Reno

Introduction

Reno sits in the northwest corner of Nevada, right along the state line with California. The city occupies the Truckee River valley in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada, roughly 23 miles northeast of Lake Tahoe. It serves as the county seat of Washoe County and is the largest city in Nevada outside the Las Vegas Valley.

You will often hear Reno called "The Biggest Little City in the World," a nickname that captures its dual character: a compact, walkable downtown set against a dramatic mountain backdrop, with easy access to the alpine landscapes of the Sierra. The Truckee River runs through the heart of the valley, and the surrounding foothills rise quickly, giving the city a distinctly western, high-desert-meets-mountain feel.

Before you go

Reno sits in northwestern Nevada at the base of the Sierra Nevada, where the Truckee River comes down out of the mountains and crosses the Truckee Meadows before heading east. The city and neighbouring Sparks share this valley, with the mountains to the west and desert to the east, and Reno serves as the urban centre for a wider region that takes in Carson City and the Carson Valley, Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake, and the historic mining town of Virginia City. The downtown core grew up around gambling, and although that business slowed in the later years of the twentieth century, the area has weathered the storm and is being reshaped by projects such as a baseball and entertainment district. Keep in mind that Reno is working to build a different kind of city for a greater variety of tastes; if you venture beyond the downtown casino bustle to areas like California Avenue south of the river, you will find calmer, more local-feeling neighbourhoods.

The climate is shaped by the Great Basin, a zone that drains only by evaporation. Much of the area's precipitation falls in winter as snow, so expect cold, snowy conditions in the colder months, with January the coldest. Summers are warm, and some days turn genuinely hot and sweltering, with nights that stay uncomfortably warm. Before you go, it is worth picking up guides, brochures and maps covering Reno, Sparks and the Lake Tahoe area from the Reno Tahoe Visitor Center on North Sierra Street, which is closed only for major holidays.

Getting there

Reno sits on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, and how you arrive depends largely on which side of the mountains you're coming from. From Northern California, the most direct route is Interstate 80 over Donner Summit, but this pass sees heavy snowfall and can shut down for up to a day at a time during winter; U.S. 395 through Susanville stays lower and tends to have fewer traffic and weather problems, which makes it a safer and quicker option from the Redding and Chico areas. US 50 over Echo Summit is another alternative, following the American River up from the Sacramento Valley and dropping into the Lake Tahoe Basin, though it is two lanes for much of the way and winter maintenance is not as good as on I-80. If you cross any Sierra pass in winter, watch the forecast and carry tire chains unless you have four-wheel drive. Passes south of US 50, aside from CA 88, are not maintained in winter.

From Southern California, US 395 runs up the Owens Valley through Bishop and past Mammoth Lakes into Carson City; the stretch between Bishop and Carson City crosses three high passes that can see moderate snowfall during winter storms, in which case U.S. 6 over Montgomery Pass to U.S. 95 is a lower, less snowy alternative. From Las Vegas, don't be fooled by sharing a state — roughly eight hours of driving separates the two, via US 95 north to Fallon, US 50 west to Fernley, and I-80 west into Reno; food and fuel are scarce outside the major towns, and summer heat on US 95 is hard on both you and your vehicle. From the east, I-80 follows the old Emigrant trail along the Humboldt River with generally easy grades, while US 50, "The Loneliest Highway in America," is more direct but crosses several mountain ranges with tight curves and steep grades. Amtrak's California Zephyr stops once daily in each direction at the downtown Reno station on N Center St, within walking distance of the downtown casinos, with shuttle buses connecting to Sacramento. Intercity buses stop at the RTC Centennial Plaza Transit Center in Sparks, the airport, and the downtown Amtrak station, with Greyhound and Flixbus running primarily along I-80 between Sacramento and Salt Lake City. Reno-Tahoe International Airport lies southeast of downtown off I-580/US 395, served by a range of domestic carriers plus Volaris from Guadalajara; from the airport you can reach downtown by taxi, by RTC route 19 on weekdays, or by local and long-distance shuttles.

