Reno Between Art, River, and City History

Explore Reno through its art, automotive history, historic districts, and the Truckee River. When choosing a hotel, it helps to consider in advance which of these themes you want to shape your stay. Reno-Tahoe International Airport is located in central Reno. The city’s cultural and historical highlights offer different ways to plan your stay.

Art and Automotive History

The Nevada Museum of Art is Nevada’s only art museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Its permanent collection is organized into four thematic areas: the Robert S. and Dorothy J. Keyser Art of the Greater West Collection, the Carol Franc Buck Altered Landscape Photography Collection, the Modern and Contemporary Art Collection, and the E. L. Wiegand Work Ethic in American Art Collection. The names distinguish the areas of focus: the Greater West, landscape photography, modern and contemporary art, and work in American art. The museum building was inspired by the geological formations of the Black Rock Desert.

The National Automobile Museum opened on November 5, 1989. It is designed as a self-guided tour through historic street scenes, galleries, exhibits, and displays. More than 240 cars are presented alongside authentic street scenes and matching sounds. The presentation therefore includes not only the vehicles, but also the scenes’ design and sound. If you are choosing between the museums, you’ll find two distinct thematic approaches here: an art collection with four areas and a tour featuring automobiles in staged street scenes.

City History and Digital Tours

The University of Nevada, Reno National Historic District includes the Quad, Manzanita Lake, and 13 historic buildings. Reno also has more than 150 historic markers. East 4th Street played an important and varied role in the city’s history for more than a century. MidTown has been a lively business and residential district for nearly a century. The Mansions on the Bluff district includes homes where three former U.S. senators lived.

The number of stops also distinguishes the digital tours: the Historic Riverfront Walking Tour visits 20 stops, the Mansions on the Bluff Tour has 29, and the Historic MidTown Tour has 36. The three names therefore represent different historical themes, each with its own number of stops. These figures refer to digital tours, not to scheduled in-person guided tours.

Truckee River, Trail, and Exhibitions

The Truckee River flows through downtown Reno, making it a prominent point of reference. The completed West McCarran to Sparks section of the Tahoe Pyramid Trail runs through Reno’s Riverwalk District and is 10.7 miles long. Trail conditions can vary seasonally. These facts relate to different aspects of a stay: the river helps orient visitors in the city center, while the trail section described here has a specific route and stated length.

The Discovery offers 67,000 square feet of permanent and changing exhibitions, as well as events and programs for all ages. This explicitly all-ages focus is a helpful guide for travel groups in which people of different ages are planning together. Alongside art and city history, it adds another exhibition option.

Washoe as a Broader Travel Destination

In the broader Washoe travel destination, Washoe County manages more than 12,000 acres, including more than 10,000 acres of open space and 49 parks. The southeastern part of Washoe County borders the northeastern shore of Lake Tahoe and meets the Sierra Nevada. Galena Creek Regional Park is also part of this regional context; the Galena Creek Visitor Center has exhibits. These county-wide and regional details offer another layer of orientation alongside the city’s attractions.

In the broader Washoe travel destination, Historic Bowers Mansion is open seasonally on weekends and holidays for guided tours. Opening dates may vary; check the schedule before visiting. This makes it easy to distinguish this seasonally limited attraction from the collections, historical sites, and trail information described as ongoing.

Arrival and Hotel Choice

The airport is located in central Reno, and all major hotels in the area can be reached within 15 minutes.

Skiing with Reno as Your Base

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is a separate ski area outside Reno on SR 431 between Reno and Incline Village. The operator lists it as 25 miles from downtown Reno. According to the operator, the area spans more than 1,200 acres and has over 70 runs rated from beginner to expert level; the longest run is 2.5 miles. The regional tourism organization describes late November or early December through mid- or late April as the usual, weather-dependent timeframe for the Tahoe ski season. Check the trail and lift report as well as road conditions for your travel date.

Discover more destinations: Incline Village.

Go to the broader travel overview: Washoe.