Reno Day Trips

Driving to the mining town of Gerlach and the Black Rock Desert through the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation is seeing Nevada for how it truly is: lonely, unrelenting, and incredibly dusty.

Head to this surprisingly well-appointed, rural outpost to contemplate contemporary art. Outside, Top Guns from the Naval Air Base fly above while bees buzz through ripe alfafa fields.

An immense oasis split by California and Nevada, Tahoe’s cold, crystal-clear waters provide opportunities for water sports while the surrounding mountains beg to be hiked, skied, snow-shoed, or mountain-biked.

In winter, all eyes are on the Olympic-caliber slopes; the rest of the time the Village at Squaw Valley beckons with spa treatments, adventure activities, gourmet eateries, and a full-slate of festivals.

Take a dip in “mini Tahoe” (and site of the wagon-train tragedy) before visiting nearby Truckee’s preserved turn-of-the-century Commercial Row with quaint boutiques and over 30 restaurants.

Creak down Main Street’s wooden sidewalks and duck into a saloon to experience the faded, wild-west opulence and rich history of mining boom and bust.