Reno - July 2015

Thunderstorm over Downtown Reno

Over the 4th of July weekend, I took the opportunity to visit Reno, Nevada. Reno is still recovering from the double whammy of a massive recession and intensive competition from California casinos. Fortunately, Reno has "doubled down" on their downtown riverfront district and worked with Tesla to open a massive battery manufacturing facility. One of my college friends lived here for several years, so I have spent a lot of time in Reno over the last decade and seen it develop in many ways.

Peppermill Reno Tower King Room

Truth be told, one of the big reasons to travel to Reno was a free room offer from Peppermill Reno. That combined with a three day weekend over the nation's birthday was a nice break. Peppermill is probably the best resort in Reno and rivals many Las Vegas casinos. Their recent remodel covered the neon and mirrors with a more elegant Tuscan theme. The rooms are very nice, and the property earns its 4 stars with a massive outdoor heated pool area, good restaurants, and a great spa.

Yes, it tasted as good as it looks

On this trip, I used their room service quite a bit, enjoying an enormous prime rib while watching the Women's World Cup Finals and luxuriating in a fresh cooked breakfast in bed. Saving money on the room allowed me to also enjoy the spa and even lay down some baseball bets. I always enjoy losing money here!

Cablela's Store outside Reno

Anyone headed to Reno knows about Cabela's - the massive outdoor retailer just off Interstate 80 near the state line. Besides a massive gun, fishing, and hunting selection, they sell lots of camping and recreational equipment. This is a fun place to explore with many wildlife displays and a good cafeteria selling game meats along side more traditional fare. They also have a fudge shop which is always a treat!

Main Entrance for Reno Aces Ballpark

This holiday weekend was also an opportunity to see the Sacramento River Cats play the Reno Aces. I have been to this ballpark before, but this was supposed to be a special trip now that the River Cats are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, this weekend was plagued by several massive thunderstorms which canceled the game. Outside of California, rain is a common enemy of baseball; we are spoiled to have consistently dry summers. Even worse, I missed out on $1 rib night!

Reflection outside Nevada Museum of Art

This was a true vacation spending most of my time relaxing in the hotel, but I did manage to get a few destinations off my list including some stops in future posts. The Nevada Museum of Art was a nice stop, even though most of the museum was closed for renovation. I have seen Reno in good times and in bad and am happy to see things improving for the Biggest Little City in the World!