Car is a must, I mentioned before that every trip to Tahoe I had a rental. What I didn't mention was, the white knuckle first day or two up in the mountains for a flat lander. The Chicago area offers few thrill rides like getting off a plane and driving straight up a freaking mountain. By day three it's all good, but when you're not used to it, the Eastern slope of Kingsbury Grade is a nightmare. The wife says the first time we drove it was the most frightened see has ever seen me, and she's a scary woman.

I know, there are more frightening drives, I have driven all through the American and Canadian Rockies, but I drove there. It's different driving to O'Hare Airport, plane ride, mountain drive. Altitude shock?