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Reno 2008

by Meredith Daniels

With a “Cops-like” spoof on TV, a reputation for quick marriages and even quicker divorces – one may wonder what lies in Reno beyond the fornication and casinos. Well, actually, lots – especially during the summer months.

First of all -- let’s not write off the casinos as a bad thing. There are quite a few hotels in downtown Reno and just outside the downtown area that have great tables, lots of slots and strong air conditioning (if you need to get away from the heat). And if all the dealers at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa were as cool as Toby who helped us with our fake Blackjack game, then you’ll feel quite comfortable. In fact, Atlantis is one of the many Reno hotels undergoing some construction. In the next few weeks they’ll have a new Poker Room and Race & Sports Book. atlantiscasino.com

You can see the two towers of John Ascuaga’s Nugget while driving along US 395 between Reno and Sparks. It’s one of the only family-owned resorts left in town and it’s got a great indoor atrium pool. We got to stay in the newly renovated East Tower which was roomy and comfortable. And the kicker for me was the full-service Starbucks inside. janugget.com

And while I didn’t get to check out too much of the casino in the Eldorado Hotel, I did get to eat a great meal at La Strada, one of four fine dining restaurants there. The wine kept coming with each course and I was starting to feel the elevations. The arugula salad with pear tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella was a great starter. It was followed by porcini mushroom ravioli which was incredibly tasty. Unfortunately, the chef would not disclose the secret family recipe. I was almost too full to try the tiramisu, but I’m glad I was able to fit in a couple of bites. eldoradareno.com

After a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep (aside from waking up at 4 a.m. PT as it was 7 a.m. EST for me) what better way to start the day than with breakfast at Biscotti’s in the Peppermill Hotel Casino where they have also recently undergone renovation. The buffet had the hearty eggs, bacon and sausage, but it also had some waffles, yogurt parfaits and lots of fruit in the Tuscan-themed dining room. My mouth watered as I passed by a gelato/bakery counter on the way to the restroom, but breakfast had been just the right combination of protein and carbs to get me geared up for an ATV ride. peppermillreno.com

The drive from the hotel was about 45 minutes or so to Chilcoot, California where we stopped at Wiggins Trading Post, a cute, little, all purpose shop where I reluctantly purchased some socks to wear under my Tevas (how unfashionable) in order to ride on the quad. I also picked up some huckleberry taffy while I was there.

Our guides at High Sierra ATV Tours were very nice as were their two dogs and horses that live on the property. After signing contracts that stated the company was not liable in case of injury or death, I did wonder for a moment if I was ready for my first all terrain vehicle experience in the high elevations of the Plumas National Forest. Hey, you only live once (as I might soon find out) so I was fitted for a helmet and given a brief lesson on how the vehicle works. I took a test run around the property and felt almost confident enough to follow the more experienced drivers. I managed to get the hang of keeping the vehicle straight and took it slow around the curves and squirrelly bumps. The views of the many cedars, oaks, pines, plus the lush valley below was worth my trepidation. We even saw mountain lion tracks along the way. highsierraatvtour.com

It turns out that my daily adventure would be nothing compared to what we would witness that evening at the 89th annual Reno Rodeo. We were among the thousands of people watching the only officially sanctioned bull riding tour of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It takes a real cowboy to compete for a $40,000 purse in the Extreme Bulls, a separate event that kicks off the rodeo. I had seen some of the bucking and spinning on TV in the past, but in person it’s a much different experience. I found myself watching with my hands over my eyes (half the time because of the danger of trying to stay on for 8 seconds, and the other half for trying to escape the bull’s wrath after a fall or dismount). We were rooting for Chance Smart and Cody Hancock (you can expect to see other cowboys with names like Stormy and Jesse), but local Jake Wade seemed to be the crowd favorite. Outside vendors come around with drinks and snacks (just like at the ballgame) and inside you’ll find rows of saddles, cowboy boots and other western wear. renorodeo.com

As I stated earlier, there’s much to see and do beyond hitting the casinos of Reno and you only need to drive about 45 minutes to North Tahoe to do it. And if you’re looking for great views of Lake Tahoe and a glimpse of much of the flora and fauna, it’s worth a hike around the Tahoe Rim Trail. You’ll even see some patches of snow. The 165-foot loop trail is solely maintained and run by volunteers. tahoerimtrail.org

Another way to enjoy Tahoe’s great outdoors is to grab a bag or box lunch (maybe from the Blue Onion Café Restaurant) and have a little picnic at William B. Layton Park located on the property of the Gatekeeper’s Cabin. There’s a little museum there full of Native American crafts and a little footbridge that overlooks a pond full of ducks and rainbow trout. You’ll always find a place to throw away your garbage as long as you know how to work the bear-resistant latches on the trash (they actually come with instructions).

