Thunderbird Lodge tours begin this week

Due to high demand, the 2010 summer season will start early at Thunderbird Lodge, a historic house museum at Lake Tahoe. Public tours of the old George Whittell mansion began Tuesday and continue through mid to late October.

"The nonprofit Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society has offered docent-guided tours for nine years now and more than 50,000 visitors have toured Whittell's Castle-in-the-Sky," said manager and curator Bill Watson. "We continue to be grateful for the community's donations and support."

Despite an economic downturn, visits to Thunderbird Lodge were up by more than 20 percent in 2009, according to a prepared release. To accommodate demand, the Preservation Society is adding additional tours of the estate on Saturdays.

Visitors to the Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site hear the legend and lore of the adventurous and unconventional George Whittell, including tales of his big game animals, high-stakes poker games, Duesenberg automobiles and more. From the estate's stone terraces, visitors enjoy sweeping vistas of Lake Tahoe as it appeared in the 1930s. Docents will guide visitors down the tunnel and past the lion's cage to see the legendary Thunderbird Yacht, now celebrating its 70th year on Lake Tahoe.

Public tours of the Thunderbird Lodge and grounds are generally offered Tuesdays through Saturdays from May through October. Reservations are required for all tours and visitors may choose a tour that arrives by shuttle bus, boat or kayak. Tours typically last 90 minutes and require walking approximately 1/3 mile. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Land tours depart the Incline Village-Crystal Bay Visitors Center at 969 Tahoe Blvd. (Highway 28) in Incline Village. All visitors must arrive and check-in at the Visitor's Center at least fifteen minutes before the tour's scheduled departure time.

Land tours cost $39 for adults and $19 for children ages 6-12. For land tour reservations and information, call 1-800-468-2463 or book online at www.thunderbirdlodge.org.