USA
Reno-Tahoe, Nevada: Casinos, Rodeos and Kayaking
Article and photography by Michael Morcos
What an eclectic and diverse selection of offerings the region of Reno-Tahoe has. Imagine rolling the dice one day, enjoying an authentic country style rodeo the next and then a short distance away being in the fresh mountain air with the incredible scenery of nearby Lake Tahoe. Add to this a lively music scene, fascinating modern art, delicious international cuisine and very friendly locals and you are about to have a great time.
Nevada, the seventh biggest state in the union, sure has its share of polar opposites, including unmatched entertainment, quirky festivals and art installations, wide open arid areas and it still has lots of space. Somewhere between Las Vegas’ dizzying attractions and Nevada’s vastness is Reno-Tahoe, not too much of one thing but perhaps just the right mix of it all.
Your Best Bet
What a strange name for a hotel, I thought to myself. As this would be our accommodations while in Reno, I needed to know how it came to be named and found out the Best Bet Motor Lodge was established many decades ago and the name stayed, so did the lively original neon sign. The Lodge has recently been renovated, refurbished and reimagined and is now a boutique-style motel that includes a new spa and sauna. From my first impressions, I would summarize the Best Bet in one word, gorgeous, with a great deal of attention given to small details in its decor. My room on the lower level was extremely spacious and had elements of old and new that thoroughly complimented each other. The cement floors were mostly original and added a dimension of resilience while the handsome furniture and modern washrooms had a soothing effect. As a side note, after viewing other rooms, I can honestly say this motel had some of the most fascinating looking wallpaper I had ever seen, all different and each its own visual piece of art.
The Best Bet staff were welcoming and offered genuine and laid-back smiles which made our stay very relaxing. As a new acquisition, the owners of the Best Bet had decided to venture onto this property as their original hotel ‘The Jesse’, in town, only had a handful of rooms which were mostly booked. Within this hotel was the Estelle restaurant where we would enjoy well-presented and tasty al fresco Mexican dishes.
Place your other best bet
Compared to Las Vegas, Reno’s casinos can be best described as pint size, but it would be a harsh and unfair way to describe Reno’s gaming rooms. On their own, these casinos have a rare character with interesting and even bizarre interior decorations and highlights that have withstood time and cannot be duplicated. Within a short time, I started to admire their uniqueness. While I am not a gambler, I did notice there was just about everything one could want in a casino including slot machines and a host of just about any table games that I could think of, and all with lively dealers. While being caught up in the excitement and not to be left out, I did find a way of betting with the help of a local and a betting terminal, I placed a bet on a NHL hockey playoffs game for my favourite team to win. By the following night, I had the good fortune of finding out that not only did my team win, I had almost doubled my money. Viva Reno!
Rodeo time
La piece de resistance would be difficult words for the locals to understand, but my excitement for this annual event was palpable. It was all about timing as the popular Reno Rodeo runs for only 10 days and spurs the economy and fills the air with excitement and jubilation. If it wasn’t enough that both the USA and the state of Nevada were patriotic, this day was patriots’ night and the guests were encouraged to wear anything with stars and stripes, and to my complete joy they did, hosting a colorful blend of shirts, hats, dresses and even star and stripes on their boots.
The organizers of this non-profit rodeo have had some real problems of late, good problems that is, as the rodeo stands and grounds continuously sell-out, and even a bigger, better problem is that there is a waiting list for sponsors to come on board. This only shows the popularity of the event. Way-to-go Reno Rodeo!
Although I have traveled for the better part of four decades, there are still times that I am ecstatic about an event and the Reno Rodeo was one of them. I was now as far as could be on this continent in distance and lifestyle from my north-eastern home, and the event felt like I was in some faraway land. Knowing I would be in attendance, I made sure to bring my cowboy hat, plaid shirt, jeans and leather shoes, after all I wanted to fit in on this incredible day. The pre and post shows were as much fun as the main event itself, we would feast on hardy favourites, meet the lively rodeo clown, the ever-smiling rodeo queen, be delighted by many cowgirls on horses carrying American flags, trilled by the Sheriff’s helicopter flyover and see the biggest American flag I had ever seen in person. I cannot think of anything that typifies this local community and its western spirit than this day, and yes, of course, the riders were wildly entertaining and fun to watch.
The refreshing Lake
Now for something completely different. With Reno behind us both in distance and experiences, we were but a short distance to the mountains and heading towards California. The urban setting made way to a major highway then off to smaller roads and finally winding and twisting upwards, we were in green heaven completely contrasting the dryness that Nevada is known for. The short drive was part of the journey, and we would find delightful with panoramic views of the mountains, forest and Lake Tahoe in the distance.
This region had always been a mystery to me and I heard so many great things and in a very short time, I could understand why this is such a great four-season destination. I would have never thought that there could be skiing in Nevada and yet we passed such a mountain with trails. In the village itself, we would pass by ‘millions row’ (now billions row) and the who’s-who of these opulent and extremely well-kept properties. I would also learn from our guide that the lake waters were 99% pure and fed by snow melt of the tall and beautiful surrounding mountains. To thoroughly enjoy the remarkable scenery on this brilliantly sunny day, we would enjoy individual see-through kayaks from the sandy beaches and would gently paddle our way through the crystal-clear waters, all the while feeding all our senses with pure bliss.