Getting around

Reno sits in the Truckee Meadows valley, and the practical consequence for visitors is that the metro area is sprawling and car-dependent overall, though a compact, walkable core of Downtown, Midtown, and the Riverwalk District makes a car-free visit realistic if you base yourself there. Outside that core — in areas like South Meadows, Double Diamond, and the North Valleys — you will want wheels. Driving is the primary way most people get around and the most flexible option: two interstates cross in central Reno, with I-80 running east–west and I-580 (also signed as US 395) running north–south, while McCarran Boulevard loops the entire valley and makes a useful alternative for cross-town trips. Virginia Street is the primary business artery through downtown; major east–west routes include Moana Lane, Plumb Lane, Mill Street, Second Street, Fourth Street, and Sixth Street, and Keystone Avenue, Lakeside Drive, Wells Avenue, and Kietzke Lane are among the main north–south routes. Expect inbound congestion in the morning and outbound in the evening, with the interstate interchange the main bottleneck. Winter driving matters here — the valley gets snow storms, and tire chains are required on mountain passes toward California and Tahoe during winter months, even with four-wheel drive.

Reno has no metro, tram, or light rail. Local transit is provided by RTC Washoe: RTC RIDE covers greater Reno and Sparks and serves central corridors better than the outskirts, while RTC RAPID express routes run the Virginia Line from the University of Nevada, Reno through Downtown and Midtown to Meadowood Mall. FlexRIDE offers on-demand, curbside-to-curbside microtransit in zones where fixed routes are inefficient, such as Somersett, the North Valleys, and Spanish Springs, requested by app or phone. In downtown Reno, all buses stop at or near the RTC 4th Street Station at 4th and Lake, where you can also find The Bus Book. Fares are affordable, payable via the Token Transit app for digital passes, and exact change is no longer required; verify current pricing with RTC. For regional trips, the RTC Regional Connector runs commuter buses between downtown Reno and Carson City, but local RTC buses do not reach Lake Tahoe — use private shuttles for the lake. Amtrak's California Zephyr stops once a day in each direction at Reno Station on N Center Street, in the middle of downtown within walking distance of the downtown casinos, and Amtrak California runs shuttle buses between Reno and Sacramento. Intercity buses including Greyhound and Flixbus stop at the RTC Sparks Transit Center and the Reno Amtrak Station. Taxis and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft both operate, with short waits in many of the spots a visitor might go inside the city; at the airport, rideshare pickup zones are outside baggage claim. Walking is genuinely practical in Downtown, the Riverwalk District, and Midtown, which have dense sidewalks, crosswalks, and a grid layout, but wide boulevards and cul-de-sacs make it impractical elsewhere. For cyclists, the Truckee River Bike Path is the standout — largely traffic-separated, flat, and scenic, running from west Reno into Sparks and connecting to several Reno parks — while on-street cycling is a mixed bag with inconsistent infrastructure, so take care on fast arterials like South Virginia Street and McCarran Boulevard.

Where to stay

Most visitors to Reno stay at one of the hotel and casino resorts, but there are plenty of options if you would rather not stay at a casino. For a budget stay, there is a Motel 6 near the Livestock Events Center.

Mid-range choices include several properties convenient to the Reno Airport, such as the SureStay Plus by Best Western and the Comfort Inn & Suites, which sits a short distance from the airport itself. Elsewhere in the city you can stay at the Courtyard Reno on South Virginia Street or the Sonesta ES Suites on Gateway Drive. If you want to be downtown without staying in a casino, the Whitney Peak Hotel is a good choice: it is non-smoking and sits right next to the Reno Arch.

