WHERE TO MEET, EAT, AND PLAY
Meet at Chateau at Incline Village
The divisible, 5,200-square-foot grand ballroom at the Chateau at Incline Village offers vaulted timber ceilings, large stone fireplaces, spacious covered decks, and expansive wrap-around decks with mountain and lake views. It also has state-of-the-art A/V and Wi-Fi.
Eat at The Village at Northstar
Dine in one of the many restaurants, shop, indulge in a spa treatment, or enjoy the year-round skating rink at The Village at Northstar, located at the foot of the ski resort on Lake Tahoe's California side.
Play at Truckee River Whitewater Park
A river runs through Reno, and at the heart of the downtown district it plays host to a half-mile-long, city-owned whitewater course, suitable for kayaks, canoes, rafts, or inner tubes. It has 11 drop-pools, but is suitable for all skill levels.
Interest in the Reno/Lake Tahoe area is booming as the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority recently announced that 2013 was the resort and gaming destination's best year since 2008, with room rates and occupancy levels growing. Considering the amazing natural beauty of Lake Tahoe, and the nightlife and entertainment available in Reno, that's easy to believe. But the area's resorts have been doing their part, ensuring that visitors have something new to see.
Opening this spring, the 150-room
Whitney Peak Hotel is a non-gaming property located right next to the historic Reno Arch in the heart of downtown. It will have a 1,100-person, street-level arena, and BaseCamp, a 7,000-square-foot indoor bouldering facility, including a 164-foot climbing wall, which the property says is the world's tallest.
Also under new ownership, John Ascuaga's
Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, NV, is undergoing a $50-million renovation. The work will update the Nugget's more than 1,500 hotel rooms and 110,000 square feet of convention space, as well as its exterior and casino floor. New restaurants and entertainment venues are also planned.
The new owners of the
Grand Sierra Resort and Casino are putting it through a $40-million renovation that includes refreshing the more than 2,000 guest rooms, adding a new lobby, and building a 25,000-square-foot nightclub.
North Lake Tahoe's historic
Cal Neva resort, once owned by Frank Sinatra, is undergoing major renovations by its new owners, who plan to reopen the property on Dec. 12, 2014, which would have been the 99th birthday of the Rat Pack's leader. The current owners plan to use the property's existing framework, but redevelop it as a four-star property.
Located off the beaten path on Lake Tahoe's east shore, the historic
Thunderbird Lodge, a 1930's estate built by eccentric millionaire George Whittell that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recently restored its four-tiered waterfall. The lodge can be accessed by boat, with guests taking a 600-foot secret passage to the main building. It has more than 3,000 square feet of interior space as well as several outdoor spaces suitable for functions.