Lake Tahoe ski, car, flight, hotel prices 2/10-->3/4 2010

 Hey, thought I would pass along what worked for me budget wise traveling  from Maine to Tahoe for 3+ weeks. A friend will be out February vacation week, but I will be on my own before and after.

I purchased Kirkwoods 6wood pass for $239.  It has gone up and the time to purchase the 6wood is ending soon.  A very nice bonus to the season pass is that it reduces the ticket price at many Lake Tahoe areas- for example Mount Rose is $45 with another areas season pass.  I also will be able to ski at Saddleback in Maine for $35 a day, any day because of the Kirkwood season pass.

Dollar rental car in Reno for $138.60 for a Ford Fusion or similar per week before taxes and fees. Found on Dollar web site.  I could save a few bucks with a compact, but the midsize Ford has more safety features as well as being a larger vehicle.

Southwest from Boston to Reno direct with 1 stop for $246 including taxes and fees (southwest.com). Direct on the return from Reno to Boston.  Not only does Southwest allow 2 free bags underneath, but their policy states 1 ski, 1 pair of boots and poles count as 1 item and are free!  Many airlines policies indicate a double-potentially large charge for skis.  I will be bringing 3 pairs of skis and other assorted items in a large ski bag.  So long as it is under 100 pounds it is $50 each way (gotta Love Southwest baggage:).  I will tavel direct by Bus from Portland to Laguardia for about $35 round trip.

Staying at Motel 6 in South Lake Tahoe 2/10 - 3/4 for an average of $34.19 a night before taxes and tip. Best price found going directly to Motel 6 web site.  The room has a microwave/mini-fridge which I thought was a great improvement.  I have spent time in a Motel 6 and I am ok with the sparse room.  Searching reviews on this specific hotel, clean and nice were mentioned frequently.  The Google Earth view shows a major stream passing right by the hotel.  This provides a large track of wild land both down to Lake Tahoe and across the street up into the mountains.  

I found much better deals on travel, hotel and car rental by going directly to the sites than using kayak or even hotwire.  Not only were the prices better, but the terms were much better working directly with Southwest, Dollar and Motel 6. I purchased injury insurance for my ski pass.  If I cancel the flight I receive a credit good for 1 year.  I can cancel my hotel and car rental reservations 24 hours before with no penalty.  Only Kirkwood and Southwest have my money. My goal is to have the 22 days average $110 per day for the vacation including everything.

I like your post. I wish everyone would post priceing when a ski trip is planned. I commend you for that.

But, you said you are flying Boston to Reno then you mention Laguardia.?? Which is it, Boston or New York.??

Also, is that Southwest air-fare round trip.??

Tahoe is on my radar too....has been for a long time.

An issue I see is the rental car. If you get any storms it may be difficult getting to Kirkwood (let alone Mt Rose) but most of the time it should be fine. Remember to get chains.

What Smellytele said about the car.  The alternative would be to rent an AWD/4WD vehicle, but over the course of three weeks, the chains will easily pay for themselves.  If you're a Costco member, I'd check with their tire center (775-689-2235) to see whether they carry chains; they're literally across the highway from the airport.  (Obviously, it's also a great place to stock up on prepared foods for your kitchenette.)

I assume that the Motel 6 reservation is not pre-paid, and you can cancel without penalty?  Assuming that's correct, I'd also continue to check Reno, Sacramento, and Bay Area Craigslist, as well as VRBO, for lodging options closer to Kirkwood.  Other than President's Week, you won't be staying during high demand time, and private party rentals should be willing to effectively throw the weeknights in at nominal cost.

If you're thinking about dividing your trip between the south (Kirkwood, Heavenly, and Sierra-at-Tahoe) and north (everywhere else) areas, I'd suggest dividing your hotel stay as well.  There are good budget lodging options on the other side of the lake as well, and you don't want to have to drive around the lake on a powder day.

Oops my mistake-it is Logan out of Boston. Thanks for the heads up on the chains-knew about it, but always a good to hear it.  Yes no penalty on the cancellation and I will continue to look for better deals.  More $$ could be saved by not having the car, but I hope to do some back country and travel some .