Food & Nightlife
The Powderhounds have given Heavenly a 5 out of 5 rating for the quality and quantity of restaurants, so the dining must be pretty ….. Heavenly. The nightlife also gets the big thumbs up with full marks.
Heavenly Restaurants
There are about 165 restaurants in the Heavenly and South Lake Tahoe area. You’d have to be mighty fussy if you couldn’t find something you like. The area has every type of restaurant ranging from high priced steakhouses to dodgy take-away joints.
For sheer gluttony, one can’t go past the casino buffets. All the casinos in South Lake Tahoe have them, and whilst they tend to be more expensive than casinos in Reno or Vegas, they are still good value. Make sure to leave your common sense at the door and let the feast begin – bulimics should not apply.
For something fast, cheap and semi healthy, try the Manchu Wok in the food court of Harrah’s casino.
For dinner with a difference, try the excellent Sunset Dinner Cruise on Lake Tahoe onboard the paddle steamer
MS Dixie II. The food and entertainment is top notch.
Après, Bars & Nightlife
Heavenly is the only ski hill I’ve been to where the skiers go to a supermarket to buy beer to take to the bar and drink. When you realise how much the beer costs at the Fire and Ice Bar, you soon understand why. Having said that, sitting around outside next the gas log fires and swilling a few cheap microbrews is mighty fine. The Fire and Ice bar is located under the gondola just behind the base station. BYO and sit outside!!
If the sun is out, head to one of the numerous bars that adorn the Heavenly ski hill. One bar even sits under a monstrous umbrella near the top gondola station. It gets mighty crowded which is great if you’re cold or want to rub shoulders with the great unwashed.
For the cheapest après, stay at the
Embassy Suites and enjoy it for free!
If unfriendly staff and getting ignored because you’re not a local floats your boat, go to McPs bar on the lake side of the highway. Be sure to leave your sensibilities at the door.
Step over the state line into Nevada and you walk straight into Harveys, Harrah’s, MontBleu, Bill’s and Horizon casinos. A little further along is another – Lakeside Inn and Casino. For entertainment there’s always something on at one of the six casinos. Bars, food, gambling, shows, music and other entertainment will keep you up til the wee hours. If the snow’s falling, don’t get sucked into a big casino night on the eve of a powder day.