I am absolutely delighted to be writing about my second-favorite place in the United States, beautiful Lake Tahoe. I recently spent Memorial Day weekend there with my girlfriends, where one of them lives in a rustic cabin in the woods. My love affair with South Lake Tahoe began two summers ago when I visited for the first time. Since I’m a nature-, beach-, water-, sports-loving kind of gal, it was love at first sight. We went boating, wakesurfing, paddleboarding, hiking, jet-skiing and just relaxed!

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. The lake is deep, wide and bluer than blue, surrounded by the stunning Sierra Nevada Mountains. With a surface elevation of 6,225 feet, the lake straddles the border between California and Nevada. Watch out for altitude sickness — it’s a real thing, and you’ll feel it the first few days. Tahoe is also easily accessible from most West Coast cities by car or plane, making it the perfect quick weekend getaway!

The second time visiting made me fall in love even more. We hiked Eagle Falls Trail and Emerald Bay (both are must-see attractions in South Tahoe), where the waterfall was raging with runoff from the mountains. It was great to see mounds of snow still there in May! We beached at Zephyr Cove and hit up a tiki bar one day, then spent the next day on the lake boating and soaking up the breathtaking scenery. Nights consisted of dancing, casinos or just chilling at home and cooking. It was the perfect balance!

I have to mention both times I’ve visited, I seem to walk away with many new friends, which is not the case in the majority of my travels. The locals of South Tahoe are incredibly warm, welcoming and eager to show off Tahoe’s endless offerings. I find this rare and extraordinarily special. Tahoe’s pure beauty and simplicity has a way of providing instant peace and harmony in your life. There are plenty of adventures to be had during the day and live music and libations to enjoy at night. If you’re into casino life, there’s plenty of that too, on the Nevada side, of course.

— Rafie Iannello, account director, Pacific Rim