The most common way to explore the Lake Tahoe area is to drive the 72-mile road that follows the shore through wooded flatlands and past beaches. Doing so offers a glimpse at a largely undeveloped area. Indeed, Nevada State Park occupies more than half of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, stretching north a few miles from Spooner Lake to just south of the upscale community of Incline Village. The California side, particularly South Lake Tahoe, is more developed, though much wilderness remains.

Unless you want to ski, you'll find that Tahoe is most fun during the summer. The best strategy for avoiding crowds is to do as much as you can early in the day. The parking lots for the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center, Vikingsholm, and Gatekeeper's Log Cabin Museum can be jammed at any time. Weekends are the most congested, but weekdays are busy as well.

Lake Tahoe lends itself to a geopolitical division between the two states that share it. The California side is the more developed, both with commercial enterprises -- restaurants, motels, lodges, resorts, residential subdivisions -- and public-access facilities, such as historic sites, parks, campgrounds, and beaches.

You don't need a roadside sign to know when you've crossed from California into Nevada. The lake's water and the pine trees may be identical, but the flashing lights and elaborate marquees of casinos announce legal gambling in garish hues.

September and October, when the throngs have dispersed but the weather is still pleasant, are among the most satisfying months to visit Lake Tahoe. During the winter ski season, Tahoe's population swells on the weekends. If you're able to come midweek, you'll have the resorts and neighboring towns almost to yourself. Most of the visitor centers, mansions, state parks, and beaches are closed between November and May.