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Have you started your holiday shopping yet?
It seems like a crazy question, as we just celebrated Thanksgiving, which quickly gave way to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The holidays are stressful enough, as we try to prepare our calendars and to-do lists to ensure we get our decorating, chores and daily tasks done to spend adequate time with our loved ones.
In a world of fast fashion, convenience and overconsumption, the desire for unique and thoughtfully handmade gifts is on the rise. Quality is starting to replace quality, but that can be difficult to find in larger chain stores and online markets.
Luckily, Tahoe-Truckee has a plethora of local businesses that showcase high-quality and unique items, including arts and crafts, photography, home decor, jewelry, coffee, sustainably-sourced food, toys, gift baskets and more. There’s truly something for everyone!
I’m here to help you get through the shopping portion of your holiday to-do list with my curated guide of local businesses and vendors. I am positive you can find the perfect gifts for your loved ones while supporting the local economy. Happy holidays!
For a full catalog of Tahoe vendors, click here.
Fine Arts, Crafts and Home Decor
Give the gift of a print from local legend Chris Talbot. Photo Credit: Talbot Fine Art Gallery
Talbot Fine Art Gallery
No trip to Lake Tahoe is complete without seeing Chris Talbot’s photography. His iconic images of the region can be found in hotels, restaurants, businesses, gift shops and online publications. Visiting his gallery is a must if you’re in Incline Village and offers a chance to purchase prints or postcards for your loved ones. The perfect gift for any Tahoe, travel or photography enthusiast!
Location: 889 Tahoe Boulevard, Suite C, Incline Village
Twilight and Rust Gallery
Featuring the work of local landscape photographers Jonathan Thompson and Robert Cole, Twilight and Rust is a gallery dedicated to inspiring adventure and delivering high-quality images to your home or workspace. You will find stunning images of Lake Tahoe in various sizes and formats as well as custom framing options. These make incredible gifts for photography and outdoor adventure enthusiasts!
Location: 4000 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, Suite 32, South Lake Tahoe
Give the gift of art at The Hot Spot. Photo Credit: The Hot Spot
The Hot Spot
Give the gift of art! Formerly called All Fired Up, The Hot Spot offers a fun space for creatives to paint on pottery and canvas and make candles, mosaics and garden crafts. Perfect for all ages, The Hot Spot has three convenient locations in Tahoe City, South Lake Tahoe and Reno. The studio is perfect for a solo art excursion, dates, birthdays, office parties, bachelorette parties and more. The opportunities are endless to create gifts and memories!
Locations: Tahoe City, South Lake Tahoe and Reno
Gathered and Grown Home
Founded by a mother and daughter, Gathered and Grown Home is a cozy blend of a coffee bar and home decor gift shop. Here, you can slow down and enjoy a mindfully blended beverage as you shop for unique gifts in various creative styles, ranging from larger furniture pieces to smaller artistic trinkets including candles, mugs and festive figurines.
Location: 595 Tahoe Keys Boulevard, Suite A2, South Lake Tahoe
Bespoke and Atelier
Bespoke and Atelier invites you to slow down and shop with intention and mindfulness. You will find an eclectic array of unique local items and crafts from artisans and creators in the region, including stationery, jewelry, soap, clothes and handmade toys for children.
Location: 10098 Donner Pass Road, Truckee
Food and Drink
Tahoe Oil and Spice is the premier destination for gourmet food, chocolate and self care items. Photo Credit: Tahoe Oil and Spice
Tahoe Oil and Spice / Dorinda's Chocolates and Essentials
Tahoe Oil and Spice is the perfect place shop for the foodies and cooks in your life. And you can taste the high-quality products for yourself in their tasting room. Here, you can be assured that everything has been carefully sourced to bring you the highest-quality products from around the world, including olive oils, balsamic vinegars, honey, jams and pasta.
Now fully integrated with Dorinda’s Chocolates and Essentials, Tahoe Oil and Spice is your one-stop shop for everything delicious and luxurious. Dorinda’s Chocolates offers an assortment of award-winning, handcrafted flavorful confections, including favorites such as sea salt caramels, peppermint bark and Dori-os. You can even build your own custom box.
Location: 10091 Donner Pass Road, Suite B, Truckee, CA
The Pour House
The Pour House believes that wine and cheese are more than an indulgence, they are a passion that should bring you joy. Featuring unparalleled customer service, The Pour House staff is here to help you find the perfect wine and cheese pairings.
