Reno First Timers Guide

Description:

Location. The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino is located two miles from the National Bowling Stadium and the National Auto Museum in Reno, Nev. The hotel is three miles from the University of Nevada. Fleischmann Planetarium is three-and-one-half miles away.

Hotel Features. The resort's casino spans 80,000 square feet and is open 24 hours. The health club offers treadmills, elliptical trainers, free weights, a climbing wall, an outdoor pool, spa tubs and steam rooms. The spa offers massages, aromatherapy and body wraps. Just off the casino floor, Restaurant Row includes The Lodge Buffet and Charlie Palmer Steak. The 2nd Street Express serves traditional breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The Crystal Lounge offers fine wines, liquors, crisp brews and appetizers.

Guestrooms. The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino includes 2,000 guestrooms and suites, most with mountain, city or river views. Accommodations feature contemporary design and entertainment centers. Bathrooms provide heat lamps and mosaic-tiled floors. High-speed wired Internet access is available for a fee, and wireless Internet access is complimentary. The top 11 floors of the hotel have been transformed into The Summit, 825 luxury... read more

Description:

Attached by a walkway to Circus Circus and the Silver Legacy, this hotel sports an upscale atmosphere with a relaxed vibe and a convenient location in the heart of downtown Reno. The Tower rooms feature a simple yet sophisticated decor, mountain views, and Judith Jackson toiletries in the bathrooms. The deluxe whirlpool suites toss in marble bathrooms, a Jacuzzi tub in the living area, and pop-up TVs. For the budget-minded traveler, the economy and standard rooms are a steal. The hotel casino also boasts nine award-winning restaurants, including a recent $5-million buffet renovation, 24-hour casino action, and a Broadway-style showroom that features a series of production shows alternating with headline artists. The Brew Brothers pub, with eight custom microbrews swings, plays live rock and blues nightly beginning at 9:30pm, and Roxy's Bar & Lounge, with its old-world charm and 102 versions of stiff martinis, is a popular gathering place with locals and tourists alike.

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The West Street Market is located right in the heart of the Reno Arts District by the river. It's both an indoor and outdoor market featuring wine bars, cafés and bakeries, art galleries, grocery stores and a weekly farmer's market.

Our Local Expert Says:

Innovative and interactive live theater

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The Bruka Theater is Reno's underground and alternative theater, right in the heart of the downtown Arts District. The dark, funky theater features shows for all audiences, adults only and special shows and events for children. Their Halloween party and Artown events are also popular.

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The whole city gets into the act during the entire month of July every year for this outstanding festival. More than 200 events take place at various locations citywide, including films, ballet, art workshops, poetry readings, and music. This event has been nationally acclaimed as one of the best summer arts festivals in the country. Most events are free. Bring money for food and drink. Some vendors may take credit cards.

Our Local Expert Says:

Many Reno Artown Events are held near the Whitewater Park.

Description:

The Truckee River Whitewater Park brings the outdoors into downtown Reno. This area of the Truckee River, which runs from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake has been redesigned to accommodate kayakers, swimmers and tubers. It runs right through Wingfield Park and past the downtown Arts District. The entire park is 2,600 feet in length.

There is easy access to the river from all directions and a total of 11 drop pools: five drop pools in the north channel; six in the south channel for kayaking maneuvers that decrease slightly in elevation with each successive pool, to keep them supplied with fresh water. There are 7,000 tons of smooth flat-top rocks and boulders installed along the river banks and in-stream for easy public access, spectators, and kayaking maneuvers. The deep pools are continuously filled with fresh water to provide a good habitat for fish, particularly Lahontan cutthroat trout.

There are various pedestrian walkways for convenient mobility between the streets and Wingfield Park. The water temperature ranges between 50 and 70 degrees and it does not freeze.

The difficulty rating is Class 2-3 course and kayakers must wear helmets and floatation devices. Various kayaking maneuvers...

Description:

This locally owned and darling, little used bookstore is located right downtown behind the Cinemark theater on the Truckee River. It's a great, little place to curl up with a paperback.

Our Local Expert Says:

A great community place to do some people-watching.

Description:

Aces Ballpark is a baseball stadium in Reno, Nevada, and the home of the Triple-A Reno Aces in the MiLB Pacific Coast League. Aces Ballpark is located next to the Truckee River and is the centerpiece of a planned downtown Reno redevelopment effort, named the Freight House District.

The Reno Aces Ballpark features all the amenities you would expect in a major league park: luxury suites, restaurants, food, several beer gardens, picnic table seating, a grassy area to stretch out on, and a kids play area complete with bouncy castle and jungle gyms. There are giveaways and audience-participatory fun at every game, and it's a great way to spend the evening downtown. There is no parking at the Reno Aces Ballpark, but parking can be had at several of the downtown casinos.

Ticket prices start at around $4 for the Beer Garden, $5-$13 for General Seating, Baseball Mountain and Bullpen for $15-$35, the Dugout Suite for $750 for 15 people and the Luxury Suite for 20 people and $500 in food credit for $1,500.

Description:

Reno's newest drinking pub is located right on the Truckee River and offers patio seating, hardwood floors, specialty draft beers like Scrimshaw Pilsner, Deschutes Hop in the Dark IPA and Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale, organic wines and shuffleboard. Happy hour is from 5-7 Monday through Friday with 1/2 off pitchers and bottles of wine.

Description:

Located along the Truckee River Walk, is Reno's casual dining restaurant. A member of the Riverwalk Merchants Association, it offers excellent sea-food to go with its extensive wine list. Entrees include Plum Chipotle and smoked salmon, steaks and shrimps, Portabello meatloaf and other alternatives. Banquet facilities are available and reservations can also be made for private parties, functions and other gatherings. Open daily at 11am.

Description:

Built by the owners of the Wild River Grille, the River Room is located right in the middle of the Reno Arts District on the Truckee River. The restaurant offers an array of culinary delights, great drinks, music and ambiance. Open year-round, 7 days a week for lunch, dinner, drinks and specializing in large groups and parties. The River Room offers a range of appetizers, small plates, steaks, seafood, chops, salads and pastas using fresh ingredients. The nice bar offers a wide range of signature cocktails, fine wine, and features fresh squeezed juices and in-house liquor infusions.

Our Local Expert Says:

The way the exhibits are displayed is one of the best things about this small, but excellent museum.

Description:

The Nevada Museum of Art is celebrating 80 years of bringing art into downtown Reno in 2011. This excellent museum is small, but packs in a wonderful selection of contemporary and traditional art, sculptures interactive exhibits, shows, and a rooftop sculpture with a view of all of Reno and the surrounding mountains. The outside area of the museum has several permanent exhibits including several pieces from the nearby Burning Man festival.

Current and past exhibitions have included: To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum, Leo Villareal: Animating Light, Explorer, Naturalist, Artist John James Audubon and The Birds of America and the Baroque World of Fernando Botero.

Experienced docent tours are available at the NMA as are special events, a Museum school for children, regular art classes and a cafe named Café Musée.

The museum gift shop is a real delight. Numerous items based on current and past exhibits are available as well as learning toys for children, jewelry and art from local artists and a nice selection of books.

Description:

Once considered 'out in the country', this little spot located near the Bartley Ranch Park, is probably one of the best places to see the twinkling night lights of Reno. It's been a popular area for stargazing for decades, and probably more marriage proposals have been made here than anywhere else in town. It's well landscaped and there are benches and walking paths for daylight enjoyment as well.