One of the main reasons that you want to drive California highway 89 around Lake Tahoe is so that you get a chance to see Emerald Bay state park. There are two main lookouts over Emerald Bay: Vikingsholm and Inspiration Point. While there is a lot more to do than look at the Emerald Bay view from the Vikingsholm stop, if you are in a rush with little time, the Vikingsholm view stop is one you’ll definitely want to make at all cost. A short 2 minute walk up some rocks will give you an outstanding view of Emerald Bay making it accessible to virtually everyone:
with Fannette Island in the middle:
You will also be able to see a portion on Eagle Falls off to the right side:
While this is the absolute bare minimum you should do at Emerald Bay, Vikingsholm also has a trail head for the 1 mile hike down to the shore of Emerald Bay