We spent a few days in this beautiful city last week. It was an eye opening experience. Reno, a city of a quarter of a million people, is crisp, clean, and modern. It has the fun and games of Las Vegas, without the desert, heat, crowds, and the hustle.
When you talk to folks who live there, you hear about the four seasons, the outdoor lifestyle, the mountains, and the friendly people. That certainly was our experience. We ate at fabulous restaurants, walked down streets with not a piece of paper in sight, stayed in a world class hotel. This is small town America with a big city feel.
Reno is 30 minutes from Lake Tahoe, one of the most beautiful settings in the world. It is surrounded by mountains that offer vistas unparalleled. A short drive away is historic Virginia City, reminding one of the times when fortunes were taken from the ground. When you go to Reno, plan to stay a few days and see what this area has to offer.
Locals talk about being able to walk their downtown. Central Reno is 10 minutes from the Airport, traffic is light during rush hour, major hotels are within a few minutes’ drive of each other. Our hotel, the Grand Sierra Resort, is less than seven minutes from the airport, and 10 minutes to downtown.
This city offers world class accommodations at shockingly low prices. Our rooms, comparable to any in major hotels across the country, were under $100 a night. We aren’t talking Motel 6 here, but recently renovated, ultra modern, extremely comfortable places to stay.
We spoke to natives and to transplants. To a person they loved their city. It has a ‘feel’ that you only wish for in a New York, Miami, Chicago or LA. Everyone you meet seems to want to be here, want to help, and want to tell you about their lives and the reasons they have no desire to leave.
Reno harkens back to small town America, to the values that we hold dear and miss in the big city. When you visit, take time to talk to the residents. But be careful, Reno grows on you. You may just find it too attractive to leave.
JVH
