Sand Harbor State Park is a sandy, beautiful beach with crystal-clear water on Lake Tahoe’s east shore, just south of Incline Village. It’s easily one of the best places to paddleboard or kayak in Tahoe, and you can even rent paddleboards and kayaks right from the beach. While you can launch from plenty of spots around the lake, Sand Harbor is the most convenient. There’s a $15 entrance fee, but the easy parking, calm shoreline, and quick access to the east shore make it worth it. From the beach, you can head north or south and immediately get those clear-water, big-boulder views this side of the lake is known for.

I especially love it in the off-season when the crowds fade, and you can actually enjoy the beach, since it gets extremely busy in the summer. The park also has a scenic boardwalk that winds along the shoreline and connects to the East Shore Bike Path, making it fun to explore even if you’re not getting on the water.