I spent half of my childhood in Anchorage, Alaska and the other half in Boise, Idaho. So I’m totally a “West Coast, Best Coast” fan. Lake Tahoe always holds a special place in my heart because we spent many a trip up the mountainside to that beautiful, pristine area. Scarily enough, when I got my driver’s license at the age of 15, I can remember driving around the entire lake with a friend of mine, jammin’ to 1994’s finest tunes. I love a good memory. Also my parents were insane for allowing the drive. But I digress…
Jess and I have taken the girls out West a few times, both by car and plane. I think we wanted to pack in as much sightseeing as humanly possible while also not throwing any of our lovely daughters out a car window in nowhere Nebraska. Sometimes driving is rough, especially on mile 457 of wheat fields.
In the Summer of 2019, we set out for a 19 day road trip out West. Final destinations were Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas, peppered with national park and hiking stops. We met up with my parents, my brother Joel and his wife Pam, in my favorite Tahoe location, Incline Village. While not as snazzy and full of nightlife as South Lake Tahoe, I love the peacefulness and ease of life in North Tahoe. The hiking is amazing, the beaches are spotless and little shops line the road around the lake so you can always find something fun to buy. I found a crystal shop and made sure to “realign” myself before we set out on more of our road trip.
We love to try new restaurants/ cuisine and this visit we were celebrating my mom’s birthday. We headed to Lone Eagle Grille, a short walk from our condo to an elegant, lakeside restaurant with live music. The bar is always lively and the menu features dishes your whole party will enjoy. I think one of the most fun desserts I’ve ever ordered is the Baked Tahoe, which is a take on the classic Baked Alaska, and comes in the shape of a toasted pine cone. Our daughters loved it!
An easy, awesome day trip from Lake Tahoe is Virginia City, a 19th century mining town that claims to house many haunted establishments. Think old Spaghetti Westerns mixed in with random characters like the guy who lets you “pet his puma.” That’s not a euphemism. We had a blast at The Bucket of Blood, listing to an old cowboy band and drinking some beers (of the root variety for the under 21 folk). We took the kids to see The Old Washoe Club, verified as haunted by a Zak Bagans from The Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. I will say we did get a lot of spirit orbs in the pictures we took there.
Driving through Nevada en route to Las Vegas, you see lots of desert and some interesting establishments. I’m looking at you, Moon Light Bunny Ranch. I booked a room in Downtown Las Vegas because I felt my Midwest-suburban-raised-children could use a bit of a culture shock. My brother, a frequent Las Vegas visitor, did not share my views so he booked us at the Bellagio. Now this act singlehandedly ruined my children from staying in any other hotel as they are “sub par” compared to the Bellagio’s cheese, fruit and chocolate trays waiting in our room. It was “the life” while dining in bathrobes and watching the dancing fountains outside our window.
I’ve always loved visiting Caesar’s Palace. Their shops are amazing as is their people watching. Plus, the blue sky ceilings make me feel like I haven’t been rotting away in a casino for 36 hours. Bonus! We took the girls to Carmine’s Italian Restaurant for a huge, pasta and salad filled dinner. Their salad is to die for and we’ve attempted to replicate it on several occasions. The portions are fun to share and the waitstaff was prompt and friendly. You can’t go wrong at Caesar’s Palace!
Even if gambling isn’t your forte (I once lost $600 in like 3 minutes at a Blackjack table in Reno. I was poor at the time and that flight home was a doozy) a trip to Vegas is an exciting way to venture into a fast paced, crazy town.
Until next time, folks.
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