Featuring local and international brands of the highest caliber and affordable prices, The Pour House aims to support local businesses and bring you flavors from around the world. They also host tasting events so you can sample an assortment of flavors.
Location: 10075 Jibboom Street, Truckee
Dart Beverage Center
Located in a former wine warehouse, Dart Beverage Center is the go-to spot in Stateline for a large variety of high-quality beer, wine, liquors and cigars.
Location: 148 U.S. Highway 50, Stateline
Grocery Outlet
Locally owned and operated, Grocery Outlet has convenient locations in Incline Village and Truckee that offer high-quality products at affordable prices. These large stores carry a wide variety of grocery items, produce, cheese, flowers, meat, home and garden supplies, holiday decorations and beauty products, ensuring even the pickiest shopper can find something for a great deal.
Locations: Incline Village and Truckee
More InformationRestaurant Gift Cards
The Tahoe-Truckee region has a wide variety of locally owned and operated restaurants, featuring bold flavors and unbeatable views. Perfect for the food lover in your life, a gift card to a restaurant is a great way to fill an appetite and support our local economy. With more than 400 top-tier establishments to choose from, we guarantee you can find a place that suits their palate and will leave them wanting to come back for seconds!
Click here to view the full list of local restaurants.
Toys
Toy Maniacs
Fun for kids of all ages, Toy Maniacs is the go-to toy store in South Lake Tahoe. Family-owned and operated, Toy Maniacs carries the largest selection of unique toys in the region, including dolls, educational kits, hobby models, RCs, drones and kites and offers free gift wrapping services.
Location: 2180 Lake Tahoe Boulevard #3, South Lake Tahoe
Tahoe Kids Trading Company is dedicated to sustainability, community engagement and quality products. Photo credit: Tahoe Kids Trading Company
Tahoe Kids Trading Company
Tahoe Kids Trading Company knows that kids grow fast, so they are dedicated to minimizing waste by selling sustainable and unique new and gently used toys, clothing, books, gear, gifts and essentials for newborns and children. Their trade-in program allows customers to sell their used items for store credit.
Location: 2314 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe
Find the perfect ring, necklace and statement piece at Bluestone Jewelry. Photo Credit: Bluestone Jewelry
Bluestone Jewelry
With two locations in North Lake Tahoe, Bluestone Jewelry is the region’s go-to store for Tahoe-inspired jewelry, fine jewelry, custom-designed statement pieces and fine art. The Truckee location also boasts a selection of fine wines, including a variety from local wineries.
Locations: Tahoe City and Truckee
Steve Schmier’s Jewelry
For more than 40 years, Steve Schmier’s Jewelry has been a trusted destination for stunning and superior quality jewelry, including the iconic Lake Tahoe-inspired necklaces, bracelets and pendants, meticulously crafted with opals or diamonds.
Steve Schmier’s Jewelry prides itself in crafting heirloom pieces that can be passed down and treasured for generations. They also offer free ring cleaning.
Location: 760 N Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City
There's truly something for everyone at Mountain Hardware and Sports. Photo Credit: Mountain Hardware and Sports
Something For Everyone
Mountain Hardware and Sports
With two locations in Truckee and one in Incline Village, Mountain Hardware and Sports is North Lake Tahoe’s premier destination for home decor, tools, camping and fishing gear, clothing and accessories. They even offer expert services including gift wrapping, key cutting, fishing licenses and curbside pickup to make your shopping stress-free.
Locations: Truckee and Incline Village
The Village at Palisades
Palisades Tahoe's legendary village comes alive for the holidays and offers unparalleled alpine views, world-class skiing and dining and shopping options for everyone. This European-style village is lit up and adorned with festive decorations, enough to lift your holiday spirits as you stroll through storefronts and browse through galleries, apparel, ski gear and unique boutiques. You're sure to find a gift for the skier or après enthusiast in your life here!
Location: 1750 Village East Road, Olympic Valley
For more holiday shopping ideas, visit our Shopping section. And for the rundown of holiday happenings, be sure to visit our Lake Tahoe This Week Events section.
About the Author Kirsten Alexis
Kirsten is an outdoor adventure enthusiast, writer and photographer. You can typically find her hiking, paddleboarding, cross-country skiing and checking out new spots to share in the Tahoe Donner region. She has been lucky to call Tahoe her second home since she was a child and aims to inspire people to experience Tahoe and fall in love with the beauty and adventurous spirit of the region through her blogs and content. 