Food & drink

What to see and do

Reno rewards both a downtown wander and a drive into the surrounding hills. Start along the Truckee River at Wingfield Park, a few blocks from the casino core, where you'll find an amphitheater with summer performances, a year-round kayak park, and plenty of spots to sit and watch the water. Nearby California Avenue offers a cluster of small shops and restaurants for a relaxed meal, while the University of Nevada campus, laid out in a parklike setting inspired by Jefferson's University of Virginia, makes for a pleasant stroll past varied architecture and the Fleischmann Planetarium. The Nevada Museum of Art, designed by Will Bruder, hosts national and international touring exhibits alongside regional shows. Families gravitate to the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum and its two floors of interactive exhibits, and to the National Automobile Museum, where more than 200 cars are displayed against authentic street scenes and sounds. Further out, Rancho San Rafael Park holds an arboretum, the Wilbur D. May Museum, a fishing pond and a large off-leash dog area, with trails connecting into the hills to the north; Idlewild Park, a riverside walk from downtown, has a municipal rose garden, playgrounds, a skate park, a pool and summer food trucks. On Wells Avenue you'll find a neighborhood with a distinctly Latino flavor for shopping and dining, though it quiets down in the early evening.

Reno's calendar fills up in the warmer months. Artown brings artists from around the world for music, arts and theater performances throughout July, and the Reno River Festival takes over Wingfield Park for three days in early June. The Great Reno Balloon Race lifts off from Rancho San Rafael Park over Labor Day weekend, with a pre-dawn start if you want to watch inflation up close. Hot August Nights fills the city with classic cars and free outdoor rock concerts, Street Vibrations draws motorcycle riders twice a year, and the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off sets up in Sparks over Labor Day. For sports, the Nevada Wolf Pack compete on campus in football at Mackay Stadium and basketball at the Lawlor Events Center, with an intense rivalry against UNLV, while the Reno Aces play Triple-A baseball and the Reno Rodeo brings a ten-day competition in mid-June. And of course, the casinos are the city's most common attraction: downtown, Circus Circus, the Eldorado and the Silver Legacy are linked by walkways as "The Row," with circus acts and a midway arcade for families, the classic Reno-style Club Cal*Neva, and dining from brewpubs to steakhouses. Elsewhere, the Atlantis offers a tropical-themed resort with an oyster bar and one of the last traditional buffets in town, and the Grand Sierra Resort, closest to the airport, adds a nightclub, go karts, mini golf and a giant swing.

When to go

Reno sits in the dry Great Basin, so the weather splits into two distinct extremes rather than four gentle seasons. Winter is the coldest stretch of the year, and much of the area's scant annual precipitation arrives then, often as snow. Expect cold days and occasional snowy or slick conditions if you visit in the colder months, and pack accordingly.

• Winter: the coldest time of year, with January lows well below freezing; most of the region's precipitation falls now, frequently as snow, so plan for cold days and possible slick streets.
• Summer: July is the warmest month, with hot days and nights that stay mild; occasional sweltering spells push daytime highs higher still, and conditions remain dry throughout.

Summer visits mean planning around the heat, with dry conditions the norm and little relief from rain. If you prefer milder temperatures and don't mind the chance of snow, the colder months suit the city's high-desert character.

Festivals & events

Reno's festival calendar peaks in July with ARTOWN, the city's signature arts celebration. If your visit falls in that month, plan around it, as the event anchors the summer season for locals and visitors alike.

Three days in Reno

Day one: Start downtown, where the Truckee River runs through the heart of the Biggest Little City. Walk the riverfront and get your bearings at the Reno Tahoe Visitor Center on North Sierra Street, then follow California Avenue for a sense of the city's older street grid. The river is the thread that ties the day together, flowing down out of the Sierra Nevada toward the Truckee Meadows and on past Sparks.

Day two: Head for the water. Lake Tahoe sits up in the High Eastern Sierra, reached from Reno by way of Interstate through Donner Summit or Echo Summit, with the American River country on the California side. If you would rather stay closer to town, Pyramid Lake lies out in the Great Basin beyond the Truckee Meadows, and Virginia City keeps the old mining history of the region alive.

Day three: Look outward across the Sierra and the valleys. Carson City and the Carson Valley sit south of Reno in Washoe County, while the roads north run toward Susanville, Redding and Chico. From Northern California, travelers have long come over the passes into Reno, and the city's character shifts with the seasons - January brings cold and snow, while summers are warm and dry, so plan your day around what the mountains are doing.