Reno, The Biggest Little City in the World

What began as a small community built to serve westward travelers in the mid-1800s has become a bustling city that acts as the gateway to northern Nevada, aptly known as “the Biggest Little City in the World.”  Senior travelers discover in this area 15 ski resorts, 50 golf courses, Lake Tahoe, and the state capital Carson City,  plus thousands of biking and hiking trails, several lakes that are perfect for fishing and boating, and the entire length of the Truckee River, running right through the center of Reno’s downtown. Couple those activities with Reno’s hotels and casinos, plus a growing nightlife, and seniors, you have the perfect place to put up for a few days and enjoy some great recreation.

With a population of over 218,000 (It’s not SMALL!), Reno is the largest city in Northern Nevada. It is located in the southern part of Washoe County, nestled on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in an area called the Truckee Meadows. Reno and the surrounding area provide unlimited indoor and outdoor recreational activities for senior visitors.  And the weather is great!

Spectacular Lake Tahoe and the largest concentration of ski facilities in the world are all within a fifty-mile radius. Biking, camping, hunting, fishing and mountain climbing are all activities Reno residents and senior visitors enjoy. Want a closer view driving through the city?  Try this.  Yes, it does snow in Reno. You can always take in one of their annual ballon races.

Reno is NOT little Las Vegas

Reno sits in a high desert valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. Famous for its casinos, and the birthplace of the gaming corporation Harrah’s Entertainment,  city residents are called Renoites. Reno is bordered to the east by the city of Sparks. The Reno-Sparks metropolitan area is informally called the Truckee Meadows, and consists of about 400,000 residents. Lake Tahoe is nearby and attracts many visitors to the area.

History Buffs Like Reno

As early as the 1850s a few pioneers settled in the Truckee Meadows, a relatively fertile valley through which the Truckee River made its way from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. In addition to subsistence farming, these early residents could pick up a bit of business from travelers along the California Trail, which followed the Truckee westward, before branching off towards Donner Lake, where the formidable obstacle of the Sierras began. The University of Nevada, Reno is the oldest university in the state of Nevada and Nevada System of Higher Education. In 1886, the state university, previously only a college preparatory school, moved from Elko in remote northeastern Nevada to a site north of downtown Reno, where it became a full-fledged state college.

What Can Seniors Do Besides Gamble?

TripAdvisor provides 48 activities for seniors to keep busy while visiting Reno.  A national automobile museum is of interest to many senior visitors.  The Planetarium, the Univ. of Nevada, museums and more attract visitors from all over the country here. Reno it is. jeb