Fist time in Tahoe... Help!

I need lots of help here, I have never been to Tahoe and am planning a surprise long weekend for wifes b%26#39;day... Where is the best place to stay. I dont even know what side is better for us. Do we need a car? We will be flying into Reno. Also we are going in the begining of May for three nights. We dont Ski (I dont know if you can in may anyways) We arent big gamblers but like to play table games a couple of hours at night. We are looking for a fun place that is near other things to see (if there is anything to see besides the views?)We love good restaurants

Help! Please

Fist time in Tahoe... Help!

If you would like a quiet, romantic hotel/casino with the absolute BEST views of Lake Tahoe, the Cal-Neva Resort is for you. It%26#39;s filled with history (Frank Sinatra owned it in the early 60%26#39;s) and it is just a really cool old school place. It%26#39;s located on North Shore (Crystal Bay) and an easy thirty minute drive from Reno Tahoe Airport over Mt. Rose. It is very low key, but fun place to gamble. If you stay there, get one of the suites, which are top floor of the hotel with panoramic views of the lake. If you do not opt for a suite, request an even numbered room (west side of hotel) on the fourth floor or higher. Rooms on 1-3 have views blocked by trees. All rooms are very reasonably priced considering the great views.

http://www.calnevaresort.com

There are a few nice dining choices up there with my favorite being the Old Range Steakhouse. There are two other decent casinos in walking distance.

Between North and South Shore is the Hyatt in Incline Village. It is a typical Hyatt, with good quality rooms, food and casino area, but NO lake views as the hotel is surrounded by huge pine trees. This is a big negative to me, because the main reason to go to Tahoe is to see the lake.

If you want a higher energy atmosphere and much more crowded area, go to South Shore. Harrah%26#39;s and Harvey%26#39;s are two Las Vegas style mega hotels and Caesar%26#39;s is a smallish version of the Las Vegas place, but not nearly as high end overall. AVOID Horizon like the plague. There is also an Embassy Suites adjacent to Harrah%26#39;s, but it is very often overrun with large familes with small kids. The new Marriott time-share place is pretty nice, but overpriced to me. You are paying a serious premium to be staying at the base of the Heavenly Gondola.

Have a great time, we just got back last week!

Fist time in Tahoe... Help!

P.S.

ABSOLUTELY rent a car. First time to Tahoe you will want to drive all the way around the lake for sure. A couple stops along the way and it will take 3 hours or so. If there is ANY possibility of snow at all, rent an SUV with 4 wheel drive as roads in the mountains can be closed to non-4 wheel drive or chainless vehicles in a hurry in a snowstorm. (Dollar Rental car has been great the last couple times I%26#39;ve been there this year). Any other questions about the area I will be happy to help. We typically make 3 to 4 trips a year to Tahoe as opposed to one, maybe two to LV.

Thanks so much for your input.. between the big casinos which would you say is the best? Ceasers has a really good price, the Hyatt looks really nice. Any input on these?

Thanks Again!

';Best'; in what regard? Harrah%26#39;s and Harvey%26#39;s are owned by the same company, and their overall casino/rooms/dining are pretty similar except Harveys has a Sports/Race Book and Harrah%26#39;s doesn%26#39;t. Caesar%26#39;s appears lower quality to me altho I have never stayed there. It certainly is not like the Caesars in Vegas except for the Roman crap. Hyatt is much more hotel and less casino. It is much nicer than the others, but more low key. If you are looking for a ';Loud, Big, Vegas'; kind of casino hotel, flip a coin between Harveys and Harrahs. Last time I stayed at Harveys was 2000 and Harrahs 2001. Six trips since then have been to Cal-Neva on North Shore. I find its a much better value, you don%26#39;t have to fight your way thru crowded casinos and the atmosphere of the area is more ';Tahoe'; than South Shore, which has a LOT of traffic and low quality 60s era motels strewn around.

Steve - I like the way you characterized North Shore vs. South Shore. I had reservations at Harrahs (for July), but cancelled. We definitely want more of a Tahoe atmosphere. Been to Vegas a few times, got tired of crowds and lines. Now we%26#39;ll be staying at Cal-Neva, booked both an upper floor suite and an adjacent room (2 adults, 2 teens). They reduced the rate of the second room, on top of AAA. We%26#39;re really looking forward to the stay! Question: Can you tell us what area beaches to go to on the lake? Also, do you know of any boating (kayaks, etc.) rentals nearby? I know Hyatt has all that, but prices were astronomical! We%26#39;re definitely sticking to Cal-Neva.

ejan:

Always happy to turn someone on to Cal-Neva! BTW, I%26#39;d be interested in the rate you got for the suite+adjoining room as we will probably be staying there again sometime this summer. (On our trip a couple weeks ago we got two standard connecting rooms on the 7th floor for $79/room/nt). As far as beaches go, Kings Beach State Park just up the road would be a good place to start. For a great burger try ';The Char-Pit'; on the left about about a mile from Cal-Neva travelling north towards Kings Beach.

P.S. Sand Harbor is another good beach. It is south of Incline Village toward South Shore about fifteen minutes from Cal-Neva.

Steve - Thanks for the beach advice. Do you know if these beaches have kayaks or anything to rent? I have kids ages 12 %26amp; 15, and they%26#39;d love to do something like that. Re: the rates (July 11 %26amp; 12), they%26#39;re charging me $197 for a king suite on the 6th floor and $99 for the adjacent standard room with 2 queens. I think I can get them down closer to the date, but remember, that%26#39;s prime (summer) season. The Hyatt wanted $297 for a standard room (AAA) for the same dates!

No, those beaches are just for swimming I believe. Check out Tahoe City (the biggest town on North Shore) and see what they have. Sounds like you got a good deal on the rooms!

Thanks Steve. I still feel like it%26#39;s a lot of $: $296 per night without bkfast, but I definitely wanted suite (for view), and need another room for sleeping. Do you think they%26#39;ll come down closer to the date, or you think that%26#39;s it? Also, we%26#39;ll be driving up from Yosemite. Is it vital to stop anywhere along the way, or should we just go straight to Crystal Bay?