After a lousy ski season, Reno and Lake Tahoe are gearing up for a busy summer.
Reno celebrates LGBT pride twice, with Reno Rainbow Fest in July and Reno Pride in August. The Lake Tahoe area maintains a lower LGBT profile but is every bit as gay-welcoming.
The light snow this year meant fewer skiers and a lackluster winter season. Business owners are hopeful that will translate into more people coming up in the summer, which generally is the busiest time of year in both Reno and Tahoe.
Gold and silver mining first put Reno on the map in the mid-1800s. It quickly earned the name "Sin City" with legal brothels, gambling, and most famously, quickie divorces. It would be a century later before Las Vegas would claim that title.
Reno doesn't try to compete with Vegas. Instead the city's tourist board is quick to remind people that in addition to gambling, visitors get an outdoor experience that Vegas can't match. In the winter, some of the best Sierra skiing can be found on Mount Rose, only about a half-hour drive from downtown Reno. The region's biggest attraction, Lake Tahoe, is just an hour away.
There is a bit of the great outdoors right smack in the middle of downtown Reno. Eight years ago, the city opened a whitewater park, complete with rapids, at Wingfield Park, an island in the middle of the Truckee River, which runs through the heart of downtown. The area around the river is now known as the Reno Riverwalk district, with a promenade, sculptures, and upscale restaurants and shops that dot the once run-down riverfront.
Reno Prides
The Riverwalk district will also be the focal point of both of Reno's LGBT Pride celebrations. First up is the third annual Reno Rainbow Fest July 27-28. A series of parties will kick off the weekend on Friday, July 27. A parade to Wingfield Park will be held on Saturday, where a daylong festival will be held and will conclude with more parties that night. Rainbow Fest is held in conjunction with Artown, a monthlong series of nearly 500 art and cultural events, many of which will be held in Wingfield Park. For more information, visit www.renorainbowfest.com.
The 16th annual Reno Gay Pride will be held August 17-18. Parties get under way on Friday, August 17. A daylong Pride festival will be held in Wingfield Park. More information can be found at www.renogaypride.com.
No major Pride events are planned for Lake Tahoe but check out "Tahoe Pride" on Facebook for smaller events put on by locals. The biggest gay event in Tahoe is the annual gay ski week. The 2012 ski week was held in early March. For details on what's planned for next year, check out the organization's website later this year: www.laketahoewinterfest.com.
Nightlife
Reno has a half-dozen gay bars and nightclubs and a bathhouse. Tahoe no longer has a gay bar but most of its mainstream bars and nightclubs are gay-welcoming.
The Five Star Saloon at 132 West Street is the gay mainstay in downtown Reno. The 24-hour watering hole has not closed its doors in 41 years. The clientele is mostly gay male, but it is lesbian- and straight-friendly. The Five Star participates in Reno's Wine Walk, which is held in the afternoon on the third Saturday of every month. For a $20 fee, you get to sample wines from a number of merchants in the Riverwalk district. If you stop by the Five Star, you will not only get wine but they will offer you a free glitter makeup job.
The lesbian-owned Patio bar at 600 West 5th Street includes pool, darts, karaoke, and lives up to its name with a spacious deck and backyard, making socializing in those warm summer days and nights a treat. The Patio is gay and lesbian mixed.
Tronix, at 303 Kietzke Lane east of downtown, has 30 video screens, online video games, slot machines, and two pool tables. It has an expansive dance floor with lasers, lights, and a smoke machine.
Tronix's sister club, Neutron, is just across the street. It caters to Reno's large gay Latino community. The club includes dancing, pool, and is famous for its "Divas Travesti" drag shows on Friday nights.
Carl's, at 3310 South Virginia Street between the Peppermill and Atlantis Hotel Casinos, is Reno's Levi/leather/bear bar. The rustic bar includes a patio, dance floor, and barbecues in the summer.
Cadillac bar at 1114 East 4th Street is Reno's newest gay bar. It is gay-owned and gay-straight mixed.
Steve's Bathhouse at 1030 W. 2nd Street is open 24 hours. It first opened its doors 50 years ago and boasts that it is the oldest gay bathhouse in the country.
Sights to see
Lake Tahoe has an unofficial gay clothing-optional beach about a 20-minute drive from South Lake Tahoe. It is aptly called Secret Cove Beach (directions below).
Be sure to take a ride on the Tahoe Queen. It is an old-fashioned paddlewheel boat. It is a great tour of the lake and Emerald Bay, the inlet in the lake that got its name from the water's emerald green hues. The tiny Fanette Island in the middle of the bay has a small rock teahouse at its peak. The Tahoe Queen ride costs $39 and lasts 2.5 hours. You are not allowed to carry your own food on board but the food onboard is good quality and reasonably priced.
The Heavenly Scenic Gondola ride is a summertime attraction that whisks riders from South Lake Tahoe, California, just feet from the Nevada state line, to the top of Heavenly Mountain.
The Nevada Museum of Art was moved to a beautiful new building south of downtown Reno in 2003. The museum was founded in 1931 and is the oldest cultural institution in Nevada. The museum is known for its expansive collection of modern art.
Just outside Reno, the Sierra Safari Zoo was founded by three gay men and exhibits 150 animals from around the world.
Across the street from Harrah's, the landmark Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino closed in October. Taking its place is Com Row with Reno's latest landmark, a climbing wall that was installed on the side of the old hotel. Plans are in the works to eventually reopen the hotel itself.
