineering projects and have become top recreation destinations, attracting millions of tourists annually. While lakes may be scarce in the Silver State, these six lakeside towns are cherished by locals and visitors seeking water-based activities and scenic beauty in the heart of the desert.