Here’s your guide to a weekend staycation in Reno filled with food, fun, and frivolity. 

Why board a plane or drive through the night for a weekend getaway? Instead, try a staycation in Nevada’s Biggest Little City.

Since tourism is the state’s largest industry, staycations in Reno are a win-win. You get to put on your tourist hat and have a chill vacation, all while supporting local businesses.

The Reno and Tahoe areas entertain nearly 4 million visitors a year, so there’s no shortage of places to stay, ranging from bare bones lodging to luxurious resorts. Many Reno hotels offer competitive deals, making it easy to find affordable options.

Reno is also home to a diverse range of restaurants, attractions, activities, outdoor recreation, and cultural experiences. So whether you’re looking to unwind at a luxury spa, roll the dice at a casino, or simply want to explore the scenic beauty along the Truckee River, you can find it here.

Thinking about taking a Reno staycation? Check out our proposed weekend staycation itinerary for inspiration and ideas.

Friday 

Check out of work and into your hotel

Start your staycation with a late-afternoon, early-evening check-in at your Reno hotel. 

To spoil yourself with a full-service resort experience, Grand Sierra Resort (2500 E. 2nd St., near Midtown) has a spa, pool deck, casino, restaurants, shows, and activities like an arcade and bowling. Also near Midtown, the AAA-Four Diamond Peppermill Reno (2707 South Virginia St.) offers an incentive for locals. Sign up for a Passport Rewards Card, get a 20 percent discount on dining, spa services, hotel rooms, and more.

For an intimate, boutique experience, the Best Bet Motor Lodge, 941 S. Virginia St., is a blast from the past, renovated with modern amenities, including a Nordic-style Sauna Club.​ It is located in Midtown, just a short walk from shops, cafes, buses, taxis, downtown, and the Riverwalk. 

If you prefer to stay downtown, check out the Eldorado Resort Casino (345 North Virginia St.). The hotel is one of three resort experiences—including Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus Hotel Casino—spread across six contiguous city blocks, known as The Row.

Adjacent to the iconic Reno arch downtown, Whitney Peak Hotel holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for “World’s Tallest Artificial Climbing Wall.” Marriott members can enjoy a staycation and earn points at the swanky and pet-friendly Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel (1 South Lake Street)—steps from the Riverwalk and public art installations.​

Dinner

You can always order room service (if your hotel offers it) or eat at any restaurant on the property. We suggest you also take a few opportunities to explore Reno’s diverse dining scene, which offers cuisine of all cultures at multiple price points, all within a relatively close distance.

For an upscale waterfront experience with prime cuts and seafood, try Toro Bravo Mexican Steakhouse and Cevicheria (50 N. Sierra Street, Suite 104) on the Riverwalk. Midtown’s Kauboi Izakaya (1286 S. Virginia St.) serves up Japanese cowboy-inspired small plates for dinner, while La Condesa (1642 S. Wells Ave.) has modern Mexican cuisine, accompanied by craft cocktails.

After dinner

Many trendy bars in Midtown—like whiskey bar Death & Taxes (26 Cheney St.) and high-concept cocktail lounge Curse of Cane (809 S. Center St.)—are located within stumbling distance of one another. Rum-forward cocktail bar Rum Sugar Lime (1039 S. Virginia St.) is less than a mile away.

Downtown, grab a beer, wine, or hand-crafted cocktail at the neighborhood bar, Blind Dog Tavern (50 N. Sierra St.).

Saturday

Morning activities

Start your day with coffee and a pastry at Old World Coffee Lab (104 California Ave.) or Perenn Bakery (20 St. Lawrence Ave.) before embracing a few hours of pampering and relaxation at a luxurious Reno spa.

Since locals get 15 percent off at Forbes Four Star Spa Atlantis on Mondays through Thursdays, you might consider a staycation mid-week to take advantage. Couples can hang out in the co-ed relaxation room at Silver Legacy Spa between a facial, scrub, or trip to the sauna. 

