Combining urban living with Old West charm, Reno offers a variety of activities. Foremost among them is casino gambling and the big-name entertainment shows that go along with it (though both are far less extensive than in Las Vegas). Among the casinos is the Silver Legacy, a Victorian gem that contains a larger-than-life mining rig on the casino floor and an interior crafted from mahogany, marble and etched glass. The best view of Reno, in our opinion, is found while driving the strip (Virginia Street) at night. The casino lights create synchronized fire while the sound of dropping coins and ringing bells is amplified up and down the street.
There is more to the town than gambling, however. Take time to stroll along the Riverwalk, a three-block plaza with fountains, galleries, shops and native plants overlooking the Truckee River. The third Saturday of the month features the "Wine Walk on the Riverwalk," when each shop offers a different wine to taste (http://www.renoriver.org).
Summer dances and concerts are held at the nearby Wingfield Park Amphitheater. Other sights include the Nevada Historical Society Museum, the state's oldest museum (http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/museums/reno/his-soc.htm); the Wilbur D. May Center with souvenirs from May's travels around the world, plus a series of botanical gardens; the Nevada Museum of Art (http://www.nevadaart.org); and the National Automobile Museum with more than 220 antique, classic and one-of-a-kind cars (http://www.automuseum.org).
Reno's National Bowling Stadium is one of the country's premier bowling venues—more than 75 championship Brunswick lanes, all covered by a geodesic dome shaped like a stylized bowling ball. The stadium hosts national and international bowling tournaments.
Adjoining Reno to the east is Sparks, which was originally the home of the Southern Pacific Railroad. It now has a lively downtown district that includes Victorian Square, a four-block area of shops, restaurants, casinos and an amphitheater. Overlooking the square are the 16-story twin towers of John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel and Casino. Even if you don't want to drop any coins (or dollars) in the casino, ascend to the top of the hotel to get a nice view of the distant mountains beyond the city (http://www.janugget.com).
If you have time for a day trip, visit Pyramid Lake, 35 mi/55 km northeast of Reno, a beautiful high-desert lake surrounded by rolling mountains and rangeland on the Paiute Indian Reservation. It's so hot and dry that these vast blue waters seem like a mirage. The largest lake completely in Nevada (Lake Tahoe is larger but is shared with California), Pyramid is one of the last remnants of the waters that once covered nearly all of prehistoric Nevada (the mark of the ancient shoreline is visible along the slopes of the surrounding mountains). John C. Fremont named the lake in 1844 when he noted that the immense rock formation by the lake resembled the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Today, daredevils dive off the lower reaches of the rock, and swimming, boating and fishing are the big attractions (Pyramid is considered to be among the top trout lakes in the U.S.). The lake contains Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge, home to nesting white pelicans and a multitude of other birds, so take along binoculars. An inexpensive day-use permit, required for recreation at the lake, is available at the ranger station near Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe also has a hotel, a marina and an R.V. park. Primitive camping is allowed at the lake.
You can also camp, picnic, fish and go boating at Davis Creek Park and Washoe Lake State Park, which are south of Reno. Fort Churchill State Historic Park at Silver Springs preserves the ruins of an outpost built after Nevada's only war between Native Americans and settlers (the Pyramid Lake War in 1860)—it was abandoned by the Army 10 years later. The Pony Express and Overland Telegraph once passed through this area. Reno is 340 mi/545 km northwest of Las Vegas.
Calendar
Among the annual events in Reno are the Reno Rodeo in June (http://www.renorodeo.com); the Celtic Celebration in late July with music, food, dancing, games and more (http://www.renoceltic.org); the Hot August Nights classic-car show in late July-early August (http://www.hotaugustnights.com); the Great Reno Balloon Race in September with more than 150 hot-air balloons (http://www.renoballoon.com); the National Championship Air Races in September with an aircraft competition and acrobatics exhibitions (http://www.airrace.org); and the Great Italian Festival in October with entertainment and food.
