Things to Do in Reno, Nevada’s “Biggest Little City”

We hadn’t heard great things about Reno before deciding to stay within a short drive of the city for a while.

I already knew I wasn’t a big fan of Las Vegas, and Reno was supposed to be a lesser form of all that.

The thing is, “lesser” may mean smaller, calmer, and more manageable. If you’re not a huge Vegas fan but like a touch of casino entertainment, nightlife, and quirk, Reno offers all of that in a smaller package.

We ended up being fans of “The Biggest Little City in the World,” and visited a few times during our stay nearby because of all of the fun, unique things to do in Reno.

Is Reno worth visiting?

Reno is worth the visit for its food and fun, more relaxed gambling culture, and quirky attractions. It’s also a great base for outdoor activities in the stunning Washoe Valley and Lake Tahoe area. 

What is Reno best known for?

Reno is famous for its moniker, “The Biggest Little City in the World,” its casino scene, and its proximity to the annual Burning Man festival. 

I’ve never been to Burning Man and have no desire to go, but I liked the quirkiness of the city itself.

Things to Do in Reno

Brian and I spent both of our birthdays in Reno one year and had a great time doing it. The city offers plenty no matter what you’re after, even if it has nothing to do with casino chips.

Start with coffee at one of Reno’s best coffee shops.

Hub Coffee Roasters is an excellent stop for a pick-me-up before you stroll along the Reno Downtown Riverwalk. I was initially on the hunt for a tea bar next door, but don’t believe the other guides. It’s been closed for a while.

I ended up getting some hot tea anyway because I was in that kind of mood, but they have a great menu of single-origin beans, blends, and espresso drinks for an added boost. They have a few additional locations around town, but this one is the most scenic.

Grab a treat at DoughBoys Donuts. 

This family-owned and operated donut shop has been selling its delicious cake and glazed raised donuts for over three decades now. 

Their Wolf Pack Paws are a popular option if you want to show support for the University of Nevada. We grabbed the chocolate version, but they also have one with blue icing. 

Fun fact: You get a free donut if you tell them it’s your birthday. We were at the shop for Brian’s special day, so we definitely left with more than we thought we would.

Their blueberry cake was probably my favorite, but that’s because I’m quite the blueberry cake donut connoisseur. I couldn’t tell you how many I’ve eaten in my time on Earth and that’s how I like it.

Take your photo with the Reno Arch.

The Reno Arch is one of those iconic Reno landmarks that you’ll likely pass by a few times on trips to Reno. Spend a minute or two admiring it before you go along your merry way. 

This is the third version of the arch that spans Virginia Street, but each iteration has been a symbol of the city. The original was constructed in this very spot in 1926 as a way to celebrate the expansion of transportation in the region.

Fun fact: If you’re here at night looking for evening entertainment in Reno, you’ll get to see it illuminated.

Stroll along the Truckee River in the Riverwalk District.

If you took my advice about the coffee shop, you may have already introduced yourself to one of the most scenic spots in Reno, the Truckee River. 

Enjoy the public art in the form of sculptures along the way. Quack at adorable ducks snoozing on the river banks or take any of the little walkways that get you down closer to the water. Idlewild Park is a great place to rest and relax if you want to continue west.

We took the area on foot, but there are bike paths here that would make for a great ride, too.

Find your favorite historical marker.

There are all kinds of markers all over Reno that are a scavenger hunt of sorts for history buffs. We were on our way for some soup — I’ll get into that in a minute — when we noticed one for the Jacob Davis Tailor Shop.

This is the guy who invented copper-riveted jeans with Levi Strauss. That’s a pretty big deal even if you haven’t worn hard pants since the pandemic.

You’ll find this one at 211 N. Virginia Street, but it’s almost as fun coming up on the markers on your own.

See bus art at the RTC 4th Street station.

If you go to the transit station in downtown Reno, you can see a large bus installation letting you know you’re there. This flying bus was quite the to-do when it was first installed.

