I last went to Reno in 2017 and we did the full casino tourist loop, stayed at the Atlantis, played slots, and ate at the oyster bar. It was fine, cute, but if I’m being real, I didn’t think much of Reno from that trip since all I saw was the inside of a casino and a little of the Riverwalk.
Fast forward to this spring, and Robin and I decided to give it a second chance and found tons of fun things to do in Reno, Nevada this time around. I’m so glad we did, because the Reno I found on this trip? Completely different city.
I need to stop there because I want to be clear about something: I came in with low expectations. I thought I was going to a casino city but what I found was a genuinely cool, walkable downtown with a bumpin brewery district, a river running through the middle of everything, street art on basically every block, and a coffee shop that made me want to move in.
Reno has had a full glow-up and not enough people know about it.
We took the Amtrak California Zephyr from Emeryville (just outside San Francisco) and the ride is about 7.5 hours. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s honestly one of the most scenic train rides I’ve ever taken (and I’ve taken trains in Japan past Mount Fuji, across the Rockies and even in Sweden).
Either the Bay waters, Delta marshlands or the Sierra Nevada mountains were outside my window the entire way and we arrived in downtown Reno around 3pm feeling completely refreshed.
If you’re coming from the Bay Area, I cannot recommend this enough. Drive if you want (it’s about 3.5 hours), but once you’re in Reno you honestly don’t even need a car. We walked everywhere the whole trip.
Here’s everything we did, plus a bunch more that’s on my list for next time.
The Best Things To Do in Reno, Nevada
1. Do the Brewery District Bar Crawl
Real talk, the East 4th Street Brewery District is reason alone to make this trip. Reno has this amazing thing happening where a bunch of old historic buildings that sat empty for years are being converted into bars, breweries, distilleries, and restaurants.
The whole stretch of East 4th Street has this raw, industrial, actually-cool energy that feels nothing like the casino version of Reno most people have in their heads.
Our bar crawl started at Black Rabbit Mead Co. and it was hard for us to leave this pub. Mead is honey wine, and if you’ve never had it, this will be your introduction.Robin is a huge mead fan after we drank it while living in Copenhagen.
The space has been fully renovated and they serve cider-style meads sourced from the Sierras, made on-site. The bartender was playing a 2000s playlist that made me feel like I was 16 again, in the best way possible. I had a blackberry mead that was absolutely incredible, and we ended up buying a bottle to take home. If you go to one place in the downtown Reno area, make it this one.
From there we walked next door to The Depot Craft Brewery and Distillery for dinner. It’s a gorgeously renovated railway depot with a big open industrial space that feels almost too cool for a city this size. I had the Depot Burger (SO good, so filling) plus the cornbread fritters, and Robin watched March Madness while trying the Biggest Little Bourbon, which they make on-site.
They also have a solid beer lineup if whiskey isn’t your thing.
We ended the night at The Jesse Hotel’s bar (more on where to stay in a sec), where I had a smoked whiskey cocktail called something like Hades. They light it on fire or smoke it tableside. I meant to have one and had two, so.
Pro-tip: if you want to extend the crawl, Ferino Distillery is Reno’s first distillery and specializes in Italian amaros under the Cannella brand. Lead Dog Brewery is huge and spacious, with IPAs, sours, and stouts on rotation. Pigeon Head Brewery has a great outdoor patio and focuses on lagers. You could honestly spend two full days just doing this stretch.
2. Play the “Biggest Little” Game
Okay this is a thing and I am obsessed with it. Reno’s official nickname is “The Biggest Little City in the World,” and apparently locals have fully leaned into it.
There is a Biggest Little dog park. A Biggest Little Bourbon (see above). A Biggest Little Brewery District. Once you start looking for it, it’s everywhere, and it became this really fun game that Robin and I kept playing throughout the whole trip.
The most iconic version is the Reno Arch on Virginia Street, which has spanned downtown since 1926. The sign lights up at night and it’s one of those photos you absolutely have to get.
