A Homepage That’s “Awe and then Some”
There’s a sense of awe you feel when you visit Lake Tahoe, but the old Visit Lake Tahoe website didn’t capture that. It followed the standard playbook for destination marketing: safe, functional and expected. Noble Studios set out to change that. Working closely with the client, we transformed the homepage into a fully immersive, scroll-based experience that mirrors the region’s wonder and scale. From seasonal storytelling to emotion-first design, every detail was crafted to invite users in and keep them exploring.
A Redesign That Reflects the Beauty of Lake Tahoe
There’s a sense of awe you feel when you visit Lake Tahoe, but the old Visit Lake Tahoe website didn’t capture that. It followed the standard playbook for destination marketing: safe, functional and expected. Noble Studios set out to change that. Working closely with the client, we transformed the homepage into a fully immersive, scroll-based experience that mirrors the region’s wonder and scale. From seasonal storytelling to emotion-first design, every detail was crafted to invite users in and keep them exploring.
Three Key Challenges
- Create a new homepage that reflects the “Awe and then Some” brand.
- Build a continuous, scroll-based visual experience that worked seamlessly across screen sizes, devices and loading speeds.
- Balance our bold vision with technical constraints, seasonal content needs and stakeholder alignment.
Three Key Metrics
-
+11
%
Engagement Time
-
+17
%
Lodging Referrals
-
+6
%
Scroll Depth to 75%
A Digital Journey Designed Around the Lake
The redesign was an opportunity to rethink what a destination homepage could be. Visit Lake Tahoe wanted to move beyond the typical DMO site and create something that felt like the place itself. We designed a scroll-based journey that mirrors the geography of the lake. We stitched together massive landscape imagery to create a continuous scroll from Stateline to Emerald Bay, layering in animated touchpoints that invite interaction along the way. On mobile, we restructured the experience into scrollable cards, keeping the story intact without overwhelming the interface. Every detail was built from scratch to feel thoughtful and responsive.
A Homepage That Changes with the Seasons
Lake Tahoe is known for its seasonal beauty, and we wanted to create a homepage that would change with the seasons. In winter, the photography shifts to snow-covered landscapes, and the featured content highlights seasonal activities like skiing and snowshoeing. In summer, the visuals focus on warm-weather experiences such as going to the beach, hiking and boating. Even the points of interest change to match what’s relevant in each season. To achieve this, the team produced multiple versions of the homepage so that it would always feel timely and authentic. This approach ensures that users see Tahoe the way it is when they’re most likely to visit.
Every element on the homepage was designed to feel intentional. We paid close attention to how and when content appears, using animation and sequencing to guide the user through the story. Headlines reveal themselves in rhythm with the scroll, pins drop onto the landscape at just the right moment, and interactive features respond differently on desktop and mobile. None of it came from a template. Every animation, carousel and search overlay was built by hand to reflect the brand’s tone and visual identity. Even punctuation was enhanced through motion, helping the site feel more like a conversation than a campaign.
Outcome
Since launch, the new Visit Lake Tahoe homepage has received strong praise from both stakeholders and the local community. It has been presented at city board meetings and shared at industry events as an example of creative, experience-driven design. Internally, the Noble team considers it one of their proudest accomplishments. The homepage has been so effective at telling the brand story that optimization efforts have shifted to deeper parts of the site. It now stands as a clear example of what digital storytelling can do for a destination brand.
-
+11
%
Engagement Time
-
+17
%
Lodging Referrals
-
+6
%
Scroll Depth to 75%
-
+7
%
All Partner Referrals
-
+1.5
%
Engagement Rate
Lets make this year your best yet.
