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    Vikingsholm Mansion

    4.1 (67 reviews)

    Vikingsholm Mansion Museums Photos

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    Start of the tour, first Room is the living room.
    Deirdre F.

    Great tip from previous Yelpers to arrive before 9AM to get a parking spot in the small lot! We got the 3rd to last spot I think! The hike to the Mansion is all downhill so not bad. The hike back to the parking lot was a bit of work, but we managed with our 8 year old, so it's do-able. Prices have gone up on admission so they can keep up with restoring the residence. Adults are $15, Seniors, Military & Children under 6 are $12. A tour guide/ docent takes you through to a few areas and talks about Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight and the history of Vikingsholm. We are then free to wander and check out the rest of the property. Many areas are roped off (which makes sense), but you can still see enough to get a sense of the space. We enjoyed the tour.

    David D.

    This is such a gorgeous home. I really love the setting. Set right on the beach. No neighbors. I just wonder how this woman ever managed grocery shopping in her day. Before all the chain stores were here. Before all the tourists were here. And no road to drive her car down to the house. I guess she must have carried all the groceries down the hill. The home is very well built and the woodsy interior are beautiful They have a very nice walking tour throughout the house.

    Vanessa R.

    Really cool house turned museum! Affordable. You have to hike down the hill a bit, not too bad, to get to it but it's worth it. Beautiful architecture, views right on the lake, trees and nature all around!

    beach
    Robert C.

    Vikings in California? We were staying at Olympic Village in North Tahoe and left at 830am Wednesday for the drive to Emerald Bay. Four places traffic was stopped due to construction with flagman single lane controls. 27 miles and one hour later, we passed the Vikingsholm parking lot on the lake side, every spot taken in the lot, and on the side across the road . We drive another 200 yards down highway 89, past the construction on the overflow lot on the hill side of the highway, check with the construction worker who nods his head, and turn right into the hard to find Eagle Falls parking lot. It's only 930am, but we take one of the very few parking spots left, by the flush toilet bathrooms. Wife is drinking coffee each morning, and can only hold it for 2 hours maximum before wetting her pants and the car seat. We wander up to the vista half a mile away, for views of Emerald Bay, amid the stream from Eagle Falls. Stairs here and some climbing over boulders, but most people still in their sneakers. 15 minutes later we hit the road for the mansion, walking past the 35 vehicle parking lot, completely full, along side a wooden plank walkway to the highway. Crossing the highway is risky, with cars coming full speed around blind curves. Don't want to become road kill. 200 yard forced march uphill to the Vikingsholm parking lot, all 55 spaces filled. Kiosk sells parking tickets for $10, $9 for seniors -old farts like myself. Go past a sign that says $72 mandatory contribution to Governor Brown for vehicles without parking stickers. Next sign says no dogs and no bicycles -don't want to run over some old lady, while going 30 mph downhill around a curve. We take pictures at the vista at the start of the trail overlooking beautiful dark green Emerald Bay. 1 mile downhill walk to the mansion. The trail is a service road of gravel and dirt, with fleeting views of Emerald Bay through the heavy forests. Some ladies in low heels and others in sandals, and men in flip flops, who should know better. A few guys with toddlers on their backs and shoulders -don't trip on the occasional tree root! 15 minutes later we are at lake level and the bathrooms -another pit stop for the wife. Across from the bathrooms 100 yards away is the beach in front of the mansion, and pier for the tourist boat cruises crossing the lake. The mansion does not look that spectacular from the back. Just another wooden building in the woods. From the front, it looks awesome, with a circular stone turret corner one side, and a rectangular stone turret corner on the other side, with ornate Scandinavian trim. The lady who owned the place had the side of the building done in a circular turret because she had an expensive rug that was circular that needed to fit. What some women do! Down the road, is the visitor center, with tours going for $10 a head. Would you spend $10 on parking, and then $10 per person on a tour? I inherited my cheapskate genes from my tight fisted first wife. Should have brought a book to read, and let my second wife go on the 20 minute tour. The visitor center has all sorts of interesting history of the mansion, with black and whites, and even a film on the restoration process of the mansion. Who needs a tour? Ice cream sundries sold here. We head back to the parking lot. It's like the Grand Canyon -easy to come down, but much, much harder to come back up. 600 foot elevation gain over 1 mile, at 6000 feet elevation, much of it with no cover from the sun on this hot August day. 30 minutes later I'm breathing like Darth Vader, tongue hanging out, like I just survived a death march!

    R. C.

    Vikingsholm is a great place to visit, offering beautiful architecture and a fascinating story behind its creation (no Viking colony on Lake Tahoe, sorry). It seems like most people drive here but we arrived from the water, beaching the boat right in front of Vikingsholm during a day of exploring Emerald Bay and Fannette Island. Make sure to bring your camera as you'll definitely want to take pictures of this place!

    View of Vikingsholm from our MS Dixie boat
    Annette H.

