Hotel at a Glance: Gold Dust West Casino Hotel Carson City

Surround yourself with 24-hour fun at the Gold Dust West Casino Hotel Carson City. You can try your luck at 350 slot machines, plus table games including blackjack, three card poker, and craps. The William Hill Sports Book, meanwhile, opens betting up to sporting events such as football, auto racing, and even MMA matches. For family-friendly fun, head to the 32-lane bowling center.

• In-room amenities: flat-screen TVs and Internet
• Two restaurants: Dine on Chicken Fried Steak and comfort food at The Grille or Award Winning Mexican fare at Ole Ole Mexican Restaurant and Cantina.
• Explore nature: The hotel is right next door to Lake Tahoe State Park’s numerous trails and picnic areas, and is close to Reno, as well as the Carson Valley.

Carson City, Nevada: State Capital and Gateway to Lake Tahoe

Carson City is aglow with casinos—in some ways, their excitement echoes the rough-and-tumble air that characterized the town in frontier days. It was one of Nevada’s first cities, thanks in part to a 19th-century silver boom that made it a suitable site for a US mint. The mint building has since been converted into the Nevada State Museum, where you can learn about the area’s history through permanent and rotating exhibits focusing on life in the American West.

The city is bounded on one side by Lake Tahoe, which straddles the California-Nevada state line. There’s no real off-season here; people find ways to make use of the lake’s pristine water, beaches, and surrounding mountains all year long. The area’s famous ski resorts typically operate from November to April. One of the most popular, Heavenly Mountain, is just 25 miles from Carson City. In the summer, Lake Tahoe fills up with swimmers, boaters, and jet skiers enjoying the pleasant climate and views of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

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