Reno is the biggest little city in the USA and situated in northern Nevada. Here are a few things to do in Reno;
- Reno Sign
- National Automobile Museum
- Casinos and Resorts
- Reno Riverwalk
- Craft Beer
- Lake Tahoe
- The Outlets at Sparks
I guarantee you’ll find an excellent hotel deal in Reno as it’s much cheaper than Las Vegas! In addition, rent a car to explore the beautiful surrounding area.
Reno Sign
Some of the resorts and casinos in Reno are incredibly good value, staying over one or two nights in Reno is significantly cheaper than most other cities in the US. As a matter of fact, I spent a full day in San Francisco before arriving late in Reno to take advantage of the hotel prices. The iconic landmark of Reno is the neon sign ‘The Biggest Little City in the World’. Welcome to Reno!
Have you seen the Reno sign before?
The Reno sign appears in the following movies;
- The Misfits – Marilyn Monroe
- Pink Cadillac – Clint Eastwood
- The Muppets
- Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation
- Kingpin – Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray
National Automobile Museum
The National Automobile Museum features historic cars from the 19th century onwards. More importantly, they have been wonderfully kept and well displayed. As a result you can either admire these iconic vehicles or pose for pictures with them. Lastly, this museum is renowned as one of the best automobile museums in the USA.
Hire a Car to Explore Reno
Casinos and Resorts
Firstly, I stayed in Circus Circus which worked out less than $40 per night. For this reason, I highly recommend staying in this iconic US casino. In addition to Circus Circus, other famous casinos in Reno include, Grand Sierra Resort, Silver Legacy, Peppermill Reno, Eldorado Resort, Atlantis Resort, Sands Regency as well as Harrah’s. Finally, Harrah’s has an excellent location adjacent to the famous Reno sign and is also excellent value.
Riverwalk
As well as several resorts and casinos, the River Truckee runs through Reno. The point where the river runs through downtown is known as the Riverwalk District. At this point are several, walkways, bridges, restaurants and bars. As Reno can get quite hot, this area is best visited at sunset and evening time. However, if you want it to yourself, sunrise is your best bet.
Craft Beer and Nightlife
Reno is becoming famous for its craft beers. For this reason, you should look out for these as you visit the riverwalk area. For nightlife, the bars and restaurants around the riverwalk are popular. How about a live show? There are nowhere near as many shows as in Las Vegas. But there are popular shows from time to time. In fact, Jeff Bridges was performing a couple of nights after I left. Check the Reno show schedule to see which shows are on when you visit.
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe splits the border between Nevada and California. It’s the largest alpine lake in North America. Moreover, it’s one of the deepest lakes in the world and the second deepest in North America after Crater Lake. Did you know the deepest lake in the world in Lake Baikal in Russia? Lastly and most importantly, Lake Tahoe is incredibly beautiful and therefore well worth a visit.
Outlet Malls at Sparks
How are you doing for Nike shoes and shirts? If you drive out to Sparks outlet mall you’ll find a Nike factory store, as well as many other popular brands. There are many excellent deals to be found at the Outlet Malls therefore I highly recommend Sparks for shopping.
How to Travel from Reno to Lassen Volcanic National Park
In the US, gas prices vary greatly from place to place. Once you know what a good price is and you pass a gas station with a good price, fill up! I must mention that gas prices around Lake Tahoe are far higher than in downtown Reno. From Reno to Lassen park is a 2 hour drive on US-395 N. Once at Lassen National Park, pay the entrance fee and you can then drive and explore the park independently.
I’m not much of a gambler, but the bar scene in downtown Reno sounds like something I could get behind. And I can definitely see the appeal behind trying out the Michael Jackson slot machine regardless of whether you’re a gambler or not. How did you like Lassen? Were the hikes and views there pretty cool?
There are great hikes at Lassen, you can also hike up Lassen peak. The views are amazing, beautiful pictures are guaranteed.
The Reno sign is so cool! love it. Heard of Reno, but didn’t know much about it, so thanks for sharing your experience, love a good slot machine too!