    The views up to Vikingsholm were breathtaking. Unfortunately the day that we went, there was so much construction going on. I think they were repaving some of the roads, so they'd shut down one lane, and you'd have to wait your turn for the patrol car to lead your side of the road across the way. Cars were backed up for miles. Since this was my first time to Emerald Bay, I wasn't sure what to expect. Saw the sign for Vikingsholm so we parked, but didn't see any castles, so I was a little confused. The friendly employee at the parking booth and an officer who happened to be chatting with her told me that I could get tickets down at the visitor's center, which was a mile hike down by the water. I was a little concerned because I wasn't sure how my mom would do on a steep hike, especially since I didn't even prepare her for it in advance! The walk down wasn't too bad, though we did observe a few other older folks hiking back up to the parking lot and breathing heavily. But we figured we could take our time on the way back. Finally got down there just in time for the 2:30pm tour (which are only done in the summer months until the end of September). Paid $10 each for tour tickets. The castle was pretty but it wasn't as spectacular as I had expected (apparently I went on our Tahoe trip with too high of expectations or something??). Got to see some of the bedrooms around the castle, but I probably could have skipped the tour. I'm sure all the info we were told is easily found online. The trek back up wasn't easy for Mom. We had to stop a few times to breathe and get her heart rate lower. But it was doable and we were very happy when we reached the top. Took some great photos when we finally got back. If we weren't pressed for time, we would have sat near the water (there are picnic tables) for a while longer. Beautiful views.

    Bryan W.

    If you had just one day and only one day to visit Lake Tahoe in the summer, what would you do? What would you see? What would you eat? My girlfriend and I faced this exact "first-world" problem recently when we decided to make a spontaneous day-trip to Tahoe. When researching activities in Lake Tahoe, you are going to get MILLIONS of different hits. And that's because the Tahoe region (spanning between California and Nevada), has been popularized time and time again as the perfect weekend getaway - regardless of whether you go in the winter to enjoy the slopes, or visit in the summer to bathe in the crisp and clean water. If you are planning your 9,000th trip to Lake Tahoe or your very first, Vikingsholm is definitely one of those hidden gems that might grab your attention. A 38-room mansion/castle along Lake Tahoe, Vikingsholm is a window into the history and architecture of the region. We ended up paying a visit on our 24-hour escape to Tahoe and we wholeheartedly recommend booking a tour at Vikingsholm! Vikingsholm mansion is located at the shore of Vikingsholm beach/Emerald Bay within Emerald Bay State Park. Even if you are directionally challenged like I am sometimes, it's pretty easy to get here. Depending on which direction you are coming from, just remember Highway 89. It's the only road that gets you to the state park. I'd really recommend coming EARLY (like at 8-9am), otherwise there will be NO parking. And though there's street parking all along Highway 89, the main parking lot (Vikingholm/trail parking lot) gets you closest to Vikingsholm/Emerald Bay. It's $10 for the whole day and you can pay either at the kiosk or through the parking vendor. Once you get down to the mansion, it's also another $10 to book a tour ($8 for students), and so I suggest spending more time exploring Emerald Bay to get your money's worth. After parking, you will have to walk about a mile from the lot down to reach the mansion. Though this may seem strenuous, it's totally worth it, because aren't the best things in life the ones that require work? Personally, I absolutely LOVED the little trek down to Vikingsholm mansion. It only takes about 15 minutes (maybe 20 going back), but you see and hear so much. Birds are chirping, mini waterfalls are flowing, and the rock formations are SO awe-inspiring. The really nice thing about Emerald Bay State Park is that there's PLENTY of signs everywhere to guide you where you need to go. Once you exit Vikingsholm Trail, you'll be pointed towards the castle and the visitor's center. The visitor's center is a little building that has small gifts and maps for tourists. This is where you can purchase tickets for the tour and ask the workers questions you may have. Luckily, tours happen every half hour, and so you don't need to worry about getting here at a specific time! If you have any remote interest in architecture or history, Vikingsholm mansion is a MUST-DO. Basically, the first half of the tour (15 minutes) consists of a guide giving you a whirlwind tour of the castle (e.g. basically a bit about the owner's upbringing, how/why the place was developed, the different rooms in the mansion, etc.). I really thought that our guide was super coherent and very detailed; usually, information like this flies over my head, but I remembered everything she said! And the second half of the tour is essentially free time for you to explore and grab photos. And boy was Vikingsholm mansion BEAUTIFUL! There's at least 9-10 different rooms you can go through (upstairs and downstairs), each providing a new glimpse into the early 1900s. It's so AMAZING how well everything was preserved. And I love the fact that each room was small, yet had so much character. I really admire the time and effort the park employees put in to keep the mansion in perfect shape; it's so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. My favorite part was definitely exploring all the living quarters and seeing how each differed. All in all, I have to say that Vikingsholm was definitely worth an "omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. When you're in Lake Tahoe, I'm sure you will want to go swimming or skiing. But there's also more "off-the-beaten" path adventures that are waiting to be discovered. Vikingsholm mansion was truly a fun and casual little stop along our escape into Tahoe. It's quick, relaxing, and very informative. I totally recommend this to anyone! Have fun and prosper,

    Trail from parking on road to Vikingsholm Parking Lot

    Nice grounds and historical buildings. There are bathrooms, picnic tables and access points to other trails (Rubicon). Easy hike down a gravel trail. The hike back up wasn't as fun. Fortunately, the trail is shaded! Great views of the bay from the parking lot. .