Pro-tip: go right after sunset when everything is glowing and the crowds are a little thinner.
3. Walk the Riverwalk District and See the Street Art
The Riverwalk District runs right along the Truckee River through the heart of downtown Reno and it’s such a good way to orient yourself when you first arrive. There are restaurants and coffee shops right on the water, public art everywhere, and it’s all walkable.
Very easy Sunday morning energy.
The street art situation in Reno is actually incredible. Downtown and the Midtown District have over 100 murals, and the Neon Line District along West 4th Street has a whole collection of world-class installations including retired Burning Man sculptures.
The two I keep seeing recommended are BELIEVE, which is a 70-foot-wide illuminated installation that’s become a go-to photo spot, and Space Whale, a life-sized stained glass and steel sculpture of a humpback whale mother and calf that looks completely surreal when it’s lit up at night. You can do this as a self-guided walk with no tour required.
4. Swim or Tube the Truckee River
The Truckee River cuts right through downtown Reno and in summer it is the move. We went in late March and it was still too cold for swimming, but I’ve been in this river before and I love it. In the summer months (usually June through August), you can tube from Mayberry Park down to Wingfield Park in the middle of downtown, which takes a couple of hours and is one of the most fun free things to do in Reno if the timing lines up.
Bring your own tube or rent from Sierra Adventures, and grab a rideshare back to your car at the end.
There’s also a standing wave at Wingfield Park that is actually surfable during high flow season in spring and early summer. River surfing in the middle of downtown. I mean, come on.
Skip it if you’re visiting in fall or winter since the water will be too cold and the flow can be too low for tubing. Worth it if you’re there between June and August, this is one of the best Reno attractions that barely anyone outside Nevada knows about.
5. Get Breakfast at Chrome Coffee Works
Our bartender the night before told us about Chrome Coffee Works and I want to kiss him for it. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the Jessse Hotel, pink on the outside, and has this amazing retro-futuristic interior that looks exactly like the set of the Fallout TV show (if you’ve seen it, you’ll get it immediately).
Very 1950s diner meets atomic age, and the whole vibe is specific and fun in a way that a lot of coffee shops in bigger cities can’t pull off.
They’re known for their breakfast burritos and it is fully deserved. I also had a rosemary iced coffee latte that was one of the best things I drank all trip. Robin got a bagel sandwich and it was hard to pry ourselves away. I’ll be back next time.
6. Wander Around Midtown
Midtown Reno is the neighborhood that basically started the city’s revival and it still has the best daytime energy in town. It’s walkable, lined with farm-to-table restaurants, independent boutiques, and local coffee shops. If you have an afternoon with no agenda, this is where I’d tell you to spend it.
A couple specific spots worth noting: Gloria’s Cafe is a local brunch institution that comes up every single time I ask a Reno local for a recommendation. DOPO Pizza & Pasta is one of the trendier dinner spots in the neighborhood and was another spot our bartender raved about and I trust him with my life at this point when it comes to local food.
7. Touch The Blarney Stone
One of the only pieces of the Blarney Stone outside of the OG stone in Ireland is located on the side of a building in Downtown Reno right next to the famous “Reno” Arch. I had a follow comment that she’s lived in Reno for years and had no idea that was a thing.
In fact, we almost walked right by it, but stopped. You can apparently get good luck if you rub this one, so if you’re heading to casinos, it can’t hurt.
8. Catch a Sunset at Windy Hill Scenic Overlook
Windy Hill Scenic Overlook sits above downtown and has a panoramic view of the whole city. At sunset, watching the neon lights of downtown Reno start to come on against the mountains in the background.
Bring snacks and a blanket if it’s cool out. This is free, takes about an hour, and it’s a really good way to end a day in Reno. 
9. Climb the World’s Tallest Outdoor Climbing Wall
This one is for the adventure people. BaseCamp Climbing Gym at the Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno has a Guinness World Record-certified climbing wall on the outside of the building and it is 164 feet tall. You don’t have to stay at the hotel to use it.
