Lake Tahoe first timer - questions

Normally I go to Vegas, but thinking of visiting Reno/Lake Tahoe for
once, so ...... looking for feedback.
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or are
there shuttles to get to "strip area". Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and Tahoe
is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

We are NOT skiers, but don't mind the snow.
I looked via Google, and found links like:
http://www.tahoeactivities.com/nightlife.cfm

but looking for firsthand advice on:
where to stay,
where to play,
where to eat.

We like NICE but not too much $$$ , in a handy location.
( In vegas terms , would like "Paris"/ "Mirage" type
accomodations/atmosphere. )

On Nov 18, 6:12 pm, "- Bobb -" wrote:
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or are
there shuttles to get to "strip area".

http://www.cheapovegas.com/reno/

Virtually every major casino runs a shuttle on the half hour or hour
to their hotel. Most are on Virginia Street, but not Ascuaga's Nugget
(Sparks), boomtown (Verdi), Peppermill and Atlantis (South Virginia
Street), Grand Sierra (by airport). If you're only interested in the
Virginia Street area, you don't need a car. But I would suggest
getting one because they are usually cheap in Reno and the best
casinos (and Tahoe) are not walking distance.

Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and Tahoe
is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

Tahoe is a huge lake, so it depends where you want to go. The nearest
places in Tahoe are an hour away. The main resort area of Stateline
is about 55 miles from Reno, and over a pass that often requires
chains in the winter. Reno really is mostly gambling, but there is
also casino hotels at Stateline. There are six casinos. I wouldn't
gamble at them, but I would make the trip to Tahoe just because it is
one of the most beautiful places in the world.

where to stay,

I like the Peppermill best. The atlatis is nice. On Virginia Street,
probably Silver Legacy or Eldorado have the nicest rooms. Only the
Peppermill mathc Vegas standards.

where to play,

Depends on your game and budget. Siena has great craps, good blackjack
and some decent VP in a nice casino. Lots of places have cheap games:
Bonanza, Western Village, Circus Circus, Cal Neva... Siena sometimes.

where to eat.

Depends on what you like to eat and what your budget is. Top of the
line: Oceano, Romanza, Steakhouse or White Orchid at Peppermill.
Enoteca at Siena. Slightly cheaper: Monte Vigna at Atlantis, Orozko
and Trader Dick's at Ascuaga's Nugget. Buffets: Peppermill and
Atlantis. Great burger: the diner in the Nugget. Cheap: Cal Neva,
Fuzio at Sands Regency. Good coffe shops: Eldorado, Siena, Peppermill
(the best, Atlantis.

We like NICE but not too much $$$ , in a handy location.
( In vegas terms , would like "Paris"/ "Mirage" type
accomodations/atmosphere. )

There is nothing that really matches that. Like I said, Peppermill is
the closest, but I wouldn't call it's location handy. Check out the
maps and read the reviews at the site above.

Matt

"- Bobb -" wrote in news:id-dnUuMWId-
:
Normally I go to Vegas, but thinking of visiting Reno/Lake Tahoe for
once, so ...... looking for feedback.
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or are
there shuttles to get to "strip area". Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and Tahoe
is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

There is a cluster of big casinos in Reno and another (smaller) group in
south Lake Tahoe. There is little to do in Reno besides gambling, so the
room rates are generally much cheaper there. There are lots of outdoor
activities in Lake Tahoe and they vary by season. Even if you are not a
skier, during the winter you can try snow shoeing, snowmobiling, or just
walking along the lake shore.

Lots of questions -- I'll take a shot at a few.

Should you rent a car? Probably. The main casinos have free shuttles
from/to the airport, so if that's where you're headed you don't need a car.
But if you want to check out Tahoe and some of the Reno casinos outside the
downtown area a car is a definite plus. There is a shuttle from the airport
to Tahoe but it's pretty expensive.

Think of downtown Vegas and you'll have a pretty good idea of what Reno is
like. There are some nice, but not awesome properties, some a bit run down,
plenty of $5 blackjack and 9/6 JoB video poker, good restaurants but not the
celebrity-chef variety, good weekend headliners, a few cheesy production
shows and some good lounges and bands. Many of the casinos have ski
packages and run shuttles to the ski areas, but for skiing it's more
convenient to stay closer to the lake.

The most upscale property is the Grand Sierra, with two Charlie Palmer
restaurants, Nikki Beach and several other new venues. It used to be the
Reno Hilton, formerly Bally's formerly MGM Grand and was the largest hotel
in the world when it originally opened. Problem is it's off by itself away
from the other casinos.

Another free standing option is the Peppermill, which is just completing a
$400 million expansion. The centerpiece is the Tuscan all suites tower,
which should open in a couple weeks. Restaurants and gambling are all
pretty good, but the other entertainment is hit or miss. If you're a sports
bettor Peppermill has one of the best sports books in town.

There are three casinos downtown that are connected together, a nice
convenience if the weather's bad - Eldorado to the South, Circus Circus to
the North and Silver Legacy in the middle. The two on the end share
ownership of the SL, but each has its own character. Circus has the best
low limit gambling. The other two have a lot of 6:5 blackjack so be sure to
check what you're getting into. Eldo has a very good poker room. Downtown
also has Fitzgerald's, a mid-level casino that is in the midst of a change
of ownership and major remodeling (but they still have the best prime rib
special downtown), Harrah's which is a typical Harrah's (albeit the one
where it all began), Club Cal-Neva (pretty low-end but pretty good
gambling), and a few slots-only joints (look for the Nugget next to
Fitzgerald's for the "Awful-Awful," one of the best hamburgers you'll find
in town.) A few blocks away to the west is the Sands Regency, but I've
never found a reason to venture there. Across the river to the south is the
Siena, a small casino that offers the best gambling downtown ($5 blackjack
with liberal rules, single zero roulette and $2 or $5 craps with 10X odds)
and some decent restaurants.