Multiple cranes had to hoist the bus, a real 1962 transit bus, to the top of the pole where it sits today. 

The project was nearly fully funded by the Federal Transit Administration as a way to blend art with public works projects. The city had to incorporate a bit of whimsy into more boring projects around rehabbing that transit station to get that cheddar

Grab lunch at one of Reno’s best casual eateries.

If you haven’t noticed from my photos by now, it was a little gloomy during our visits to Reno. We didn’t have a bad time as a result, but it did mean soup had to happen at some point. 

Süp was my personal request at the start of my own Reno birthday. I got myself a half-order of a grilled cheese, soup, and a side salad for an OK price and more than enough food.

Note: If you’re getting confused at this point, Brian and I have birthdays that are a few days apart. We both wanted to do Reno while staying in the Washoe Valley.

Want to compare with other lunch spots in Reno? Here are a few more:

• Mari Chuy’s: This is a local Mexican chain with a few spots around the city, but Mari Chuy’s Tequileria y Botanas on Rancharrah Parkway looks like the most spacious option. This looks extra fun with a group, as the food here is meant to be shared.
• Noodle Box Kitchen: What was once a Rice Box Kitchen has been folded into the Noodle Box Kitchen, but don’t be afraid. You’ll find a fusion of a little bit of everything Asian at this popular spot. Come on Sundays for dim sum. 
• Two Chicks: This spot is known for breakfast and brunch, but they’re open until 2pm daily if you want to pop in for lunch. The Bumble Brie, a sourdough sandwich with apples, Brie, and honey looked right up my alley.

Check out the murals in MidTown.

Reno has a nice mural and street art scene, and MidTown is a great place to catch the city’s public art. Start with a classic proclaiming Reno as “The Biggest Little City in the World” on the side of the Making Memories Reno party planning store. 

The “With Love From Reno” mural on The Nest building on Keystone Avenue and the giant octopus at The Melting Pot World Emporium are two more favorites.

If you love a good walking tour, this guided mural tour of MidTown looks pretty great.

See The Space Whale.

This sculpture in City Plaza is a full-scale stained glass humpback whale mother and calf. It was originally featured during Burning Man 2016 but turned into a symbol for the city following a local campaign.

You’ll see it up against a large sign that reads BELIEVE and a skate park.

Visit the Nevada Museum of Art.

I’m including this one because the temporary exhibit we saw there was very cool and unexpected.

During our visit, we got to see Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, an exhibit about a special military unit that deceived Hitler’s armies during World War II.

They used inflatable tanks and things, people. If this show is on the road you’ll want to check it out. 

The museum from there felt over-priced. Several floors were closed for renovation. The sculpture garden was neat, but I felt a little cheated by what we got to see and how much of the Reno museum was under reno.

If you’re an art lover, it’s your right to do your own research when you’re planning whether to visit certain museums. I’d check the museum website to learn about any potential closures ahead of your visit.

Tour the National Automobile Museum.

I was surprised that I liked the National Automobile Museum as much as I did, but I’m going to go ahead and call this one a must-see while in Reno. 

If you’re traveling with friends, especially those who like the Fast & Furious franchise, this one is a must.

They have made SO many of those movies, but if they bring you joy, I wouldn’t poo-poo that.

Anyway, the famous cars were the highlight for me. You’ll get to see multiple Batmobiles, including the first one signed by Adam West, Herbie from Herbie: Fully Loaded, and cars owned by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

That’s just a sampling. You could spend a few hours here just reading all of the signage about the classic cars in those exhibits. Even if you have a cursory interest in cars, I’d budget at least an hour and a half. This place is dense with autos.

Try your luck at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.

Reno is basically a miniature Las Vegas, but it doesn’t smack you in the face with the gambling as much as the “real” deal. That’s preferable for me.

Any gambling we did while in Reno seemed to result in more winnings vs. all of our travels to Las Vegas, and I like money.

Our pick was the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. It was a bit of a sensory overload in there, but that’s the nature of casinos for me. 