Highway 28 through Tahoe City is the perfect, cozy lakefront town complete with cute shops and restaurants and bike and kayak rentals available. Just down the road from the Gatekeeper’s Cabin is the Tahoe City Marina where we went out on a 50-foot sailboat with Captain Mike. You’ll enjoy the relaxing sea air, drink some good quality beer (or a soft drink if you’d prefer) and view the lake and the many beautiful homes along the way. tahoesail.com gotahoenorth.com

I can’t think of many better ways to spend an evening than sitting in an Adirondack chair, cocktail in hand, overlooking the beach at sunset and watching actors who were handpicked across the country (as well as Canada and England) perform plays from Shakespeare. We got to hang out in the trendy, yet comfy VIP area and enjoy a delicious meal while Kelvin (a Native American musician who will provide music for the Shakespeare Festival) played the flute. If the excitement and theatrical explanations were the preface to what the performances will be like, the Festival won’t be “much ado about nothing.” laketahoeshakespeare.com

As with a capital city of any state you’ve got the center where politicians are trying to make sound decisions for the state and you’ve got the surrounding bustling area where chefs are trying to make tasty meals for its people. In the evening, we saw the legislative buildings under the setting sun and walked along their fluffy lawns, but we were able to get a better taste of Carson City at the Taste of Downtown, an annual event where you can sample food from over 30 area restaurants. You just need to buy your paper bracelet and each establishment will mark off the number that corresponds to their place on the map. We started at D’Vine Wine and enjoyed a seafood bisque sample, a stuffed mushroom and an alcoholic pink lemonade. visitcarsoncity.com

While the evening was all about the food, the day was all about flight at the hangars of Soaring NV in Carson Valley. Members of our little tour group once again signed their lives away as I wavered about the waiver and getting up in the small aircraft. If you’re adventurous and don’t get motion sickness, this is a great way to really see the scenery of Nevada and California and the Sierra Nevada range. But if you prefer to spend most of your life on the ground, try to find someone who will do it so you can at least hang out at the hangar and grab some cool photos of that person being towed up for their wind guided flight into the sky. Either way, make sure to load up on the sunscreen as the valley sun is pretty, darn strong. soarminden.com

After our soaring adventure (or for me, soaring observation), we drove about 5 miles north to Genoa -- Nevada’s oldest town. It’s small, but has some Old West character. Just picture Nevada’s oldest saloon with cowboys and horses instead of the modern cowboys -- friendly bikers who hang out in front and inside. We even found a great little coffee surprise along the way at the Genoa Candy and Coffee Company where the friendly woman behind the counter was giving away samples of some blends. I was able to drink it without milk or sugar, something I never would try at my many visits to Starbucks. I took home a pound of it, roasted fresh that day. genoanv.comgenoacandyandcoffeecompany.com

In South Tahoe, you get the same beauty as the north side, but you get some of the nightclubs, fine dining and gaming of Reno. We were able to take in some of that beauty at Camp Richardson located on Lake Tahoe’s Southwest Shore. They have cabins and a small hotel in which to stay, but we just went for the day to hang out on the beautiful, public beach and rent kayaks and bikes. While kayaking, we got some great views of the Sierra Nevadas and the Lake is basically calm unless you get too far from the shore where you can get caught in the wake of the many boats and jet skis. The bike trail is a pretty straight route, but you can go off a little to head into the Tallac Historic Site to see some of the Valhalla estate. Be sure to grab lunch at the Beacon Grill which overlooks the beach. There you can order the giant calamari appetizer, able to feed four, and their famous Rum Runner. Ask one of the helpful staffers which way to Emerald Bay as it will be your best photo ops of your trip. camprichardson.com

We did get to experience a bit of South Tahoe’s fine dining with a delicious dinner at Fresh Ketch. We got a window seat (the upstairs is almost all window), dining among some breathtaking panoramic views. The seafood is fresh (henceforth the “ketchy” name) and the wine list is quite extensive. thefreshketch.com

I had a flight to catch at 6:00 the following morning, but there was no way I was going to miss some stargazing on my last night. The sky over the beach at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course does have some of Reno’s city lights peaking through, but that won’t impede the view of the fully-covered, starry sky. We had the benefit of having a couple of guides who provide a little astronomy lesson and their own telescope. We saw Saturn, other parts of the Milky Way and even a galaxy beyond our own. It was the perfect way to complement the active center of Reno and the heavenly surroundings of Lake Tahoe.

Some things I didn’t get to do, but I hear are worth checking out: Truckee River Whitewater Adventure cityofreno.com

Arts, culture and tourism tour of historic Virginia City virginiacity-nv.org

Great Lake Tahoe Sternwheeler races along the Tahoe Queen bluelaketahoe.com

Sightseeing tour on Heavenly gondola skiheavenly.com