Jeanne Walpole - Insiders Guide® to Reno and Lake Tahoe

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INSIDERS GUIDE

Copyright 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC

A previous edition of this book was published by Falcon Publishing Inc. in 1999.

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ISSN 1535-8305

ISBN 978-0-7627-5035-1

Printed in the United States of America

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To a newcomer arriving by air, the Reno/Sparks area might appear arid and uninteresting. But to an Insider it becomes a painters palette where most of the hues are brown with just a splash of green dotting the banks along the Truckee River, the waterway that snakes from Lake Tahoe through Reno to Pyramid Lake. As all Insiders will tell you when you first arrive, Renos unique beauty will grow on you. And it doesespecially at sunrise when the sun peeking over the eastern mountain range casts purple shadows that seem to stretch foreveror at dusk when you can stand anywhere in the city and have an unobstructed view of an awe-inspiring sunset that bounces golden rays from the tops of the snow-sprinkled mountains.

Visitors soon learn that water is definitely a precious commodity in the Reno area, which has been riddled with droughts over the years, though a short 45-minute drive over the mountains and through the pine trees will bring you to the shores of Lake Tahoe, one of the deepest lakes in the world. In fact, Lake Tahoe is so deep that if you emptied it into California, the lakes water would completely cover the state to a depth of 2 feet. These extremes are just one example of Reno/Tahoes diversity, a diversity that often makes the area one of the most misunderstood in the United States. As an Insider, Ill help you understand the areas idiosyncrasies, and Ill guide you through the maze of things to see and to do here.

To those who have never visited Reno/Tahoe, the misconception might be that it is an area with acres and acres of slot machines, buckets full of liquor, and rooms so thick with smoke you have to chop your way through them with a machete. Those who have visited the area know that Reno is an uncluttered place with friendly people where we still call our elected officials by their first names and where we still sit down at a neighborhood cafe and share the newspaper. They know that to drive the 72 miles around Lake Tahoe takes the better part of the day, and during that drive they will see multimillion-dollar homes, pristine beaches, and rugged mountains.

Although best known for its gaming and entertainment, Reno/Tahoe is a popular recreation area, too. You name it, weve got it. You can golf, hike, fish, boat, and do just about any other summer activity. And if snow skiing is your pleasure, Lake Tahoe boasts the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America. Because of its plethora of outdoor recreation activities, the Reno/Tahoe area earned Rand McNallys (the road atlas people) highest rating as Americas No. 1 place for outdoor fun.

And if its quality of life youre looking for, the Reno/Tahoe area has been ranked as one of the top 50 places to raise a family, and Reno was recently named the No. 1 literary city by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Varied? Yes. Remote? Maybe. But no one can dispute that the area is packed with excitement. Here, the saying goes that the outdoor fun lasts all day long and so does the nightlife. We dont roll up our sidewalks at sunset. If you have a craving for a steak at 3:00 a.m., youll have no trouble finding one (and no one here will make you feel guilty for eating it). And, of course, if its gaming you want, the area has more than enough gaming establishments to entertain you.

With the choices here so diverse and so numerous, this Insiders Guide will come in mighty handy. I hope Ive compiled a guide to the area that not only divulges the well-known places but also will lead you to the real Reno/Tahoe, the Insiders Reno/Tahoefrom the tiny Mexican cafe with zero atmosphere but with the best burritos this side of Mexico City to the best fishing spot on the Truckee River (which I think just happens to be about five minutes from downtown Reno).

I hope you use this guide as a road map to trek off the typical tourist path. Ill offer to you my Insiders choices of the best restaurants, the prettiest campsites, and the toughest and easiest golf courses. Ill lead you to the best downhill and cross-country ski resorts. Ill give you options for choosing the right health-care facility. Ill discuss the areas newspapers and magazines and radio and television stations. Ill even tell you about the local school districts and why the area is one of the hottest retirement locations in the country. My wish is that you toss this guide into your cars glove compartment along with your area maps and proof of car insurance (required by Nevada law) so youll be able to whip it out when you continue on your quest for something to do or see in the Reno/Tahoe area.

Id like to end this preface with a few words from Mark Twain, who, by the way, began his writing career in Virginia City, only 20 miles from downtown Reno:

Throw away the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.