The Peppermill Resort Spa Casino and the Silver Legacy Resort Casino are two more popular Reno casinos. Honestly, as it’s not something we do often, any will do for me. Consider one that’s well-situated for other things you want to do while you’re in Reno.

This is a Reno attraction for adults, by the way. Don’t be sitting your toddler next to that roulette table.

Visit the Sky Terrace.

The Oyster & Sushi Bar on the Sky Terrace and their all-you-can-eat sushi bar were a big draw for choosing the Atlantis as our Reno casino of choice. The sushi was fine. I prefer my sushi without too many embellishments, and the place was big on the artistic rolls.

The view up there was even better than the food. Order a glass of plum wine while you’re at it and enjoy the panoramas of the city and mountain scenery from above.

Hit a bucket of balls at the Grand Bay Driving Range.

If you’re with Brian around his birthday, there will likely be golf happening in some capacity. He really wanted to try this driving range outside the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino because you hit balls right into the man-made pond that surrounds the property. 

Just watch out for the waterfowl. That’d be a party fowl. For whatever reason, they like to call the pond home, so just beware and go with the flow (and my pun).

I thought it was pretty cheap for a medium bucket of balls, so it’s a fun activity if you’re a group of young adults looking for cheap fun. If you’re feeling confident, you can hit up another casino option next door at the Grand Sierra.

Grab a drink at The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery.

I’ll get into more Reno breweries in a minute, but The Depot deserves a special shoutout for the space. The three-story brick building has been here since 1910 as the headquarters for the regional railroad. 

The railway, at that time operating as the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway, was hyper-local, operating mostly as a cargo system for ranchers and farmers in the area.

Now that the history is out of the way, let’s talk drinks. They have a great menu of beer, spirits, and cocktails for you to choose from. I liked everything we sipped on except the one that tasted like kraut. 

Note: I no longer see it on the menu, but it definitely had the word kraut in either the name or the description, so don’t be as foolish as I was.

The food menu looked great, too, but we had a date with pizza after. If I went back, I’d definitely have to try those cornbread fritters.

READ MORE: Love a beer city? Check out my picks for San Diego’s best breweries.

Test out more of Reno’s best breweries.

We rarely stop at just one brewery in any given destination, and Reno was no exception. Our second stop was Pigeon Head Brewery, and I absolutely loved it.

The decor was weird and big on pigeons. I’m talking pigeon heads on humans in a way that somehow added to the ambiance. More importantly, the beer was delicious. We had an oatmeal cookie red ale and a chocolate stout on our visit that were both divine.

Reno has a great brewery scene if you want to hop around. Great Basin Brewing Co. and Lead Dog Brewing were also on our list.

If you want someone else to show you around, book a beer tour to take the guesswork out of the situation.

Grab a slice at a Reno pizzeria.

Reno has delicious pizza, and when either of us is getting ready to celebrate a birthday, you better believe pizza is on the menu. 

We went with The Pizza Collective, a small farm-to-table pizzeria that you enter through a wine bar with what appeared to be an Indian restaurant on the other side.

The pizzas here are brick oven-style and delicious. Ours was packed with bacon, chunks of garlic, honey, and jalapeños.

Their cocktails could use some work, so I’d go with beer if you’re thirsty. 

If you have time for more than one pizza stop in your Reno travels, DOPO Pizza & Pasta and Noble Pie Parlor were on my list.

READ MORE: If you’re a pizza fiend, you’ll want to learn about the best pizza on the planet.

Try more restaurants in Reno.

Reno has an excellent food scene no matter what you’re after. Here are a few that were on our list if the pizza cravings hadn’t gotten to us first:

• Beaujolais Bistro: I’m not sure why I didn’t request this one for my Reno birthday celebration as you know I love French food, but it’s a regret I’ll have to live with. Make reservations for this one, as it’s firmly in fancy town.
• Fourk Kitchen: Multi-course prix fix menus may sound like an indulgence, but they hit a little different when they come at a reasonable price. The restaurant business is a fickle beast so I won’t publish pricing, but I thought it was a steal for fine dining.
• Von Bismarck: My Eastern European ancestry is always on the hunt for a good sausage — don’t you try to go there — so I had to include a German eatery. They’re known for their schnitzel, but I’m sure their wurst are the best in Reno.