It’s always cool to see places in real life that you have seen in a movie! Reno sounds like a cool place to spend a weekend. Good for you walking away when you broke even! 😀
I always forget about Reno. I always think of Vegas and forget about Reno. And I have seen the Reno sign in a couple of movies. Love the Micheal Jackson slot machine though. That is hilarious. Glad to see you broke even on that gamble.
This is a great article, I’m heading to the USA in summer this year and touring the West Coast and have yet to plan our itinerary, so will definitely be adding this to our list! Thanks so much, as we would never have heard of these places otherwise!
OMG!!!! This is my first time on your blog and I can’t believe your trips!!! Whoa! You’ve done so many land trips. Antarctica to Alaska? Whoa!!!! When you say Nevada only Vegas comes to mind, so thanks for introducing me to Reno!!! Though Reno may not be my kinda place, Lassen Volcanic Park is most definitely my kinda place!!!
I agree with Bushavali, this isn’t my kind of city but it’s good to know what the options are along the way for a roadtrip on the Westcoast.
I’m also not a gambler, but that Michael Jackson slot machine sounds like a hoot!
I would love to visit all the great US National Parks one day, maybe when I move back home to Canada 🙂
The bar scene in Reno looks like fun and I’ve always wanted to try a slot machine!! Did you get to try some hikes around there?
Yes, after Reno I drove around 2 hours to Lassen Volcano National Park. It’s so beautiful and you can hike up Lassen Peak, you’ll definitely get your steps in!
Sounds like you had a great time in Reno! The sign does ring a bell and the slot machine with MJ music sounds awesome. I tend to not play slots, but when I have, I have actually won pretty decent on some of the times. Can’t wait to read more about the National Park!
I’ve had a couple of friends stay in Reno on their way to/from Burning Man and it sounds pretty neat. Slots aren’t really my thing, but I kinda do want to go to Vegas… Although it sounds overwhelming… Reno could be a happy medium.
I haven’t been to Reno but the other half of aroundthecompass visited this place a few years ago. He mentioned this place is a small and cheaper version of Las Vegas that is worth visiting.
Reno sounds like a great place to relax if you’re not into the much bigger scene of Las Vegas. I love their motto of “The Biggest Little City in the World” – that says a lot! And if you’re going to gamble a bit, why not have some fun with the Michael Jackson slot machine! I’m curious to know which song(s) plays when you get 3 bonuses?
I’m sure it’s Smooth Criminal, you may remember in the video he throws the coin into the slot machine and screams ‘Ow’. That’s how this all starts, then he’s moonwalking and dancing on screen as the slots are moving. I’m sure I can remember some Beat It and Billie Jean involved at some point as well.
I’ve been to Vegas and found the place pretty overwhelming, so I think Reno looks like a great alternative. I hadn’t heard of Reno before reading this, but will certainly notice the sign in those movies from now on 🙂
Reno might be a more sedate option than Vegas for me. Thanks for the details. 🙂
I’ve never been to Reno! Looks like a cool place though with less hustle and bustle than Vegas!
I haven’t been to Reno in years but I still remember I had one of the best steaks ever there! Reno is a little more low key than Vegas and a nice gateway to Lake Tahoe. Time for another visit!
your adventure sounds so epic! Awesome post, keep them coming.
We are not really into gambling but Lassen Volcanic Park sounds amazing. On an unrelated note, did you get lucky on the slot machine?
One thing I love about reading about new places is the improvement in my geographical knowledge as I had no idea where Reno was – even though I have heard of it!
Like the sound of the Michael Jackson slot machines! Just to listen to the music as much as anything!!
Reno seems like a little Las Vegas haha! I would probably stop by on my way to Lassen to catch a show and have a drink. The free shows were lots of fun in Vegas I am sure they would be fun in Reno too.
We don’t gamble (anymore) we need our pennies for travelling. Having said that hubby still likes to pop into a casino for a (very) small flutter. In Cambodia his limit was $10 which he lost within a couple of minutes and that was it… he had had he few minutes of fun LOL ha ha ha so it was back on the bike for more sightseeing!
Gambling isn’t really for me as I am terrible at it but would love the National Automobile Museum! Always wanted to check out Reno and see what it’s about.