Eating out
For a splurge night, check out Harrah's Steakhouse. The food and service are first-rate. Each meal's grand finale comes with the check. You will be served complementary chocolates in a metal container that seems to emit a cool gray smoke that covers the table. The effect is apparently done with dry ice.
The buffet at the Atlantis Hotel-Casino deservedly has a reputation for being among the best in Nevada. The breakfast brunch is only $11.99 but has an incredible selection of fruits and traditional breakfast foods, along with Mexican food, made-to-order egg dishes, and pancakes.
The Brewery, about a mile from the state line on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe, is casual dining at its best. It is famous for its pizza.
The Red Hut, just a little ways west of the Brewery on Highway 50, is another great spot for casual dining. The old-fashioned ice cream soda fountain is one of the busiest places in town on warm summer days.
Accommodations
Hotels in Reno and Tahoe are a bargain by Bay Area standards. Of course, room rates depend on demand. Rates are cheaper on the weekdays than weekends. Expect to pay more for a hotel room in Tahoe than in Reno.
In the heart of downtown, Harrah's is the host hotel for both Rainbow Fest and Reno Pride. The property is perfectly situated just a few minutes' walk to Wingfield Park, where the Pride festivals are held. By the way, the gay-friendly Harrah's chain began in Reno and the Harrah's family still lives in the area. Harrah's is TAG-approved. (TAG stands for Travel Alternatives Group, a gay-friendly certification given by Community Marketing, a San Francisco-based gay marketing organization.)
The sister hotel-casinos, the Silver Legacy, El Dorado, and Circus Circus are clustered next to each other in downtown Reno. The El Dorado is showcasing the popular Man in the Mirror show, which is a tribute to the music of the late Michael Jackson. The Silver Legacy is a stunning complex with a geodesic dome that became the city's icon when it opened in 1994. At 38 stories, its hotel is the tallest building in Reno. Circus Circus is more family-oriented and is the most budget-friendly of the three. All three properties are TAG-approved.
The Peppermill and nearby Atlantis casino resorts are each like small cities to themselves. Both are TAG-approved.
In addition to being very gay-friendly, the 1,635-room Peppermill is very green-friendly. The hotel has literally tapped into the earth on its property for geothermal power for its air conditioning and heating. Gently used toiletries are sanitized, recycled, and donated to Third World countries. A $400 million expansion to the property in 2007 included the stunning Tuscany Tower section decorated in a Tucson theme. Making it feel even more exclusive, the Tuscany Tower does not have gambling.
The Atlantis has shifted away from its nautical theme and has changed to a more modern look. It underwent a $100 million expansion in 2008. The hotel's 900-plus rooms are in different categories to fit those who want to splurge and those on a budget. If you want pampering, check into the property's 30,000-square foot spa. For two years in a row, http://www.SpaFinder.com named it the best spa in a hotel-casino. The hotel's expansive buffet is the biggest buffet in northern Nevada.
In South Lake Tahoe, the Aston Tahoe Lakeland Resort is perfectly situated on Lake Tahoe with its own private beach. It has been the host hotel for the annual Tahoe gay ski weekend. The resort is on Highway 50, about a mile from the Nevada state line casinos.
The upscale 10-room, three-building, gay-owned Black Bear Inn in South Lake Tahoe was famously featured in two episodes of ABC-TV's The Bachelor and an HGTV show. Kevin Chandler and Jerry Birdwell built the property from the ground up 13 years ago. The main room has a vaulted cathedral ceiling and it is beautifully furnished. Birdwell is a retired Texas judge and was South Lake Tahoe's mayor in 2008-2009. Black Bear amenities include a made-to-order breakfast and a hot tub. A small restaurant in the hotel's main room is open for dinner.
The lesbian-owned Holly's Place in South Lake Tahoe used to be a women-only property but it is now gay and straight mixed. The eight-unit hotel is centrally located close to Highway 50 and is short walking distance to restaurants and shops. Holly's Place is the perfect place for pets. The fenced-in property includes a small pool for dogs. Cats are also allowed. Owner Holly Eimer maintains an amazing collection of photos of women couples who have stayed at her resort. Room stays include a continental breakfast. They have space for RV hookups and if you have pals who are staying there, you are welcome to pitch a tent outside and use your friends' bathroom.
On the north side of Lake Tahoe, the famous Cal-Neva Hotel was once the place where the Hollywood and political elite gathered. Marilyn Monroe stayed there. Recent news reports have renewed speculation that Monroe many have died or fallen unconscious there before being taken to her home in Los Angeles where she was eventually found dead. The property straddles the California-Nevada line. The hotel's pool has a line down the middle marking the border. The Cal-Neva gives group tours of the mysterious tunnels beneath the property.
Directions to gay beach
Secret Cove Beach is not easy to find. To get there, head north on Highway 50 from South Lake Tahoe to the Highway 28 turnoff. Keep your eye on the odometer. The beach is 4.8 miles. You will see a small parking lot on the left. It fills up quickly. You can park on the shoulder of the freeway across from the parking lot but stay within the white line or you will be ticketed. Be careful and watch the signs because a no-parking zone starts a ways from the parking lot. Once you get to the parking lot, follow the dirt fire road to the beach. But don't follow the footpath with signs pointing to the beach. Near the end of the fire road, you will see a restroom and a sign directing you to the trail to Secret Cove. The gays tend to congregate on the south side of the cove and often sunbathe on the boulders. It is an easy 10-minute hike from the parking lot.
By the way, the ride north along Highway 50 will take you through the landmark Cave Rock Tunnel. That alone is worth the trip. The two-lane north and southbound tunnels are carved through the rock that lines that part of the lake.