Getaway to Reno

“The Biggest Little City in the World”

A short hop from the Willamette Valley by car or by air, Reno is a fun getaway, and if you haven’t been there for a while — it isn’t your parent’s Reno! We took a quick trip down with an overnight stop in K-Falls. It’s an easy drive through some nice country.

Zero Emission Buses – Nice.

We rolled into town mid-afternoon and parking was a breeze at the El Dorado, now part of “The Row.” The Row is a newly branded destination in the heart of Reno, uniting the Eldorado Resort Casino, Circus Circus Reno, and Silver Legacy Resort Casino. Stretching across four city blocks, The Row encompasses 25 restaurants, 22 bars and lounges, 11 nightspots, over 4,000 luxury rooms and suites and 227,000 square feet of casino space with 3,000 slot machines and 125 table games. And, it’s worth noting, the beds at the El Dorado are super comfy! Visit TheRowReno.com, and follow THE ROW on Instagram. The Row offers pretty much everything you’d need for a quick, and fun weekend getaway, and to make things even more amazing, this fall The Row will debut the new Spa at Silver Legacy. Northern Nevada’s newest luxury spa experience introduces phase II of a master renovation plan of more than $100 million which began late 2016. The Spa, the largest in northern Nevada, will offer premier services in relaxation, beauty, fitness, and retail in the Heart of Reno.

“The Spa at Silver Legacy is a vital component of our three-year master development plan, capturing THE ROW’s commitment to luxury and modernization,” said Gary Carano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eldorado Resorts. “Our holistic approach to hospitality has always been built upon excellence in gaming, entertainment, and dining, and The Spa provides the long-desired luxury element to our fully integrated resort-casino group. We are proud of the elite team of internationally acclaimed health and wellness professionals who have brought this vision to life.”

The 21,000-square-foot spa treatment area is surrounded by windows, inviting the natural light to illuminate throughout. The Spa includes three couples treatment rooms, four individual treatment rooms, five facial treatment rooms, three relaxation lounges, a salt inhalation chamber, two private hospitality suites, seven hydrotherapy soaking tubs, two steam rooms and two saunas. The al fresco natatorium—a rejuvenating swimming pool and focal point of the additional 8,000-square-foot deck area—includes a waterfall and fire feature, coed hot soaking tubs, and shaded seating and sunbathing lounges intended for pre- and post-treatment relaxation.

Reno receives 5.1 million visitors per year (2017). While the summer and winter seasons see a ton of visitors, the fall/spring shoulder seasons are a secret gem, with lowered room rates, fewer crowds and seasonable temperatures for outdoor activities.

The River Walk

With the influx of major tech companies—i.e. Tesla, Microsoft, and Apple—Reno has become a hot spot for entrepreneurs and legacy businesses looking to expand. The emergence of these businesses has catalyzed master development plans, new restaurants, renovations, and attractions.

There are tons of fun things to do and things to see.  So, if you can find the time in between all the activities at the Row… step outside!

Mark Trujillo at Hub Coffee Roasters

We were treated to a river/all-over walk with Doug Irwin of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, he pointed out a lot of things casual Nevada visitors (us) might not be aware of. Such as: the Great Basin Community Co-Op, very cool, and very familiar — has a real Willamette Valley vibe to it, Death & Taxes – an intimate space that serves, as Doug testifies, the best cocktails in the west, Mark Trujillo of Hub Coffee Roasters, a pioneer of good (really good) hipster coffee houses in Nevada, The Generator, a huge warehouse dedicated to art, the source of many of the large-scale pieces you see at Burning Man. A truly amazing space that appears to be very well-funded, we suspect the huge influence of techies, and tech money, have something to do with that. Check out therenogenerator.com, and prepare to be amazed.

Space Whale

In a more traditional art sense, we also made a trip to the Nevada Museum of Art. Truthfully, we expected “cowboy art” – grandiose landscapes involving cows, and sage brush. We weren’t disappointed in that respect, but what we didn’t expect were European Masters. Renoir, Van Gogh, Manet, yep, all there. The museum also houses a number of pop art pieces from the likes of Warhol, Rothko, and de Kooning, and a piece we particularly liked by Reno-born Franklin Evans entitled Arabesquedesign. A lot of the western art, was part of a major show featuring Hans Meyer-Kassel, who came to Nevada from Germany after WWI.

From Space Whale to… Renoir? Yep, everything in Reno!

Reno is really seeing a boom in development, rennovation, and excitement. If you’re thinking of a quick (or longer) getaway, your luck in the casino may vary, but Reno is a sure thing. Go!

Resources:

Eat & Drink

Eldorado Resort Casino: Roxy’s Bistro (over 100 martinis and live music) or La Strada (classic, hand-crafted Italian). For classic, causal spots, try Canter’s Deli or Habit Burger.

Wine Bars/rustic, locally-sourced eating: Liberty Food & Wine Exchange or Chez Louie in the Nevada Museum of Art

Supremely fresh chicken salad at Liberty Food & Wine Exchange

New, hot spots: Feast (surf and turf), Calafuria (modern Italian)

Quick and healthy: Laughing Planet, Grateful Gardens

Bars / Lounges: Rum Sugar Lime (new), Death and Taxes (premier cocktails) Chapel Tavern (huge bottle selection), Ten Torr Distillery (new brewery), The Depot (renovated train depot, distillery, brewery, restaurant)

Shop

Midtown – funky, artistic, shopping: Go treasure hunting at Junkee Clothing Exchange or enjoy various boutique shopping in Sticks Shopping Center, or along Virginia Street. Look for reflections of Burning Man Art, “burner boutiques” like PolyEsthers and the Melting Pot.

Riverwalk – Truckee River, shopping: Visit The Basement for boutique shopping in an urban underground setting, West Elm, Hub Coffee Rosters and West Street Market. Enjoy a walk along the Truckee River.

Museums – Nevada Museum of Art, National Automobile Museum, The Discovery Museum (children OK but has fun boozy adult nights occasionally.)

Rothko at the Nevada Museum of Art. Rothko trivia: he attended high school at Lincoln High, in Portland, really!

Catch an Aces Game at the adorable, AAA field in downtown Reno

Entertainment / Activities

Enjoy “Cirque Paris” in the Eldorado Showroom. Climb the tallest outdoor climbing wall at Whitney Peak. Play Bocce at the Renaissance

Arts and Culture

Inspired by a mix of Burning Man influence and a variety of street artists, sculptors, and makers, Reno has a blossoming arts and culture scene.

Take a stroll along the Riverwalk and up Virginia Street past the Reno Arch to the Playa Art Park. Along the way, you’ll pass a variety of sculptures, many of which debuted at Burning Man, including the Bicentennial Sculpture Park, Space Whale, BELIEVE and the Playa Art Park.

An abundance of murals and street art can be found in Reno’s MidTown District, with monthly mural tours available.

Reno is the host to major events throughout the year, particularly in the Summer and Fall. High profile events include: the Reno Rodeo (June 14-23), BBQ, Brews & Blues (June 14-16), Artown (July 1 – 31), Basque Festival (July 21), Hot August Nights (August 9-13), The Great Reno Balloon Race (Sept. 7-9) and Reno Air Races (Sept 12-16).

 

For More: Visit Reno Tahoe  THE ROW .

Planning a more permanent visit? Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada