Canadian World Traveller Spring 2023 Issue

30
Reno, Nevada Offers Much More Than Casino Thrills
by Randy Mink
In my travels to just about every corner of
the world, I still haven’t made it to Las
Vegas. But, to get a taste of the gaming
and entertainment scene that lures people to
Nevada’s urban hotspots, I recently spent a
few days in Reno, Vegas’ smaller counterpart,
to explore the city of 225,000 and nearby
Lake Tahoe.
For years I had seen Reno’s signature landmark,
the lighted gateway arch on Virginia
Street that proclaims Reno “The Biggest Little
City in the World.” That sign alone—one of
America’s best-known city symbols—had
always piqued my curiosity, and I’m constantly
on the lookout for secondary cities that
don’t get the attention of big kahunas like
Vegas.
I’m not a gambler but enjoyed poking around
downtown Reno and its three interconnected
casino hotels—Circus Circus Reno, El Dorado
and Silver Legacy. Part of Caesars
Entertainment and known collectively as THE
ROW, all three hotels offer vast gaming
World Traveler Spring 2023
floors, shops, restaurants and bars. There’s
also gaming action at hotel-casino complexes
outside downtown, namely the Peppermill,
Atlantis and Grand Sierra.
Along the Truckee River, downtown’s revitalized
Riverwalk District encompasses parkland,
cultural attractions, boutique shops, art
galleries, and places to eat, drink and listen
to music. You might see folks taking a dip in
the river or floating along in tubes, kayaks or
rafts.
The National Automobile Museum, at the
edge of the Riverwalk District, is Reno’s premier
attraction—in my book anyway. A gold
mine for antique car buffs and nostalgiaseekers,
it displays some of the oldest and
rarest cars in existence. You can pose seated
in a 1926 Ford Model T, the only car guests
are allowed to touch.
The museum has about 200 cars on display
in galleries and period streetscapes with
storefronts and old-time gas pumps. My
favorite section was Cars of the Stars. I saw
Elvis Presley’s 1973 Cadillac Eldorado, the
Batmobile from the “Batman” TV series and
the 1953 Chevy Corvette bought sight unseen
during the model’s first year by 6’4” John
Wayne, who could barely fit into the small
cockpit.
The Nevada Museum of Art, three blocks
south of the river, hosts touring exhibitions
and rotates works from its collections, which
are strong on Indigenous, African American
and Western art.
One of my favorite Reno discoveries was
Midtown, a once neglected area that today
buzzes with an artsy vibe and eclectic array of
shops and eateries. The highest structures in
this low-rise neighborhood are neon motel
signs harking back to another era; some of
the retro motels are still in business.
One day I drove from Reno through the Sierra
Nevada Mountains to Incline Village, Nevada
for a look at Lake Tahoe, North America’s
largest alpine lake. Remarkably clear and
surrounded by lush forests of fir and pine, the
lake straddles the Nevada-California state
line. I stopped at a scenic viewpoint and
walked along a short segment of the lakeside
Tahoe East Shore Trail, taking pictures like
crazy.
Reno and Lake Tahoe—the perfect one-two
punch.
www.visitrenotahoe.com