    Paolo H.

    This is a popular tourist destination so finding a place to park can be a bit challenging depending on what time you arrive. The cost to park is $10. To get to the mansion you will need to walk a mile, downhill, along a well maintained dirt road. Along the way you'll pass by a number of small waterfalls. There is very little shade so be sure to bring water, sunglasses and a hat. You can purchase tickets along with snacks and souvenirs at the Visitors Center located a little further down from the home. There are bathrooms located at a separate location near the home. Ticket prices for Adults is $10, Children 7-17 years is $8 and kids 6 and under are free. The 30-min tour was informative. It was interesting to view the Scandinavian architecture and to learn about the history of the home and the owner. The castle is located within scenic Emerald Bay State Park. Exploring this area alone can be a trip in itself. After the tour I recommend walking a short 0.3 miles along the Rubicon Trail to visit Eagle Falls. The day I visited there was a ton of water flowing down the falls. Be sure to also bring along bathing suits for some water fun along the lakeshore. If you're feeling adventurous you can kayak to a small nearby island called Fannette and explore mini-me castle ruins.

    Sharon E.

    This place was worth the hike.. It was winter and half of the lake close by was frozen... I cautiously checked the thickness of the ice and made my way to the center.. and then told my wife to take a photo of my daring but stupid act.. uploaded a pic of the same.. Parking on the top is a bit tricky.. if you do not find a space, wait for one or come back later.. Since I could see the park official driving by now and then and placing tickets on cars which were parked on the road.. The hike is about one mile.. Going down is the easy part.. Coming back up is the hard.. Since its a steep climb back up.. Carry some water with you... as you will need it back on the way up.. The castle has a viking feel to it.. with all the sharp edges... The view is awesome..

    The view of finet island from the castle
    Rose V.

    This is a beutiful hike. The tour of the castle was really nice. The story of the castle makes it even more amazing. Staff was amazing. Tour guides are super knowledgeable.

    Little hobbit like house
    Jennifer N.

    While I didn't do the tour of house, I count my visit down to Vikingsholm as one of the high points of my Tahoe adventures. There is a small lot at the top but it fills up rapidly on weekends. I parked on the street and ended up walking just a bit further-no big deal. At the top of the trail down to the Visitor's Center, there are amazing views of Emerald Bay and plenty of photo ops. Take the trail to the left and enjoy the scenery of the woods, surrounding peaks and views through the trees of the bay. Once at the bottom, there is great signage pointing the way to Lower Eagle Falls. Do not miss these falls this spring-they are breathtaking. I've added some photos to my review of the Eagle Falls trailhead. You could feel the air get cooler as you approach the falls with mist in the air-just pure magic. I went in to the Visitor Center, where tickets are sold to browse (didn't take the tour this time) and noticed they sold some snacks and water in addition to the souvenirs. The surrounding grounds were lovely and then open up to Emerald Bay. All in all, even without taking the tour, there is plenty to do and worth the 2 mile round trip. The ascent back up wasn't too bad, if you're in moderately good shape. Yes, it's a full mile straight up but it's not terribly steep and goes by quickly. Great way to spend the afternoon, especially if you tack it on to a trip to Eagle Lake.

    A group of us Scandinavians taking the hike
    Jennifer T.

    This is yet another spot my parents would take us kids to for an easy 2 mile hike and picnic. The house was built by a woman who said the bay reminded her of the fjords of Norway. The small 16x 16' castle on Fanette Island was her tea house! The house has nice intricate celtic detail, the stable buildings have grass growing on the roof which is very Scandinavian( I am scandinavian) and when the house was being built she said do not cut down one tree to build this house. So as a result the trees are inside the property or part close to the walls. I like this area becasue there is a nice beach where lots of people come and tie up their boats and hang out all day because the Bay is calm and not so windy as the rest of the lake. There are GREAT trails that head through here like the Rubicon hiking trail and Bays Head. Up at the road you can park and hike uphipp 1 m ile to Eagle falls and Lake. This little lake is AMAZING, clear, and surrounded by cliffs. Just beautiful and romantic all in one. A great place to hike up to and take a book and picnic and chill all day. The best part about it, DOGS ALLOWED! All of Tahoe's hiking for the most part, dogs are allowed. But Vikingsholm is a must do, when you are in Tahoe as a tourist.

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    Definitely a hike down and minimal parking but totally worth it! Beautiful house and splendid staff.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Vikingsholm Mansion

    Review Highlights - Vikingsholm Mansion

    mostly the first third of the hike up I would say was the hardest, but basically the rest of it was better...

    Mentioned in 28 reviews

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