Feel like a kid at the Press Start Arcade Bar.

Play all of your favorite childhood games and pinball machines at this fun bar. You also get a free drink on your birthday, something I swear I didn’t know before we planned a stop inside for Brian’s special day. 

I found the Press Start Arcade Bar way more affordable than similar haunts in my hometown Chicago. That’s what you can expect in “The Biggest Little City in the World.” 

More Things to Do Reno

We spent a decent amount of time in Reno but still have a few things on our list for a return trip. Here are some more Reno attractions that may strike your fancy:

• Time your visit for public bowling or a trip to the Kingpin Club at the National Bowling Stadium, a mecca for professional bowlers.
• Visit the botanical gardens of Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, a former ranch.
• Tackle the climbing wall at the Whitney Peak Hotel.
• Plan your trip for The Great Reno Balloon Race, the largest free hot-air ballooning event in the world. 
• Check out the views of Reno and the Washoe Valley from the Windy Hill Scenic Overlook.

Things to Do Near Reno

If you want a cheaper place to stay for a while, Reno is a great option. I’ve already launched into all of the fun you can have in Reno proper, but it’s a great base for Nevada day trips, too. 

The city is perfectly situated for exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains, Lake Tahoe, and even quirkier sites that have nothing to do with outdoor recreation.

Here are a few that we loved:

• Washoe Valley: One of our favorite spots to take our pup was Washoe Lake State Park for its views of the Sierra Nevada and Virginia mountain ranges. New Washoe City is located only about 25-30 minutes from Reno.
• Carson City: Enjoy mountain views all around in this town just over half an hour from Reno. The best way to see Carson City is on foot. The Kit Carson Trail, a 2.5-mile stroll through the historic district, is a great place to start for an overview.
• Virginia City: Much like Carson City, you can get to Virginia City in just over half an hour. There are beautiful views all over town from the approach to Virginia City’s most scenic overlooks. If you love haunted spots, visit The Washoe Club.
• Lake Tahoe: Lake Tahoe offers some of the loveliest scenery in the region. Incline Village on the Nevada side is about a 50-minute drive from Reno. Tahoe City on the California side will take you about an hour.

For something truly weird, the Republic of Molossia sounds like an experience we wouldn’t forget. We were just a week too early for their first weekly tours so this is definitely my biggest FOMO on this list. You cannot come to this place unannounced.

The Republic of Molossia is a micronation founded in 1977 by a guy named Kevin Baugh who wanted to realize his teenage dreams of running a kingdom in Nevada. 

This sovereign entity occupies a little over an acre of land and boasts its own currency, constitution, and government. I’m honestly not sure if it’s all for fun and satire or a serious attempt at cutting ties with the United States.

In any case, you can get here in about an hour from Reno. Just make sure you’re here on a dedicated tour date if you’re interested. 

Where to Stay in Reno

We visited Reno on day trips from a horse farm in the Washoe Valley. It was exactly what we needed after some time in Las Vegas within a 30-minute drive of Reno.

If your travel to Reno is for a short amount of time, you have all kinds of options for stays at a variety of price points. Check out the map below to compare your options:

Reno is nicer than you might think.

I say it that way because Reno has a reputation as being an armpit of sorts. That’s unfair.

MidTown and the Riverwalk District are both great, walkable communities for first-time visitors. Caughlin Ranch is a popular option for the fancy folks.

You should visit Reno because it’s one of those underrated destinations that will pleasantly surprise you.

It’s a great stopover if you’re on a road trip through Nevada exploring the state’s best attractions and national parks, as it’s budget-friendly with its own charm. It’s also just fine for a dedicated visit, especially if you fit in time for a day trip or two.

We’d happily return for a longer stay!

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