Beyond the Obvious in Truckee: Powder days and trail weekends
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Truckee? If you like the idea of paddling across Donner Lake, getting artsy sketching by mountain light, and are daring enough to try snowmobiling over powdery ridges, Truckee is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from chairlift chats to fireside feasts and give you a crisp sampling of Truckee's outdoor culture and creative pulse.
Jessica, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Jessica is a born and raised Angeleno who has spent 30 years bouncing between East LA, the Westside, and the Valley, usually with a trunk full of boxes and a strong opinion about neighborhoods. She moved eight times between 2013 and 2023 and genuinely loves it, especially the decluttering part and the chance to reinvent herself with each new move. A former teacher of eight years, she has taught everyone from pre K kids learning their ABCs to high schoolers stressing over college essays. She loves California for the beaches, sunshine, hidden lakes, and hikes that feel like they belong in another state entirely. Her guilty pleasure is the Custard Front Drive donut from Donut Friend, she road trips whenever possible, and she is slowly working through a bucket list of every national park. She lives with two bonded cats, Marty the black cat and Jelly the tabby. At Snappy Scout, Jessica edits California guides with deep local instincts built over decades of real CA living.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in Truckee?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
On a Saturday with perfect weather
Sunrise paddle on Donner Lake, brunch at Jax with a smug grin
When the gals come to town for the weekend
Wine flights at Uncorked Truckee, DIY flower crowns at Atelier
Rainy dreary day
Linger at a coffee shop, then browse Word After Word books
Intellectually stimulating
Donner Memorial Visitor Center, tales of emigrants and railroad grit
Artsy
First Friday art walk, mural spotting between sips of local IPAs
Something inside and free
Truckee Railroad Museum, tiny but nerdily satisfying, bonus caboose selfies
Outdoorsy
Hike to Donner Summit tunnels, echoing history and graffitied granite
Fitness oriented
Grind up Emigrant Trail singletrack and make your legs complain louder than traffic
If you're a shopaholic
Historic downtown boutiques, flannels so cozy you buy one in each color
With your dog
Truckee River Legacy Trail, sniffable miles and Alibi patio bribes
In need of a selfie
Rainbow Bridge overlook, Donner Lake photobombing like a glossy postcard
You have to see this
Sunset alpenglow on Castle Peak with mountains pretending to blush
My Favorite Local Spot in Truckee
Squeeze In is the perfect place for breakfast or brunch! If you’re like me and have a sweet tooth, order the cinnamon rolls. Two come with every order so you can share or have both with zero regrets. They have sweet and savory options and vegan/ vegetarian/ gluten-free dishes too.
— Jessica Montes
California Local Expert
Ready to See If Truckee Fits You?
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