Travel site names Lake Tahoe top destination

RENO -- Lake Tahoe ranks first in the nation among choice vacation destinations, according to travel Web site,TripAdvisor.com.

The independent worldwide travel source put Lake Tahoe atop the list of its first Choice Destinations Awards, based on the opinions of millions of travelers. Tahoe ranked 10th worldwide.

"It is a testament to the beauty of Lake Tahoe, of how appealing it is in all four seasons," said Tim Maland, director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

Winners were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor travelers' favorite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.

Big Sur, Calif., was ranked second in the U.S., followed by San Francisco; Poipu, Hawaii; and Sedona, Ariz. New Orleans was ranked sixth, ahead of Carmel, Calif.; Napa, Calif.; Lahaina, Hawaii; and La Jolla, Calif.

"It is obviously a great accolade for the destination," said Andy Chapman, director of tourism for the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. "Most importantly, it comes from people who have been here.

"TripAdvisor is a social network. It is all about people gauging and voting and giving others their thoughts about their trips to the destinations. So, having the visitors and travels who have actually been here give us that kind of ranking in the world and the No. 1 ranking in the U.S. is very good for us," he said.