Ka-ching! Hooray for Harvey's Lake Tahoe, treasured through the years

The view from a high room at Harvey's Lake Tahoe is stunning.  Snow remains on the mountain tops most of the year,
and that will increase with ski season around the corner. Across the street is Harrah's, for variety in your gambling fix.

While Harvey's and Harrah's offer delightful entertainment, gambling and 
dining, it's fun to take a breather from the casinos and enjoy the scenery.

The calming waters nearby offer pleasant recreational time
and soothing sounds and sights when you need a break.

LAKESIDE BEAUTY, COUNTRY CHARM, PRETTY DIGS, DINING,  GAMBLING -- HARVEY'S LAKE TAHOE HAS IT ALL!

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER


PICTURE YOURSELF enjoying a morning cuppa or evening cocktail with Lake Tahoe glistening before you.  You won't find a better view than from a high room at Harvey's.
So let the revels begin.
We booked a room last visit for a three-day adventure, knowing that Harvey's and Harrah's are "Tahoe sisters." It's easy to hop from one to the other for an appealing variety of restaurants and to vary your gambling.  We like the Harvey's rooms because they are quiet and welcoming.
WE ALSO LIKE HARVEY'S for its beautiful views, particularly on the higher floors.  And because it has a unique history.

The Wagon Wheel Saloon grew from modest
beginnings to Harvey's Lake Tahoe.

Harvey's goes back to World War II days when an ambitious Sacramento meat wholesaler and his wife opened a six-slot machine club and bar, the Wagon Wheel Saloon.  In 1944, it offered people weary of war a place to unwind. Harvey Gross and his wife Llewellyn loved to get away from the city and relax in the woodsy Tahoe environs, just as folks do today.

The couple developed the hotel to attract visitors from across the country, toughing out the winters, shoveling the roads themselves to clear them after storms.

Snow adds to the luster at Tahoe.
And it doesn't impede travel.

THEIR GUTS, PLUCK and success allowed them to expand so they opened the area's first high rise tower in 1963, an 11-story, 197-room hotel in Nevada just across the state line from Lake Tahoe, California. The hotels and casinos 

If you venture outside the hotels and restaurants, you'll
enjoy some lovely hiking 

The M.S. Dixie II is a pleasant diversion and another
entertainment option if you're based at Harvey's or Harrah's.

(technically in Stateline, Nevada) offer live entertainment and a mix of dining options. Heavenly Ski Resort is a close 10-minute drive away. With winter approaching, people are planning ski-casino get-aways. It's always pretty at Tahoe.  We've hiked the area as late as March. Snow doesn't slow the action or stop the fun.
HARVEY'S LAKE TAHOE features a 51,700 foot casino with non-stop gaming.  Families like it because the outdoor pool is perfect for kids and adults can enjoy gorgeous views of the Sierra Mountains from the hot tub.
Guests can sample entertainment in the Cabo Wabo Cantina and The Improv at Harvey's Cabaret. For dining, we tried the steakhouse one evening -- terrific ribeye -- and tasty Mexican fare another day.

With ski season around the corner, it's time to book
a ski-casino vacation.  South Lake Tahoe beckons.

If you fancy a dinner cruise, the M.S. Dixie II offers visual and culinary pleasures. It's a pleasant drive Harvey's, winding through the town, then over to the lake to Zephyr Cover and the boat. The food and atmosphere are casual and we danced to a fun three-piece band. The award-winning Lake Tahoe cruiser is the largest cruising vessel in South Lake Tahoe and a local favorite. All her cruises depart from Zephyr Cove Resort and Marina, including daytime cruises and charters for up to 300. It's fun to traverse the lake on a paddlewheel and the ambiance is friendly. www.caesars.com/harveys-tahoe

A gifted ensemble of actors breathes fresh, fun air into
 Noel Coward's classic "Blilthe Spirit" at Northcoast Rep.

UP NEXT: The present bounty of theatrical gems in southern California brings us to our annual "fall harvest" theater piece.  Here we preview and give mini-reviews of highlights of the enticing autumn theater season in the San Diego area. The region's temperate climate and rich artistic reserves bring talent from across the country. We'll share the bounty -- from cutting edge drama in a brilliantly conceived contemporary take on "Richard III" at La Jolla Playhouse, to a polished production of Noel Coward's witty "Blithe Spirit" at Northcoast Repertory Theater, and a touchingTony winning musical, "Fun Home" downtown at San Diego Rep. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a novel look at art, travel, nature, music and travel.