Located along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Reno is both a destination in its own right and a gateway for many outdoors activities. Reno is the second largest gaming destination in Nevada, and while some of the Casinos are quite large they tend to be less glitzy then those in Las Vegas. There are several world-class ski areas within a one-hour drive of Reno, including Squaw Valley (home of the 1960 Winter Olympics), Heavenly and Alpine Meadows. Lake Tahoe is about forty-five minutes away.

The eastern entrances to Yosemite are about an hour and a half south, and are generally much less crowded than the western entrances. Pyramid Lake, the second largest terminus lake in North America, is about thirty minutes away to the north east, and boasts world-record Cutthroat trout fishing and unspoiled scenic beauty. Reno is at the western edge of the Great Basin, a zone stretching to Salt Lake City that does not drain to the sea - water is carried away by evaporation only. Average rainfall is approximately 6 inches a year, with much of that occurring in the winter in the form of snow. July is the warmest month, with an average high of 91 degrees Fahrenheit, and January is the coldest month, with an average low of 19 degrees Fahrenheit.

Activities

Reno offers many activities outside the most commonly associated one: gambling.
 • Mountain Biking The open desert terrain that surrounds much of Reno, especially to the Northwest, offers some fantastic mountain biking. Peavine mountain has many networks of trails that are a biker's paradise, most of it single-track, and most of it technical. Many cyclists start near Rancho San Rafael Park to access the Peavine trails.
Be careful, however, as there are often gun-happy residents shooting away, not always sober, farther out in the government lands; also be sure to bring plenty of water, as the desert heat can be quite oppressive. Find more information in books such as Mountain Biking Reno & Carson City: Best Trails by R. W. Miskimins. Nearby areas, like Lake Tahoe offer even more for the mountain biker, such as Tahoe's famous Flume Trail.

Dining

 • Peg's Glorified Ham 'n' Eggs 420 S. Sierra St., 329-2600.
 • Deux Gros Nez, 249 California Avenue (upstairs from the Cheese Board and Wineseller), 786-9400. M-Su ???-12am.
 • Pneumatic Diner, 501 West 1st Street (in the upstairs of the Truckee River Lodge), 786-8888. M-Su ???-12am.
 • Jim Kelley's Nugget Diner, 233 North Virginia Street (in the back of the Nugget casino), 356-3300. Open 24/7. Home of the Awful , one of the best burgers in the state.
 • JJ's Pie Company, 555 West 5th Street, 786-5555.
 • Blue Moon Pizza, 6135 Lakeside Drive, 825-1120.
 • Pirate's Pizza, 180 West Peckham Lane #1100 (in the Reno Town Mall), 828-0900.
 • Louis Basque Corner, 301 East 4th Street, 323-7203.
 • Santa Fe Hotel, 235 North Lake Street, 323-1891.
 • Great Basin Brewery, 846 Victorian Avenue, Sparks, 355-7711.
 • Foley's Irish Pub, 2780 South Virginia Street, 829-8500.
 • Silver Peak Brewery, 124 Wonder Street (corner of Wonder and Holcomb Avenue), 324-1864.
 • Ristorante Placido, 121 Vesta Street (corner of Vesta and Holcomb Avenue), 329-1110.
 • The buffet at the Peppermill comes up high on a Google search for "Best breakfast in Reno", and is really fantastic.