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A weekend in Reno

Two days: one downtown on foot, and one spent on the single excursion that makes Reno worth the trip. The second day is the decision — the lake or the Comstock — and they are different trips.

Who this suits

  • The classic Friday-to-Sunday visit
  • Couples who want one good day out and one easy one
  • Anyone deciding between Reno and Tahoe as a base

Who it does not

  • Anyone hoping to do both Lake Tahoe and Virginia City properly — that is three days
  • Skiers, who should build the weekend around the mountain rather than downtown

Day one

Downtown, the river, and the evening.
  1. Morning

    Downtown and the riverwalk

    Start at the Arch, walk south down Virginia Street, then cut to the river. The whole core is walkable end to end in about twenty minutes, which is the thing most visitors underestimate about Reno.

    Half a day at an easy pace · Free

    Downtown Reno

  2. Afternoon

    Midtown, where locals actually eat and drink

    Midtown runs along South Virginia below downtown and is where the independent restaurants, bars, breweries and vintage shops are. It is a strip along a busy arterial road rather than a pedestrian quarter, and it is quiet before about 5pm — turning up at 11am and concluding there is nothing there is a common mistake.

    A 25-minute walk from downtown, or a very short rideshare

    Without a car The walk down Virginia Street is flat and direct. Do not drive here if you plan to drink.

    Midtown

  3. Evening

    A show, a game, or the small rooms

    The Reno Aces play downtown at Greater Nevada Field from roughly April to September, and it is genuinely walkable from the casino core. Outside the season, the Pioneer Center carries touring theatre and the independent rooms carry everything else.

    Ticketed

    Greater Nevada FieldDowntown Reno

Day two

One excursion — pick the lake or the Comstock, not both.
  1. Morning

    Option A — Lake Tahoe

    The nearest shore is under an hour over the Mount Rose Highway, and this half-day guided trip collects you at Reno hotels and casinos so the drive is not your problem. Almost everything else bookable at Tahoe expects you to already be at the lake, which is why this one is worth knowing about.

    About 5 hours · From $240

    Book thisLake Tahoe Half-Day Morning Guided Tour from Reno | Small Groupfrom $2405 hoursPicks you up in Reno

    Without a car This is the no-car option — the operator picks up in Reno and drives you up.

    Downtown Reno

  2. Morning

    Option B — Virginia City and the Comstock

    Half an hour up Geiger Grade and two thousand feet higher, Virginia City is a preserved mining town rather than a reconstruction — where the Comstock Lode came out of the ground in the 1860s and funded San Francisco. It is the better half-day if you like history, and it is completely unlike Reno in character.

    About 4½ hours · From $200

    Book thisVirginia City Wild West Half-Day Tour From Reno | Small Groupfrom $2004h 30mPicks you up in Reno

    Without a car Also collects in Reno. At roughly 6,200 feet it is considerably colder and windier than town — take a layer you think you will not need.

    Downtown Reno

  3. Evening

    Back downtown

    Both options put you back in the city with an evening left. If you did the lake, the Comstock keeps; if you did the Comstock, the lake is the reason to come back.

    Downtown Reno

On in Reno over the next 3 days

Pulled from the calendar as you read this. If your dates are different, browse the full calendar.