If the weather cooperates it's worth the trip to Tahoe just for the scenery.
There are some nice casinos but the prices and gambling limits are generally
higher than in Reno. The Tahoe area is said to have more ski lifts per
square mile than any comparably sized area in the world, but there's more to
do there than just ski. If you want to get a feel for it, non-skiers can
buy a special pass to ride the Heavenly gondola for some unequaled views of
the lake.

There's lots more. It just depends on what you like to do, how much time
you have and how much money you want to spend. A couple other links you
might check are the Reno Gazette Journal at www.rgj.com and another reno web
site called www.visitreno.com.

Also, the cheapo crowd has another good site at www.cheaporeno.com.

"- Bobb -" wrote in message
...
Normally I go to Vegas, but thinking of visiting Reno/Lake Tahoe for
once, so ...... looking for feedback.
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or are
there shuttles to get to "strip area". Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and Tahoe
is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

We are NOT skiers, but don't mind the snow.
I looked via Google, and found links like:
http://www.tahoeactivities.com/nightlife.cfm

but looking for firsthand advice on:
where to stay,
where to play,
where to eat.

We like NICE but not too much $$$ , in a handy location.
( In vegas terms , would like "Paris"/ "Mirage" type
accomodations/atmosphere. )

Also, the cheapo crowd has another good site atwww.cheaporeno.com.

Thanks for the mention. Actually, we have nothing to do with that
site. The real CheapoReno is http://www.cheapotravel.com/reno/

Matt

- Bobb - wrote:
Normally I go to Vegas, but thinking of visiting Reno/Lake Tahoe for
once, so ...... looking for feedback.
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or
are there shuttles to get to "strip area". Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and
Tahoe is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

We are NOT skiers, but don't mind the snow.
I looked via Google, and found links like:
http://www.tahoeactivities.com/nightlife.cfm

but looking for firsthand advice on:
where to stay,
where to play,
where to eat.

We like NICE but not too much $$$ , in a handy location.
( In vegas terms , would like "Paris"/ "Mirage" type
accomodations/atmosphere. )


There's been a lot of good advice about Reno, but judging from your
subject, it sounds like you are leaning towards Tahoe. In the winter,
if you are not planning to ski, you probably should just stick to Reno.

If you want to go to Tahoe, there is a shuttle from the airport that is
indeed expensive, but it's worth it when the weather is bad and you
don't plan on driving back and forth. Plus, most of the big hotels in
Tahoe are within easy walking distance, so a car is not as necessary.

Harvey's and Harrah's are the two nicest hotels in town and are better
than even Paris or Mirage. But again, they'll be more expensive during
the ski season - another good reason to skip Tahoe in the winter if you
don't want to hit the slopes.

Best of luck,

-Burt



"I don't want to be your clown anymore. I don't want to do your donkey
work."

Binzer to Dan Tanna in Vega$ episode 19 "Doubtful Target"

In article
,
"Matt@bigempire" wrote:

Also, the cheapo crowd has another good site atwww.cheaporeno.com.

Thanks for the mention. Actually, we have nothing to do with that
site. The real CheapoReno is http://www.cheapotravel.com/reno/

Matt

Matt: Just wanted to let you know I stayed at the Sands Regency in Reno
last week based on your review. It was right on the money.

Thanks for the accurate information!

llk

--
Larry L. Kraus
Tyler, TX

"- Bobb -" wrote in message
...
Normally I go to Vegas, but thinking of visiting Reno/Lake Tahoe for
once, so ...... looking for feedback.
Very basic question - fly into Reno - do were need to rent a car ?, or are
there shuttles to get to "strip area". Another - is Tahoe one
"destination" and Reno another ? If so, Reno is "just gambling", and Tahoe
is gambling as well as skiing destination ?

We are NOT skiers, but don't mind the snow.
I looked via Google, and found links like:
http://www.tahoeactivities.com/nightlife.cfm

but looking for firsthand advice on:
where to stay,
where to play,
where to eat.

We like NICE but not too much $$$ , in a handy location.
( In vegas terms , would like "Paris"/ "Mirage" type
accomodations/atmosphere. )


We found the NORTH Lake Tahoe area to be much less FAKE than the SOUTH area.

Matt: Just wanted to let you know I stayed at the Sands Regency in Reno
last week based on your review. It was right on the money.

Thanks, Larry. I stayed there three weeks ago. It'll be interesting
to see if Terrible's ownership does anything to improve the place.

Matt

Matt@bigempire wrote:
Matt: Just wanted to let you know I stayed at the Sands Regency in Reno
last week based on your review. It was right on the money.


Thanks, Larry. I stayed there three weeks ago. It'll be interesting
to see if Terrible's ownership does anything to improve the place.

Matt

Matt, had they improved the rooms @ the Sands Regency any from 2001? I
had the Charlie's Angels suite the when I was there, and I don't mean
that Jacklyn Smith & Cheryl Ladd were in the room entertain me. The
room looked like it was furnished by a Aaron Spelling or Stephen J.
Cannel TV show from 1978 with many cigarette burns.

Cameron