Where to stay

With about 20 gambling houses in the area, Reno is a great place to stay for playing tables and slots or enjoying the nightlife and entertainment offered by the ritzy casinos. Book a hotel anywhere along the main strip of Downtown Reno to walk from one lively casino to another. Stay in Sparks, stretching north and west of Reno, for more additional casinos. Accommodations in Verdi are about midway between Lake Tahoe and Reno, with the bonus of being on the Nevada side of the border, where gambling is allowed. It's even possible to stay at a hotel and casino next to the Reno/Tahoe International Airport to have one last night of gaming before catching a morning flight.

Just a short distance from Reno's casinos and nightlife are equally interesting museums and galleries. Stay in Downtown Reno, Midtown, or the Riverwalk District to visit the Nevada Museum of Art, the National Auto Museum, The Discovery science museum, and the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. Book a hotel near the University of Nevada Reno to visit its Museum of Natural History and the Nevada Historical Society museum. Accommodations in Sparks are near the Sparks Heritage Museum, with stories of the region's ranching, mining, and railroad history. About a 30-minute drive south of Reno, hotels in the state capital, Carson City, provide convenient access to the State Museum, State Railroad Museum, Governor's Mansion, and the buildings of the Nevada Capitol.

With 300 days of sunshine a year, Reno is perfect for outdoor activities. Book a hotel in the heart of Downtown Reno's casino district to enjoy the natural beauty of the Truckee River. Accommodations in the Riverwalk District are just a few minutes' walk from lively casinos, but equally close to peaceful green parks. The lengthy natural whitewater park here is great for kayaking and tubing. Stay just southwest of Reno/Tahoe International Airport to enjoy excellent year-round golf near the city or book a hotel farther south in Carson City to play on the Divine Nine golf courses. Reno is also a natural jumping-off point for all kinds of outdoor adventures in and around Lake Tahoe. Stay less than an hour's drive away in Truckee, where a dozen resorts just minutes away offer winter skiing and summer biking and hiking.