A short drive from Midtown, Steamboat Hot Springs (16010 S Virginia St.) provides a natural spring with geothermal mineral water for soaking and holistic therapies in a serene setting.

To stay active, explore the growing and colorful public art scene downtown and along the Riverwalk, including murals and large-scale Burning Man sculptures. You can see them, for a fee, on the Pineapple Pedicab self-guided mural tour or for free on a self-led tour; Visit Reno-Tahoe offers a free Public Art Guide to get you started.

Lunch options

Reno makes it easy to eat your favorite meal, from a cheeseburger taco at Midtown Tacos (811 S. Center St.) to something different, like kimchi fries and bulgogi bowls at Arario Midtown (777 S. Center St.).

The fine Cantonese diner Kwok’s Bistro (275 West St.) has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation.​ For Thai, Bangkok Cuisine Reno (55 Mt. Rose St.) offers different lunch combo specials every day.

Start a staycation tradition by dining at one of seven local restaurants featured on the Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” like the budget-friendly Gold ‘N Silver Inn (790 W. 4th St.). Don’t worry if you can’t make it in time for lunch. Reno’s oldest casual dining restaurant serves classic American comfort food 24 hours a day.

Afternoon activities

Burn off your lunchtime calories on a stroll through Midtown’s unique shops and galleries, which carry everything from antiques and flowers to jewelry and lingerie. Reno’s historic post office building (50 S Virginia St.) houses The Basement, a marketplace full of locally owned shops. Natural Selection (39 Saint Lawrence Ave.) breathes new life into taxidermy, but also sells plants and other curiosities.

If shopping isn’t your thing, pay a visit to Rancho San Rafael Regional Park (1595 North Sierra St.). Home to the colorful gardens and walking trails of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum & Botanical Garden, you’ll find gorgeous gardens and foliage no matter the season.

Dinner options

If the weather permits, enjoy elevated burgers and fries on the patio at Royce Burger Bar (115 Ridge St.). Arrive before Happy Hour ends at 6 p.m. to score $5 well drinks and draft beer or $7 house wine. With two locations (1415 and 13901 S. Virginia St.), Miguels is Reno’s oldest family-style Mexican restaurant. For nostalgic treats like Pop-Tarts, Hot Pockets, and Bagel Bites (plus 24 beers on tap), check out The Par by Parlay 6 Brewing Co. (1041 S. Virginia St.).

Evening entertainment

Keep the evening going with live music, smooth libations, and dancing at rustic nightlife venue The Alpine (324 E. 4th St.). Once a jeans factory, Virginia Street Brewhouse (211 N. Virginia St.) is a multi-use and multi-level speakeasy and nightlife venue with craft beers and live music.

Cypress (761 S. Virginia St.) has live music and a large food menu that’s available late into the night and early into the morning. 

Sunday

Morning activities

Grab an ethically sourced coffee from Coffeebar (682 Mt. Rose St.) or coffee and eggs at Beloved’s Bread & Bakery (299 E. Plumb Ln., Suite 129) before stopping by the Riverside Farmers Market at the scenic Idlewild Park. Filled with gardens and open spaces, the park is a great place to enjoy nature.

If you feel like taking a hike, Hunter Creek Falls is a popular one. It is about 20 minutes from midtown and downtown. The 6.4-mile hike rewards those who traverse its path with a 30-foot waterfall. 

You can also bike or walk along the 12-mile Truckee River Path, past parks and recreational areas, with numerous places to enter or exit the trail.

Lunch options

For your final meal before heading back to reality, grab a $5 slice of Detroit-style at one of Yelp’s Top 100,  R Town Pizza (180 W Peckham Ln., Suite 1100). Or opt for soups, salads, and sandwiches at SUP Midtown (669 S. Virginia St.).

Now, it’s time to head home. Since you live in Reno, it shouldn’t take long before you’re sleeping in your own bed—the perfect way to end any vacation.