I’m not a wall climber but Robin’s cousin is and I think she would love this. Worth it if you’ve done any climbing before and want a bucket list experience.
10. Hunt Down Reno’s Weirdest Roadside Attractions
This is my favorite kind of travel activity and Reno delivers hard. Start with Jackson, a 1962 GMC “fishbowl” bus mounted on a pole above the RTC 4th Street Station downtown. Artist Donald Lipski had it modified, narrowed, fitted with frosted windows and working headlights, and the destination sign reads “Jackson,” which is his son’s name.
At the right angle it looks like it’s floating. I walked past it and did a full double take. At night when the lights are on it’s even more surreal.
Then there’s Topsy the Clown outside Circus Circus on Virginia Street. He’s been there since 1978, stands 127 feet tall, weighs nearly 45 tons, and holds a lollipop. Robin thought he was creepy. I thought he was incredible. We were both right. Best at night when the neon is fully lit.
And if you make it out to Sparks, Last Chance Joe is a 36-foot cartoon prospector with a whole backstory involving a 1950s casino owner, a toy manufacturer, and an eventual rescue by the city after the casino that owned him didn’t want him anymore.
11. Day Trip to Lake Tahoe
Reno is about 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe and honestly, if you have a full day free, it’s worth adding on if you’ve never been. I normally don’t add day trips to city guides, but Tahoe is the exception to the rule.
North Beach is my pick for a day trip. The water is that unreal blue-green color, you can rent paddle boards or kayaks right on the beach, and on a clear day it’s one of the most beautiful places in the country. Plus, you’re in walking distance to food and restaurants.
It’s about an hour from downtown Reno depending on where you land on the lake. I come up to Tahoe once a year and it never disappoints.
12. Visit the Nevada Museum of Art
The Nevada Museum of Art is the only accredited art museum in the entire state and it’s worth a stop even if museums aren’t usually your thing. The building itself is striking, designed to echo the geological formations of the Black Rock Desert, and the rotating exhibitions lean toward contemporary and environmental art which fits Reno’s whole outdoorsy, creative-city rebrand perfectly.
It’s a great option if you hit a hot afternoon and want to duck inside for a couple hours, or if you’re doing a longer stay and want something a little more low-key between brewery crawls. Admission is around $18 for adults and the gift shop is actually really good.
13. Spend an Afternoon at the Wilbur D. May Museum
I haven’t been here yet but it’s on my list for next time since the description alone sold me: An eccentric millionaire who spent his whole life collecting shrunken heads, Egyptian tomb artifacts, and Polynesian fertility statues and just… left it all to a museum. Yeah, I need to see this in person.
Wilbur D. May was an eccentric millionaire heir who spent his whole life traveling the world and collecting whatever he could get his hands on… African tribal masks, Japanese swords, antique firearms, and more. All of it ended up in a museum on his ranch in Reno after he died.
The vibe is described as old-school cabinet of curiosity and I am so in. If you’re a fellow weirdo who loves a good oddities museum, this is your stop. Check their calendar before you go because they also host rotating art exhibitions throughout the year.
How To Get To Reno: Take the Scenic Amtrak from San Francisco
I already mentioned this but it deserves its own section because I think it’s an underrated part of the trip if you are coming from the Bay Area or Sacramento. The Amtrak California Zephyr picks up in Emeryville, swings by Sacramento, and the ride through the Sierra Nevada is about 7.5 hours. It’s so scenic that I stopped reading my book so I could look out the window in silence. It’s that good.
It felt like a prelude activity for our weekend in Reno that set the tone for the whole trip.
And once you’re in Reno, the station drops you right in downtown, a five-minute walk from the Brewery District and basically everything on this list. You really don’t need a car, you can Uber and walk and you’re set the whole trip.
Worth it if you’re coming from the Bay Area or Sacramento and want to actually enjoy the journey instead of just surviving the drive up.
