The "Biggest Little City In The World" isn't as glamorous as Las Vegas, but that is part of Reno's charm. Reminiscent more of the Old West than a gambling mecca, the city and surrounding area offer numerous fun activities aside from casinos. The area is not only historic, it is educational and offers something for visitors of all ages.
Virginia City is 25 miles southeast of Reno, down US 395 and then left onto Nevada 341. The scenery on the drive there is spectacular. When you arrive, it really will seem you've stepped back in time. Yes, there's the recreation of a historic "main street" from an Old West town, but don't limit yourself to just that. Explore the numerous museums and take the Chollar and Ponderosa mine tours, the TNT Stagelines stagecoach rides or the Virginia and Truckee Railroad ride. If you're in town the weekend after Labor Day, be sure to catch the ostrich and camel races.
During the day, take a break from the casinos and head to Mount Rose, only 25 miles southwest of Reno on US 395 and then Nevada 431 (Mount Rose Highway). Wintertime offers skiing at the Mount Rose Ski Tahoe with the highest base elevation (8,260 feet) of all the Lake Tahoe ski resorts. The rest of the year, the same area is available for hiking through the Mount Rose Wilderness Area. Starting at 10,776 feet, you can hike to the mountaintop and see California in the distance along the way.
The National Wild Horse And Burro Center at Palomino Valley is located at 17800 Pyramid Highway (State Route 445), 20 miles north of Reno. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. You can see wild horses and burros up close, get information on adopting one and learn about the history of these iconic animals and efforts to save them through adoption.
Take a ride on the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway, which stretches along the Truckee River from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake; it includes a section from Verdi north to Sparks through the heart of Reno along the Truckee River. It covers about 20 miles along a combination of older bike trails, streets and bicycle lanes.
