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    West End Beach

    4.4 (31 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    Gorgeous water, but cooollldd!
    Kathe B.

    I have fond memories of my mom's employer's company picnics here when I was a kid, so I was thrilled to bring my kiddos to West End Beach Park for a little late summer fun! It's an easy, short drive from Reno, and for a few bucks admission, you get access to a clean, very well-maintained beach park that feels like a private resort area. The restrooms/changing rooms are clean, the beach is trash free, there are areas for large groups that have shaded tables and BBQs. They rent paddleboats and have a concession stand, too. The parks are more recent than my childhood memories, and the equipment is new and in pristine condition, tho I'd bet it gets too hot to use during the summer days. My only gripe was we were charged to enter, and only a short while later, the young man at the front entrance seemed to have abandoned post...no where to be found, as some kids were looking for a snack bar attendant and both were closed. We paid, but others were just walking right in! Overall, still a lovely place to visit and a great beach park with some upscale amenities. You could spend the whole day at the beach, and there's even camping nearby! Come pull up a chair or blanket and make memories with your family here!

    Sun and fun at West End Beach
    Jen K.

    My favorite place to lie in the sun on Donner Lake. I've been to the state park several times and also to the private Tahoe Donner beach, but this place is far and away my favorite. Every time I go to the other two locations, I freeze. And I'm talking July here people, not March. The wind whips over the pass and really hits the part of the lake where the other two beaches are located. The West End Beach is more protected. It also has fabulous views. You pay a small admission fee here. $3.00 adults 18+ and $2.00 Children 2 - 17. They have a lot of facilities as well: BBQs, family picnic areas, basketball court, tennis court, sand and grass volleyball, two playgrounds, horseshoe pits, kayak and paddleboat rentals, swimming area with certified lifeguards, boat parking and fishing area. So many of the other beaches at Tahoe are rocky, so I enjoy spending time on a nice sandy beach with a mild slope into the lake (no big drop offs). I've rented paddleboats and kayaks here which was fun. We've also done some fishing (without too much success). It is a killer getting that out-of-state fishing license for a week's vacation. Oh well, I have a kid obsessed with fishing, what can I do? This beach is also the location of the 4th of July fireworks, which I believe is reserved for locals only (you need to get tickets in advance). We've just watched them from the old highway above the lake.

    A day on the Jets
    Dave H.

    It's not Lake Tahoe. 2.7 miles across. They have a Sandy beach to park your boat or jet skis. A grassy picnic area and a concession stand serving dogs, sausages, sodas etc. We live here so coming to the west end beach each Sunday is a tradition. The water is warm in August and the lake is beautiful. This is a counter clockwise direction of travel lake. You must get a TRPA vessel inspection and a Town of Truckee sticker before paying your launch fees at West End Beach. The inspection is done at the Truckee Airport at a cost of 35.00. The Town of Truckee sticker was 20.00 and the launch fee is 10.00. So bring your wallet and or cash. Parking is a challenge for both cars and vehicles with boat trailers so get here early. We go around 8am and usually only 2 boat trailer parking spaces are left. So if you desire prime parking and a great beach spot, get here early.

    Playing at Westend Beach
    Kristine D.

    It used to really bother me that an admission fee was required to use this area on Donner Lake but, as time went on I realized the benefits of this cost more and more. This beach is immaculate. You will never find garbage all over the place. In fact, I can't recall ever seeing an overflowing garbage can. There are lifeguards on duty. Even the public restroom at this place is clean. I have to believe that all of this because an admission is charged. West End Beach is equipped with a playground for varied climbing and swinging abilities. The beach is an awesome place for sand castle building and trench digging. There are lots of shaded areas here for picnics. BBQ facilities are also available. There is even a snack bar if you don't want to bother with making anything yourself. My kids give the snow cones here two thumbs way up! Get more details about West End Beach at: http://www.tdrpd.com/west_end_beach.htm

    T J.

    This beach is chill but there is a lot of goose poop which smells awful and is often hard to avoid. The cool thing about this beach tho is that parking is free and admission is cheap and there is plenty of shade. Also you can rent paddle boat or sup boards for a reasonable price and it's fun to play around in the cove. Dogs aren't allowed.

    Donner Lake on a 74F weather

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing view and great area for water play. Love the nature and cool breeze in the area on a hot day.

