The Hard Rock casino opened recently at Lake Tahoe and the crowds prove it was a much needed addition to the South Shore scene. There are a lot of Hard Rock hotels around the globe, from Punta Cana to Macau to Chicago, but now there's another rockin' club that offers a casino too!

For the record, the Hard Rock at Tahoe is located at 50 HIGHWAY 50, STATELINE, NV 89449 (844-588-7625), across the street from Montbleu casino.


If that address at the California/Nevada state line sound familiar, it's because prior to the latest $60 million renovation, the casino was called the Horizon - High Sierra - Sahara Tahoe (opened in 1962).

The property is very similar to the original, with a large casino downstairs and several restaurants. Of the five restaurants, the indoor-outdoor Fire Break offers standard Tahoe prices ($14.95 burgers, $18.95 fish and chips, $8.95 drinks) but includes live music, which was rockin' 60's and 70's hits on the Forth of July weekend 2015.

The outdoor amphitheater has concerts in a 7,500 seat setting from June 27 through Labor Day weekend. The venue offers acts like the Bass Champ Festival (Zed’s Dead, Kill The Noise, Savoy, UZ, Tommie Sunshine, Liquid Todd, Shoe Scene Symphony and others) and separate nights for acts like Ziggy Marley with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. General admission tickets run about $40.

The Tahoe Experience

If you haven't been to Lake Tahoe, the scenery is awesome.

There are hiking and bike trails, clean fresh air at 6,200 feet, and some of the best skiing in the country during the winter. Did we mention golf? There are a half-dozen golf courses around the lake including Edgewood (across the street), which is just a killer course. Yes, you'll have to expect prices to match, at $140 to $240 a round.

As for the casinos at South Shore, the Hard Rock casino is joined by the Montbleu and Harrah's across the street (Highway 50), but an easy 5-minute walk. Next door is Harvey's casino, where you can continue the '80's rock experience by visiting their Cabo Wabo Cantina (Cabo Wabo is a lifestyle. Something that requires only a willingness to enjoy your life and embrace all that makes you happy. That's the reason the Cantina was created. - Sammy Hagar).

The Hard Rock casino offers a William Hill sports book for all your sporting bets, as well as slots and table games. Start with the Backstage Pass Rewards Club for promotional comp play and enjoy a fairly liberal return, including:

SLOTS
Every $1 Coin-In = 1 Point on Reel / Video Reel Machines
Every $2 Coin-In = 1 Point on Video Poker Machines

TABLES
Points based on your length of play, average bet, and type of game.

RETAIL
Every $1 spent in select Shops, Restaurants & Bars = 1 point

REDEEM
500 Points = $1 Cash Back*, Free Slot Play, Food, Beverage, Hotel Stays & select Retail.

You do have to be 21 to gamble in Nevada casinos, but if you are, the gaming is quite reasonable. The hotel has 539 rooms and suites and the casino has almost as many slots in the 25,000 square feet of space. All the games are new, so you'll find the latest video options, video poker and video keno. Plenty of multi-denomination and penny machines.

The Good

The table games are housed in two large pits, with limits from $5 craps and Texas hold'em to $10 blackjack (up to $100 minimum tables). Upper limits are mostly $1,000. The staff is a mixed-group of experienced and newer dealers who are just getting going. Busy nights you'll get 50 hands of blackjack an hour at best. Slow graveyard hours with just a few tables are still a bit busy, but when empty, a dealer can crank out 200+ hands to you heads-up.

If you wander about the casino floor you'll come across a collection of Rock & Roll Memorabilia with guitars, old posters and an uninspired collection of rock concert tee shirts along a lonely hallway past a set of bathrooms.

You'll also find the indoor Vinyl Entertainment facility with seating for up to 3,000 and regularly scheduled music and dancing. Parking is free at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe.

The Bad

The resort fee isn't new to most travelers, but $20 for a pool is pricey (the gym is very small). There is also a fee up to $24 for Wi-Fi, which should really be free these days for all hotels. In addition, the staff (because the property just re-opened) is still learning the ropes and the property, although upgraded, is old.

Fresh paint doesn't get rid of years of cigarette smoke smell, air-conditioning in rooms is a sometimes yes, sometimes no issue, and ice makers are few and far between. Oh, and shouldn't a hotel have in-room coffee makers?