sf7307

Just a question - for WHAT will you spend an evening in Reno? If to gamble, and see the casinos, fine (although Reno is decidedly NOT Las Vegas). If not, I personally wouldn't bother.

misha2

Someone had mentioned that it might be fun gambling evening (Grandma enjoys an occasional slot machine) . Is it more like Atlantic City or, should we just go to a closer small casino?

sf7307

Sorry, I've never been in Atlantic City (well, not since gambling's been legal there), so i can't compare. If you're going to gamble, it will be fun. I was just suggesting if you were NOT going for gambling, there wouldn't be much point in going at all. Of course, you know that the under-21s are not allowed in the casinos (at all, except to pass through without stopping, on their way to a restaurant or the like)?

misha2

Oh I thought that there was a carnival-type place, Circus Circus, that children could hang out in. I should look into this a little more. Thanks for the tips.

sf7307

Is there a Circus Circus in Reno? Not sure. Yes, they can hang out there if there is one. They can't be in the casino itself (the gambling areas are not scattered around the hotel, they're out in the open, but all in one very large area).

Suzie

Yes there is a Circus Circus in Reno it's connected to the El Dorado and The Silver Legacy

Marginal

South Lake Tahoe has several large casinos.

ChiDad

misha,

There are a handful of small casinos at the California/Nevada border on the North Shore that might be sufficient for Grandma (and only 10-15 minutes from Northstar. For a step up, head to the Hyatt at Incline. It is more like a "real" casino. For another step further, go to South Lake Tahoe where there are 4 high rise casinos.

Head into Reno only if you have to. Once you are at Tahoe you will not want to leave.

Have fun,

Kevin

sf7307

Agree with chidad, except I would prefer not to drive to and from So. Lake Tahoe at night (to and from Reno is by freeway).

misha2

Is the Hyatt Incline the place that is not fun to drive to?

Speaking of driving, how easy is transport without a car? I'm having a hard time finding a rental for 8 people. I know there is a shuttle from the airport. However, what does one do if you want to go to the Hyatt or to young Shakespeare?

janisj

You will need cars. Your best bet is to rent 2 normal sized cars instead of 1 huge one. You will need space for luggage etc - so you'd need a 10+ passenger van.

"Is the Hyatt Incline the place that is not fun to drive to?" The hyatt is at Incline Village so not that far. But you do have to go over the hill on hwy 267 - it isn't a scary drive at all. No place will be hard to drive to - I'm sure the "I would prefer not to drive to and from So. Lake Tahoe at night " comment was just because of the distance and it being dark.

There are a couple of small casinos at Crystal Bay on the calif/nev state line, but the Hyatt is only a few miles father. Reno has LOTS of casinos - but you can get a gambling fix right there on northshore.

I'd imagine you'll head to the south end of the lake at least one day, so you can also check out Harrah's and Harvey's when you are down there.

misha2

Thank you. Great idea abt the 2 cars. I just found one. However, even with discounts it is about one thousand dollars!!

Yet another questions. Does anyone have suggestions for must-do restaurants -- we eat it all. Any good, hip ethnic that would be a good choice for a Sunday B'day celebration? We probably won't want to do any $40 entree places because of the size of our group. However, I do want to feel like we had good meals.

Also, what are some favorite tours/companies. I think DH would like to go white-water rafting and some of us would like a tour of those famous homes and or Emerald Bay. I don't want to be too obsessive. However, I am worried that I things might get booked early. For example, The Young Shakespeare... Thoughts?

MBnancy

There is no problem driving to Incline Village from where you are staying, it's a very nice drive. When we were skiing at Northstar in winter we drove to Incline for dinner and casino. There is an arcade room at the Hyatt Incline for the kids. The casino is nice sized, clean and classy.

Are you planning to go the the Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor? It's two miles past Incline, and it takes place in the evening, also. You will need a couple of cars.

Rather than a trip back to Reno, I'd take a day time trip to the South Shore to Stateline for some gambling for Grandma and looking around. The drive around the lake is lovely.

In Harvey's Hotel, the entire basement floor has a huge arcade. The adults could go upstairs to gamble. There is a Hard Rock Cafe there for lunch or dinner. There is a tunnel underground that connects Harvey's with Harrah's Casino.

I wouldn't make a special trip to the Circus Circus in Reno, unless you had time to kill in Reno on the day you fly home. There are so many activities around the lake, rather than spend time away from the water.

Also on the way back to Reno, is the large BoomTown Casino, in the middle of nowhere, where we stop with the family if we have an hour to kill before our flight. We top off our car with Gas there, before returning it to the airport. They have a Fun Center with a 3D Motion Theater, Climbing Wall, Flight Simulator, Antique Carousel and Ferris Wheel, plus 200 games.

http://www.boomtownreno.com/fun_center.aspx

MBnancy

For that Birthday Sunday, the Lone Eagle Grille at the Hyatt Incline is fantastic. It sits right on the lake with beautiful views. Dinner would be expensive, but lunch is doable. Reservations needed in advance.

http://loneeaglegrille.com/

Another one of our favorites in Crystal Bay is The Soule Doumain, in a log cabin.

http://www.souledomain.com/

Family style Italian dining in Kings Beach is Lanza's

http://www.lanzastahoe.com/lake-taho...aurant-italian

Also in Kings Beach is Jake's on the Lake

http://www.jakestahoe.com/


Up the hill a mile from the Hyatt in Incline is Big Water Grille Restaurant

http://www.bigwatergrille.com/


For Rafting on the Truckee River:

http://www.truckeeriverraft.com/truc...hoe-raft-trips

sf7307

janisj is right, it's just that it's a long drive and dark, nothing more. Therefore, I echo everything MBNancy said -- Hyatt in Incline is an easy drive (we've done it a zillion times, including in a blinding snowstorm or two), go to the South Shore in the daytime (once you're in a casino, you have no idea whether it's night or day anyway). As far as rafting goes, I wouldn't count on rafting on the Truckee this summer, because we had very little precipitation this year, so the runoff might not be very good -- possible, but not likely (there have been summers where there is no rafting at all because there's not enough water in the Truckee River to cover the rocks). However, if he really really wants to raft, you could drive up to the American River, maybe a couple of hours drive, for anywhere from easy to difficult rafting.

sf7307

Oops, forgot to add -- we enjoy Lanza's, too. Also, in Truckee, for "moderately priced" good food, look at Moody's and Pacific Crest Grill in Truckee. Moody's was supposed to open a branch in the Village at Northstar, but I don't know if that has happened yet.

http://www.moodysbistro.com/

http://www.barofamerica.net/grillabout.aspx

janisj

and there is a kayaking park right in the middle of downtown Reno.

misha2

Thanks for all the suggestions. We'll do the casino thing on the south shore and/or the Hyatt.

I have bookmarked loads of the restaurant suggestions and looked at the fabulous menus. We have three vegetarians in the group, however, and aside from Lanza's their options will be more limited. Any great Chinese or Thai or Mexican or Greek?

The Truckee rafting looks reasonable and good. I am so bummed that rafting may not be an option.

Has anyone been on a tour of the famous homes is the area? I'm thinking in particular of the Norwegian one.

Thanks

sf7307

Are you looking for challenging whitewater rafting, or just for a place to be on the river? Here's the link to the Truckee rafting company, note that they describe it as "a leisurely,self guided, five mile float down the Truckee River."

http://www.truckeeriverraft.com/truc...hoe-raft-trips

hazel1

If you want hip ethnic, then I highly recommend Dragonfly restaurant in Truckee (http://www.dragonflycuisine.com/) I've eaten there several times and loved everything I've ever tried.