Best Things to Do in Reno

The Greater Nevada Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Reno, Nevada, and the home of the Triple-A Reno Aces and the Reno 1868 soccer team. The ballpark is located next to the Truckee River and is the centerpiece of the Reno redevelopment effort, named the Freight House District. The Reno Aces Ballpark features all the amenities you would expect in a major league park: luxury suites, restaurants, food, several beer gardens, picnic table seating, a grassy area to stretch out on, and a play area complete with bouncy castle and jungle gyms. There are giveaways and audience-participatory fun at every game, and it's a great way to spend the evening downtown. A parking lot is available across the street or you can park at any of the casino hotels downtown.

The University of Nevada is central to the city of Reno. Over 30,000 students call UNR their alma mater and there are events and things to do all over campus. UNR is home to the Wolf Pack baseball, football and basketball teams and all UNR games are open to the public and full of fun and excitement. The campus has several restaurants, coffee shops and museums. The Keck museum in the Mackay School of Mines is a historic rock and gem museum. There are public green spaces, a large quad and many parks. The Mathewson/IGT Knowledge Center is the largest library/knowledge center in the state of Nevada and features thousands of books, computer labs, a coffee shop and public spaces.

Located about 30 minutes from Reno, this historic town was once the world's richest city thanks to the largest gold vein ever mined, the Comstock Lode. Little has changed since those mid-1800s days, and C Street, the main thoroughfare, still looks much as it did decades ago. Among the top sights are the old town cemetery, Bucket of Blood Saloon, The Castle (the only structure untouched by the fire of 1875), Fourth Ward School, Ponderosa Saloon, and Piper Opera House. The best way to tour the city is to start at the base of the hill on C Street and work your way upward. This route also affords absolutely stunning views of the surrounding mountains. VC is a must-see for anyone interested in Wild West history.

As host city to Burning Man, much of this desert event's art makes its way into the city center. While Reno has Burning Man art scattered throughout town (see The Art Spot Reno website), one place to see many revolving pieces at one time is at the Reno Playa Park across the street from the Circus Circus and the Silver Legacy in Downtown. This free plaza displays large sculptures, lighted works, murals, and recycled art from various Burning Man years. Check out the Ichthyosaur Puppet by Jerry Snyder or the Garden of Eden by Kate Raudenbush. The plaza usually has about 10-15 pieces to view at one time.

Even if classic cars are not your passion this 100,000-square-foot museum is still a great place to view some of the most beautiful and unusual cars you will ever see. The museum houses one of the largest collections of antique automobiles to be found anywhere and it has been voted one of the top ten automobile museums in the country and one of the best 16 museums in the world. The cars are grouped by age in street settings appropriate to their time. These real-life backdrops include everything from Burma Shave signs to old gas pumps. See the cars that were originally a part of the Harrah collection including a Cadillac that belonged to Elvis Presley, a gold Delorean, the car belonging to Alice Ramsey (the first woman to drive across the U.S.) and the Thomas Flyer. There is also a copper Rolls Royce, a Phantom Corsair and s few horseless carriages.

The Discovery is a celebration of the nature, science and weather of the Silver State. Both adults and children can visit a Native American tule house, learn about the early Pioneers, work on their own farm or ranch and study archeology. They can also climb around on a three-story-tall cloud climbing structure, get wet while learning about local water resources, or build structures and art while learning more about Leonardo Da Vinci. Older children can visit the Under the Stars exhibit where they can go fishing, go on a camping trip and meet Northern Nevada's wildlife. There is also an area for babies and toddlers with a treehouse and slide, a mine elevator and tunnel and a place for nursing mothers.

The Midtown District of Reno has already been featured in several national publications as an example of urban resurgence. This once-neglected part of Reno just south of Downtown has a new life and a variety of restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and art studios. From the Mountain Music Parlor where you can hear and participate in musical jams to the foodie restaurants of Midtown Eats, Laughing Planet, and Great Full Gardens, you can spend a whole day just walking around this funky part of town. Visit Junkee or the NeverEnder for great gifts and The Melting Pot for unusual costumes and Burning Man gear.

The Truckee River Whitewater Park is right in the middle of downtown Reno, just a few blocks from the casinos. It is 2,600 feet long with class 2 and 3 rapids for kayakers, canoes and boats. It is easily accessible from the shore and from the nearby Wingfield Park. There are five drop pools and 7,000 tons of smooth rocks to sit on along the river. Boaters and tubers can start anywhere along the park and go through several rapids, drops and marked tracks. Whitewater Park is a great place to hang out during the summer where there are weekend concerts and events including Artown. The pools are full of tubers during the hottest months and many of them can start up the river at Mayberry Park in Verdi.

This award-winning museum is located in the CalAve District and features permanent and traveling exhibits from various artists. This excellent museum is small, but packs in a wonderful selection of contemporary and traditional art, sculptures interactive exhibits, shows, and a rooftop sculpture deck with a view of all of Reno and the surrounding mountains. The outside area of the museum has several permanent exhibits including several pieces from the nearby Burning Man festival. Current and past exhibitions have included: To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum, Leo Villareal: Animating Light, Explorer, Naturalist, Artist John James Audubon and The Birds of America and the Baroque World of Fernando Botero.

The Reno Arts District and the Reno Riverwalk are centrally located on the Truckee River and just steps from Downtown. This area is home to great restaurants and bars, an outdoor beer garden, shopping areas, and a walkway along the Truckee River. The central point of the area is Wingfield Park, which is located on an island in the middle of the river. Various events such as the annual tree lighting and July's Artown are held here. There are an amphitheater and access to the river as well as a few swimming holes. Also along this area are several bars and coffee shops including Cafe Capello and the popular Sierra Tap House. Popular restaurants include the excellent Beaujolais Bistro, the Wild River Grille and Campo.