Where to Stay in Reno
Best Boutique Hotel: The Jesse Hotel
The Jesse Hotel is so dang cute. It’s a design-forward independent boutique hotel right in the Brewery District, five minutes on foot from the Amtrak station. The bar downstairs is where we ended both of our nights. They also have a coffee shop, a sunny patio, and a Mediterranean kitchen.
The whole building has a cool, specific aesthetic that feels like something you’d find in Brooklyn or Portland, not Reno, but that’s kind of the whole point of Reno these days.
Pro-tip: ask for a room that faces away from 4th Street if you’re a light sleeper because the bar stays lively on weekends. The rooms are very large so you don’t have to worry about space.
If You Want the Casino Experience: Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
Sometimes you want slots and an oyster bar and that is completely valid! The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is where I stayed back in 2017 and it’s the nicest of the big casino resorts.
Spa Atlantis is genuinely good if a spa day is on your list. It’s not downtown so you’ll want a car or Uber to get around, but the pool situation is solid and the rooms are spacious.
What to Pack for Reno
Reno sits at about 4,500 feet elevation in the desert, which means the sun hits differently and the temperature swings between day and night are intense. Summers get hot hot hot but it can be pretty chilly in the winter.
Bring layers because even in summer, evenings cool down fast and a light jacket is not optional once the sun sets. Sunscreen is non-negotiable since the altitude makes the UV index higher than you’d expect and you will absolutely forget this and regret it. I always bring a stick of this SPF sunscreen with me on travels to easily reapply.
Wear walking shoes like these sneakers from Quince you can actually log miles in, because if you’re doing the brewery district, the riverwalk, and Midtown you’ll be on your feet a lot. And bring a reusable water bottle because Reno is high desert and you will be more dehydrated than you realize, especially if you’re also drinking (which, given this guide, you probably will be).
In terms of style, as I mentioned before, Reno has this apocalyptic Las Vegas meets whimsical vibe, in all the best ways possible. Wear color, funky pants, a cool jacket, retro sunglasses. Have a little fun here.
Reno FAQs
Is Reno worth visiting if I don’t gamble?
Yes, and honestly this was my whole concern going back after 2017. You can spend an entire trip in Reno and never set foot in a casino. The Brewery District, the Riverwalk, Midtown, the street art, the river, the day trip to Tahoe. There is more than enough to do.
How far is Reno from San Francisco?
By car it’s about 3.5 to 4 hours depending on traffic and mountain conditions. By Amtrak from Emeryville, it’s about 7.5 hours, but the views are incredible and you arrive right in downtown Reno. I’d take the train every time, even if I’m only spending one day in Reno. Worth it.
What is the best neighborhood to stay in Reno?
Downtown, specifically near the Brewery District and East 4th Street. You can walk or Uber to everything without needing a car, and the energy is the most interesting part of the city right now. The Casino hotels tend to be a little further out from downtown but there are some within downtown as well.
What is the Reno Brewery District?
It’s the stretch of East 4th Street and the surrounding blocks where craft breweries, distilleries, bars, and restaurants have moved into old historic buildings over the last several years.
- Black Rabbit Mead Co.
- The Depot
- Ferino Distillery,
- Lead Dog Brewery
- The Jesse Hotel
What are the free things to do in Reno?
- Walking the Riverwalk
- The street art and murals throughout downtown and Midtown
- The Reno Arch photo op
- Windy Hill Overlook at sunset
- The Truckee River trail
- If you go in summer and bring your own tube, the river float from Mayberry Park to Wingfield Park just costs the price of a rideshare back to your car.
Is Reno good for a weekend trip from San Francisco?
It’s one of the most underrated weekend trips from the Bay Area right now if you love travel. Take the Amtrak, skip the car entirely, and you’ve got two solid days of food, drinks, outdoor time, and a city that’s actively in the middle of reinventing itself. Way more interesting than it gets credit for.
Reno surprised me and I’m saying that as someone who went in half-expecting to play some slots and call it a day. If you’ve written it off as a casino city, you are working with very old information.
The Brewery District alone is worth the trip. Go, take the train, start at Black Rabbit, and come back and tell me what you thought. Drop a comment below!
