We had the opportunity to visit Strawberry Lodge in the quaint small town of Kyburz, CA. This town is located on Highway 50 between Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. It was a historic stopping point and is part of the California Gold Rush history! The lodge is still in operation with delightful rooms, should you decide to stay, and a lovely restaurant and bar. Shall we go and check out the Strawberry Lodge?
Snow was covering the ground, and there was a chill in the air. The building sits below a huge cliff known as “Lover’s Leap.” The building beckons you to enter and to enjoy its warmth and comfort.
A quick history of the place: In 1858, Irad Berry created a place to stop and called it Strawberry Station. He saw the need for a resting place for the stage coaches so that both the folks traveling and the horses could take a break on a long journey into or out of the gold country. With the help of Powell Corsley, they built what was considered an imposing hotel. The road leading to and from this place became the most used route for travel from east to west and back. And this was once a stop for the short-lived Pony Express.
The area prospered and in 1865, stagecoach driver Charles Watson took over the business.
Two years after taking over the lodge it burnt to the ground. The building was rebuilt but was not as attractive, and with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, traffic moved off this route to the north over Donner Summit. By the end of the century the town was mostly deserted.
The business went through a number of changes in the 20th century bringing life back to the area, and is now under new ownership. It has seen many changes over the years. If you find yourself in the area, it is worth the stop!
Heading inside the central doors of the building is a charming front desk. Down the hallway the lovely aromas of home cooked food draws one to the restaurant.
If you want to check out the menu’s, just click here and click on the menu that you would like to see. We had a lovely lunch, with our friends eating huge bowls of the house soup; my husband having their famous cheeseburger; and me, I had the grilled ham and cheese. The food is reasonably priced, and while it is not gourmet, it is comfort food provides ample portions, and excellent service!
When you enter the building you are greeted by the lodges bear!
Just beyond the bear, is a sitting area that overlooks a huge yard with a gazebo, and beyond that, the South Fork of the American River! The room has inviting lodge seating, a huge fireplace, and books that you can borrow!
Off this room is a huge room that is available to rent, perfect to hold a company retreat or a wedding, and to the right of this is the bar area. And what an inviting bar it is!
The rooms are reasonably priced ranging from $79 to $179 per night! You can check out their accommodations by checking out their website: Click here! Because this is a historic lodge, there are no televisions or telephones in the rooms. They give a weekday discount, and if you are a member of AAA, AARP, or are active in the military, there is a discount for you! It is a non-smoking facility.
This would be a great place to stay and make your home base so that you can spend your time investigating nearby Twin Bridges and hike the trails that lead you up to Horsetail Falls and the Desolation Wilderness. Nearby is the Sierra at Tahoe Ski Resort, Upper and Lower Echo Lakes – great for fishing and hiking, and the Lake Tahoe Basin. If you are into rock climbing, there are plenty of places to explore!
I hope that you enjoyed today’s stop at Strawberry Lodge! Let me know if you make the stop! Be sure if you do to tell them Barb from Life in the Foothills sent you!
Have a great Wednesday, and thanks for stopping by!
Hello babso2you,
I’m one of the current owners of Strawberry Lodge and I love the write up and photos you’ve posted. Thanks for stopping by an adding us to your blog!
We had a lovely time exploring your place! Say hi to Mike for me!
Great tour, this could be another new career
Thank you Tumblingweed!
I had never heard of the Strawberry Lodge. It looks very quaint.
This was my first time there. I used to drive by the place quite a bit when I worked in Tahoe and visited my parents in the Bay Area.
Looks inviting and much more ‘laid back’ than staying in the South Shore area of Tahoe. Nice write up for the lodge, that fireplace sure looks inviting.
If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of a lively town, this place is sleepy and very relaxing!
Sounds/looks so cute! I’ve lived in California for most of my life, yet I still feel like there are so many places I don’t even know about…
It is one of those places tucked into the woods that is a delightful find! I hope that you will get the opportunity to visit this lovely spot! Thank you Mimi for your comment!