Gift Giving Guide, Lake Tahoe Style

By Shanie Matthews | Tuesday, December 6, 2022

It is gift giving season, and Lake Tahoe is filled with wonderful ways to delight those you love and care about. 

From beautifully detailed hanging art to adorable clothing that your child will cherish, from handmade lotions, candles and soaps to gourmet-flavored oils, there is no reason to shop in the city. Tahoe offers so many fantastic ways to find that unique treasure that is perfect for your beloved while at the same time supporting small business.

Photo: Tahoe-themed ornaments from Cabin Fever in SLT.

Check out these eight local businesses that will make your holidays that much more special. Of course, there are hundreds of more stores where you can find gifts in the Tahoe area. See the complete list here and be sure to use our feature that allows you to sort by type of goods you're looking for, from jewelry to outdoor gear to bath and body products. Enjoy the hunt!

The Cork & More

South Lake Tahoe

A business with a longstanding history for being the go-to place for a great gift, The Cork & More offers gifts and food for a merry holiday. The quaint shop is reminiscent of a gourmet boutique in Napa Valley with a delectable assortment of fine cheeses, specialty foods and wines. To make things easy, they will create incredibly beautiful custom gift baskets that will be the favorite gift at any home. They also have a fantastic deli that will bring your feast to the next level as well as seasonal decorations that will make your home feel festive. 

The Robin's Nest is filled with fun things for the home. Photo courtesy of The Robin's Nest

The Robin's Nest

Kings Beach

An adorable boutique and gift-giving emporium, The Robin's Nest is filled to the brim with gifts for all ages. They offer one-of-a-kind Tahoe treasures along with a nice selection of home decor, Tahoe souvenirs, local t-shirts and hats. They also offer a lovely section filled with locally made soaps, candles and lotions. If you are looking for a special ornament to commemorate this season, look no further than The Robin's Nest. Their assortment of Christmas decorations is one that is hard to top. For the sweet tooth, they have Tahoe Toffee as well as the wood-carved bears that are so appreciated throughout the area. For the person on your list who is hard to buy for, The Robin's Nest offers other rare gift ideas like Tahoe wooden maps and inspirational gifts. For the gardener in the family, they have entertaining gadgetry that makes digging in dirt that much more fun.

Tahoe Oil & Spice

Truckee

Tahoe Oil & Spice is the perfect place to find a unique gift for the amateur or professional chef in your circle. Stocked with more than 25 extra virgin oils and flavor-infused oils as well as more than 30 premium and flavor-infused balsamic vinegars, Tahoe Oil & Spice is in a league of its own for offering quality gift ideas. The olive oils are of impeccable quality, with many coming from the southern hemisphere, while the balsamic vinegars hail from Modena, Italy. They also offer tasty honeys, jams, spices, rubs and handmade pastas. Tahoe Oil & Spice also offers customizable gift baskets. To first try their incredible merchandise, check out their tasting room that's open six days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The vast array of olive oils at Tahoe Oil & Spice is simply impressive. Photo courtesy of Tahoe Oil & Spice

Cabin Fever Shopping Emporium

South Lake Tahoe

Cabin Fever has made a name for itself as a first-rate place for finding Tahoe gifts. Located in Ski Run Marina, Cabin Fever is a great place to visit for that perfect Tahoe souvenir or gift. The shop offers a variety of small Tahoe mementos like magnets, key chains and shot glasses as well as larger fun items like the popular Lake Tahoe hand-carved bears and something for every sports fan. They have a great book selection written by local authors as well as stories based around Lake Tahoe. Another entertaining aspect to the store is their giant selection of ornaments. They are able to personalize any item, which makes for a fun gift.

All Fired Up!

Tahoe City

All Fired Up! gives you the opportunity to create your own gift. A sanctum for all things crafty, All Fired Up! makes it simple to make your own pottery, candles or other handmade treasures. There is no limit to age or experience, and the store is filled with all of the supplies you will ever need, making your job as easy as just showing up. To help you get in the mood, All Fired Up! invites you to bring your own bottle of wine, bubbly or beer. 

A gift from Talbot Fine Art Gallery could include photographic art to hang on the walls or lessons in taking your own Tahoe photography.

Talbot Fine Art Gallery

Incline Village

There is something satisfying about giving a gift that keeps on giving for years to come. That idea is simple to create at Talbot Fine Art Gallery. A stunning display of photographic art, Talbot Fine Art Gallery is a superb place to find a piece of art that will give sparkle to any room in the house. The gallery offers photography showcasing the eye of local legend Chris Talbot, with shots from his various world travels including images from Lake Tahoe as well as northern Europe, Central America, rural Nevada, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Singapore. Another gift idea that Chris offers are his custom photography tours that take clients around Lake Tahoe while training them to take professional photography. An awesome gift for an aspiring photographer, I can say from experience that there is something special about learning about professional photography in this awe-inspiring part of the world.

Will & Ivey

Stateline

Will & Ivey is a marvelous place for finding clothing for your favorite kiddo that is modern yet timeless, not to mention incredibly comfortable. The boutique clothing store for children is filled with its own line of clothing for children and babies, and the owner and designer, Sandra Ney, specializes in making outfits that are comfortable and easy and that kids want to wear. Each design is thoughtfully created by Ney, with focus given to play time to nap time and everything in between. For adults, Ney also offers her super comfy, stylish designs at her store, Tahoe True. To help you feel even better about your purchase, a portion of all profits supports children in foster care.

Toy Maniacs

South Lake Tahoe

Toy Maniacs is one of those stores that you could spend hours in perusing the aisles. No matter what your age, Toy Maniacs is going to have some spin on fun for you or loved ones to enjoy. Offering a huge spectrum of toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, science games and models, this is the place for good hearted entertainment. Toy Maniacs is also the best place in the basin (and maybe California overall) to go to for radio-controlled toys like planes, trains and automobiles.

It is toys galore at Toy Maniacs, including matchbox cars. Photo courtesy of Toy Maniacs

After you have found all the gifts needed for your holidays, be sure to finish your day with one of the great events happening in Lake Tahoe. Learn more at either our Daytime or Nightlife page.

About the Author Shanie Matthews
A longtime Lake Tahoe local, Shanie is a freelance writer, Vinyasa Flow yoga teacher and positivity warrior. A true lover of the the gorgeous Tahoe region, she connects with the serenity of the mountains via skiing, biking and backpacking. She also believes in the gift of yoga and its way of allowing one to become his or her true best self, a passion she shares with the world with her online yoga studio.
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