4. Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival

The Buzz -- Bring a healthy appetite and thirst to this three-day Tahoe tradition, now over two decades old. Cooking lessons, a gourmet food market, winery luncheons, cook-offs among local chefs, culinary seminars and lectures, auctions and raffles, and an abundance of wine and food tastings comprise the festival's schedule. There's even a grape stomp, a particularly popular – and messy – affair. Events take place in Tahoe City, Squaw Valley, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, and Truckee.