13. Lake Tahoe is home to multiple 19th- and 20th-century luxury homes with great historical significance. The most eye-catching one is Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion nestled on the shore of Emerald Bay. The Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, designed by Walter Danforth Bliss, is now a California state park.
14. Fleur de Lac, an estate by Lake Tahoe, was featured in the 1974 epic crime film The Godfather Part II. Many iconic scenes were filmed at the estate, including the assassination attempt on Michael, Carmela Corleone’s funeral, Fredo’s execution when he’s fishing, and the legendary closing scene of Michael sitting outside all by himself.
15. Another interesting fact about Lake Tahoe is that A Place in the Sun, the 1951 drama starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, was filmed here. The Ray and Dagmar Dolby home, which was built in 1929, can be seen in multiple scenes.
16. There are many rumors and horror stories of dead bodies in Lake Tahoe. Rumor has it that mobsters from nearby casinos used to dump victims in the lake. Some say that if you go scuba diving and brave the freezing waters, you’ll find countless bodies of people wearing clothes from the mid-20th century. (You might even spot Tahoe Tessie, too.) Many fishermen have come forward saying they’ve seen dead bodies floating on the surface of Lake Tahoe.
17. Speaking of scuba diving: Donald Christopher Windecker set out for a dive in the lake on July 10, 1994; unfortunately, he drowned in the lake. In 2011, scuba divers found his body—17 years after his disappearance. He was still wearing his wetsuit. Due to the extremely cold temperatures of Lake Tahoe’s waters, Donald’s body was well preserved.