Vegas, Reno and Tahoe

There is much more to Vegas than gambling. With that said, make sure you hit up the casinos while you are there, not necessarily to gamble, but to see the different themes of the many casinos along the strip. One can spend several days walking up and down the strip in and out of the many casinos. My personal favorites are the Venetian and New York, New York. The Venetian sits at the north end of the strip and offers Gondola rides throughout the hotel and shopping area. The casino is upscale and very elegantly designed. New York sits more towards the south end of the strip. There are several good restaurants and the theme inside and outside is very cool. There is a replica Statue of Liberty, as well as a roller coaster and replica Brooklyn Bridge located on the exterior of the hotel and casino. There is a nice little Irish Pub located inside with killer fish n' chips. Just north of New York, New York is the Planet Hollywood Casino, under construction when I was out there in May of 2007. The hotel and casino are very nice and have become a hot spot in recent months for celebs. My favorite part of Planet Hollywood is the small brewery located in its shopping area. Sin City Brewery offers up some great beers and are some of the cheapest drinks you will find in Vegas if you are not gambling. It's legal to walk the streets in Vegas with Alcohol, therefore, its easy to take a beer to go while you are touring the different hotels and casinos. My beer of Choice was Say Hello to Amber. Other places of interest that I like to hit up while I'm in town include Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, located inside Caesar's Palace, the pool at the Tropicana for great drink specials and the little Irish casino across from the Bellagio. They have a small little Leprechaun person that stands on the bar and pours shots down people's throat for $1. Beers are also very cheap and they have $5 blackjack tables. There are also a couple of In-N-Out burgers within walking distance of the strip. If you like comedy, check out Bobby Slayton at the Hooters Casino, the man is simply hilarious.

I haven't spent much time in Reno, however, its where I fly into to get to Tahoe. They do have an In-N-Out Burger, which is definitely considered a plus and many casinos.

Lake Tahoe, CA/NV is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. I have been out there several times on snowboarding trips. My favorite mountains to board are Squaw and Sierra. Heavenly, probably the most popular, has too much flat ground for boarders, but is the favorite of my dad and step-mom (skiers, aka losers). Heavenly does offer up the best views of the lake. Even for those that don't ski or board, the Gondola will take you up for lunch and the view and bring you back down. After a day on the slopes, Cecil's Steak and Brew in South Lake Tahoe is a great place to stop in for a beer and some kickass food. The crab legs and ribeye are outstanding and are reasonably priced. For those that like to gamble, I recommend Harrahs and Harveys, both of which are nice casinos. I like to spend my time at the Sportsbook in Harveys. For a late night party, hit up Cabo Wabo, hands down the most popular place in Tahoe to party. The age range varies from early 20's to mid 40's. Its located near the tunnel from Harvey's to Harrah's.