best of nevada 2008

Nevada Magazine readers choose their favorite places, stars, and attractions.

By NEVADA MAGAZINE | July/August 2008

If Wayne Newton were belting out “Danke Schoen” on the Nevada Northern Railway’s Ghost Train, Nevada lovers would be singing along.

That’s the conclusion you might come to, anyway, after learning the results of Nevada Magazine’s 11th annual Best of Nevada readers’ poll. The 2008 Best of Nevada survey was conducted online for the first time, and this year we added a My Nevada Favorites category.

In the comments section, readers reflected on why they love Nevada. “This is a great place to live,” one said. Another reader told us, “Nevada is the greatest.” People who love Nevada come here often. A frequent visitor wrote, “I just love Vegas. I am there about every three months.” Travelers to the northern part of the state might agree with one voter who said, “We love the way Reno is fixing up the downtown area.”

But it’s not all about cities. One voter offered that he’s “not much into the casino-show stuff. [I] love the outdoors—don’t tell anyone about the Black Rock Desert. If I was the last man on earth, this is where I’d want to be.”

Another summed up Nevada’s many outdoor attractions and casino entertainment this way: “[I] also love Boulder Dam and Valley of Fire [State Park]. But the best reason to go to Nevada is to see Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton!”

MY NEVADA FAVORITES

My Favorite Nevada Getaway
Lake Tahoe
bluelaketahoe.com

My Favorite New
Nevada Restaurant
The Firkin & Fox, Carson City
thefirkinandfox.com

My Favorite New Nevada
Place to Shop
The Summit Reno
thesummitonline.com

My Favorite Nevada Attraction
Tie: Lake Tahoe/Nevada Northern Railway Museum, Ely
bluelaketahoe.com/nnry.com

My Favorite Nevada View
Lake Tahoe
bluelaketahoe.com

My Favorite Nevada Saying
“What Happens Here, Stays Here”
visitlasvegas.com

My Favorite Nevada Author
Tie: Robert Laxalt/Rich Moreno
unpress.nevada.edu

My Favorite Nevada Highway
Highway 50, “The Loneliest Road in America”
travelnevada.com

My Favorite Nevada
Place I Visited in 2007
Lake Tahoe
bluelaketahoe.com

My Favorite Nevada Place I Wish
No One Else Knew About
Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, Las Vegas
redrockcanyonlv.org

PLUS: The Nevada Person
I’d Like to Spend a Day With
Wayne Newton
waynenewton.com

TRIED AND TRUE
CATEGORIES

Best Hotel-Casino
North: Atlantis, Reno
atlantiscasino.com

South: Bellagio, Las Vegas
bellagio.com

Rural: Cactus Petes, Jackpot
ameristarcasinos.com

Friendliest Hotel-Casino
North: Peppermill, Reno
peppermillreno.com

South: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
harrahs.com

Rural: Carson Valley Inn, Minden
cvinn.com

Best Buffet
North (tie): Toucan Charlie’s,
Atlantis, Reno/Rum Jungle,
Casino Fandango, Carson City
atlantiscasino.com
casinofandango.com

South: Carnival World Buffet, Rio All-Suite, Las Vegas
harrahs.com

Rural: Red Lion Coffee Garden Restaurant, Red Lion, Elko
redlion.com

Best Gourmet Restaurant
North: Adele’s, Carson City
adelesrestaurantandlounge.com

South: Le Cirque,
Bellagio, Las Vegas
bellagio.com

Rural: Stockman’s Steakhouse, Pahrump Nugget, Pahrump
pahrumpnugget.com

Best Slot Club
North: Atlantis, Reno
atlantiscasino.com

South: Harrah’s, Las Vegas
harrahs.com

Best Brew Pub
The Brew Brothers, Eldorado, Reno
eldoradoreno.com

Hottest Nightclub
North: BuBinga Lounge,
Eldorado, Reno
eldoradoreno.com

South: Tao, Venetian
Buy Tao VIP Passes HERE
Buy VIP Club Hopping Packages HERE
venetian.com

Best Place to Take Kids
North (tie): Lake Tahoe/
Circus Circus, Reno
bluelaketahoe.com/circusreno.com

South: Circus Circus,
Las Vegas
circuscircus.com

Rural: Nevada Northern Railway Museum, Ely
nnry.com

Best Place to Take a Date
North (tie): Lake Tahoe/
Roxy’s Bar & Lounge,
Eldorado, Reno
bluelaketahoe.com/
eldoradoreno.com

South: Top of the World,
Stratosphere, Las Vegas
stratospherehotel.com

Best Golf Course
North: Silver Oak Golf
Course, Carson City
silveroakgolf.com

South: Tournament Players
Club Las Vegas
tpc.com/lasvegas

Rural: White Pine Golf
Course, Ely
elygolfing.com

Best Shopping Center
North: The Summit Reno
thesummitonline.com

South: Fashion Show Mall,
Las Vegas
thefashionshow.com

Rural: Fashion Outlets
of Las Vegas, Primm
fashionoutletlasvegas.com

Best Museum
North: Nevada State
Museum, Carson City
nevadaculture.org

South (tie): Liberace Museum/Atomic Testing Museum,
Las Vegas
liberace.org/
atomictestingmuseum.org

Rural: Nevada Northern
Railway Museum, Ely
nnry.com

Top Tour Company
Tie: Pink Jeep Tours/
Look Tours, Las Vegas
pinkjeeptours.com/looktours.com

SHOWS/ENTERTAINMENT

Best Entertainer
Wayne Newton
waynenewton.com

Best Evening Show
Any Cirque du Soleil production
Buy Cirque du Soleil Tickets HERE
cirquedusoleil.com

Best Afternoon Show
Tie: Society of Seven/
Rick Thomas/Mac King
societyofseven.com/rickthomas.com
/mackingshow.com

Best Female Revue
Jubilee!, Bally’s Las Vegas
harrahs.com

Best Male Revue
Thunder From Down Under, Excalibur, Las Vegas
Buy VIP Bachelorette Party Packages HERE
excalibur.com

Best Hypnotist
Anthony Cools, Paris Las Vegas
parislasvegas.com

Best Impersonator
Danny Gans, The Mirage, Las Vegas
mirage.com

Best Dinner Show
Tournament of Kings, Excalibur, Las Vegas
excalibur.com

best of nevada 2008

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