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    4 years ago

    Our new favorite summer place to swim my family of 5 love this place clean and well maintained no dogs allowed.

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Love this beach. Can get crowded and parking can overflow but it's a fun day trip from Sac

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    8 years ago

    Gorgeous! Perfect for little kiddos to play in the sand and swim in calm, shallow water! Such a fun day trip

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    10 years ago

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    Ask the Community - West End Beach

    Are the hours correct? I thought they opened at 8AM on Saturdays thanks!

    Would it be difficult to use a stroller there?

    A little bit, unless you had something suitable for going off road. The area near the playground is packed dirt but closer to the water it's sand.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - West End Beach

    For only $3, you can pack a lunchbox full of goodies (including beers, heyoooo!) and make a picnic on the sandy, yet gritty shores of Donner Lake.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Donner Memorial State Park - Some boats you can rent by the lakeside

    Donner Memorial State Park

    4.2(169 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    Absolutely gorgeous park with such a rich and heartbreaking history. It's very well-maintained,…read moreespecially the monument erected on 1918 to remember the ill fated Donner Party. There is a museum with educational videos and displays of the Donner Party and the history behind the Chinese immigrants who built the railroad. The gift shop is well priced for the type of shop, and the buildings are all very clean. Great customer service. The park itself is an amazing place to visit and walk, even in the snow. You truly feel one with nature as you soak in the history and peaceful setting. Would absolutely one million percent recommend, and I'm so grateful to my best friend for bringing me here.

    Features: Abundant…read moreparking, an all-levels hiking trail; a small-if-useful museum with lots o' info about the history of the Donner Party and people heading west through the Sierras; snow, if you come on the right days. I dunno--what were you looking for out of a drive up a mountain in winter to learn about people getting stranded for making bad choices about winter in the mountains? It seems like a pretty good metaphor for something. They (the signs and the local authorities enforcing them) threaten that tire chains are necessary during winter weather events (which was most certainly a thing that was happening during our trip), but they seem to give you a pass for AWD and snow tires. Bring chains if that's not what you're driving.

    Photos
    Donner Memorial State Park - Books, mugs

    Books, mugs

    Donner Memorial State Park - 10.06.24 Donner Memorial State Park

    10.06.24 Donner Memorial State Park

    Donner Memorial State Park - Hanging out in camp.

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    Hanging out in camp.

    North Valleys Regional Park - Bathrooms.

    North Valleys Regional Park

    3.7(23 reviews)
    30.8 miNorth Valleys

    North Valleys Regional Park is located in the North Valleys of Reno. The park can be accessed from…read morethe Stead BLVD or Lemmon Drive exits. This park is huge and has a lot to offer. The park is clean and has multiple parking lots to park in. There is a skate park. There are several baseball fields. The baseball fields are in good condition. There are bathrooms at this park. However, they are closed almost every time I am visiting the park. There is a huge, grassy area to play on. There is a volleyball court, even though it's missing a net. There are two playgrounds at this park. The airplane park is shaped like a plane. It's a very cool and unique playground. Soft padding is located underneath this playground. There are no swings at this playground. The plane playground is located at the north end of the park. The playground located near the baseball fields has a large covered eating area next to it. There are swings at this playground but there are no toddler swings. There is a soft padding underneath this playground. This padding is getting worn and should be replaced soon. There are several structures to play on at this playground. North Valleys Regional Park is a large park with plenty to do. Have fun out there. -Dadzone

    This is a great splash park for the littles. There is a great play structure and lots to do! The…read morewater is cool, the staff are pleasant, and there is plenty of shade. Our group opted to rent a shaded pavilion for the day and it was perfect! I love being able to bring our own food and drinks. The price for entry is a great deal and totally worth it. However, on our recent visit there was an upsetting encounter. They are pretty strict about the type of clothing allowed to be worn for the safety of guests, sanitation of water, etc., so then tell me why a young girl was allowed to be dressed as a furry? While I understand things like that are a personal choice, I feel it was wildly inappropriate for a splash park for many reasons and should have been addressed.

    Photos
    North Valleys Regional Park
    North Valleys Regional Park - The south end parking lot.

    The south end parking lot.

    North Valleys Regional Park - One of the play structures.

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    One of the play structures.

    West End Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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