A Reno weekend goes flat if the plan stops at the casino floor. Pair the city with a golf-and-stay package instead, and two days feel like a full trip.
Things to do in Reno for a weekend start in downtown Reno. Walk the Truckee River Whitewater Park. Tour the National Automobile Museum’s 225-car Harrah Collection. Or climb Whitney Peak Hotel’s Guinness-certified 164-foot wall. Add a short drive to Lake Tahoe, Virginia City, or Genoa Golf Club’s Lakes Course. The weekend then covers both the city and the Sierra foothills around it.
The list mixes downtown staples with three drives under an hour. Each stop was checked against its own site for what’s open right now. Access can shift fast. It did for one golf course here in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The Truckee River Whitewater Park sits inside downtown Reno, so tubing, river surfing, or a riverside walk costs nothing beyond the trip itself.
- The National Automobile Museum holds more than 225 cars from the Harrah Collection, one of the more specific things to do in Reno for a rainy afternoon.
- Whitney Peak Hotel’s 164-foot wall holds the Guinness World Records title for the tallest artificial climbing wall on Earth, and a day pass includes access to the wall without a hotel stay.
- Lake Tahoe and Virginia City are both within an hour of downtown, so a day trip fits into a two-day weekend instead of eating up a third day.
- Genoa Golf Club’s Lakes Course, about 50 minutes south of Reno, has hosted a U.S. Open Qualifier and keeps its restaurant open to the public year-round.
Truckee River Whitewater Park
The Truckee River Whitewater Park cuts straight through downtown Reno. It’s free to walk, float, or fish any day of the year. Wingfield Park and Idlewild Park sit at either end of the Riverwalk District. A standing wave in the channel draws river surfers once spring runoff peaks.
Bring a tube in July. The float from Mayberry Park to Wingfield Park runs about two hours and ends a few blocks from downtown restaurants. Skip the float in winter, when the water runs cold and low. Walk the path instead for mountain views without the current.
- Free access year-round, tube rentals available through local outfitters
- Best for tubing: June through August
- Standing wave surf spot: Wingfield Park
Washoe County drew an estimated 3.8 million visitors in 2024. That trip added $5.2 billion in economic impact, per Visit Reno Tahoe’s most recent report (RSCVA, 2025).
National Automobile Museum
The National Automobile Museum displays more than 225 cars from the Harrah Collection along the Truckee River. Bill Harrah’s own collection laid the foundation for the museum when it opened in 1989. Street scenes inside show the decade each car came from.
Walk past the original 1907 Thomas Flyer, then step into a period photo car for a quick keepsake shot. Head to the on-site theatre next for a rotating exhibit. The museum stays open daily, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
- Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am- 5 pm, Sat-Sun 10 am- 4 pm
- Location: 1 Museum Drive, downtown Reno
- Notable: original 1907 Thomas Flyer on permanent display
The National Automobile Museum ranked No. 8 on USA TODAY’s 10 Best list for car-lover attractions (USA TODAY, 2026).
Whitney Peak Hotel’s Climbing Wall
Whitney Peak Hotel holds a Guinness World Records title for the tallest artificial climbing wall on Earth. The 164-foot route runs up the side of its own 16-story building. Climbers start on the second floor and finish 188 feet above the city below, per Guinness World Records’ own measurement.
BaseCamp Climbing Gym runs the wall along with a 7,000-square-foot indoor bouldering park. Neither one needs a hotel reservation to use. A day pass costs less than most casino buffets and covers routes from beginner to expert.
- Wall height: 164 feet (163 ft 6.5 in certified)
- Day pass: no hotel stay required
- Indoor bouldering park: 7,000 sq ft
The wall opened in 2011 and earned its Guinness World Records title in 2016 (Guinness World Records).
MidTown District
MidTown District runs along South Virginia Street, between downtown Reno and the University of Nevada. More than 100 murals cover its blocks. Farm-to-table restaurants, small boutiques, and coffee shops now fill spaces that sat empty a decade ago.
Grab brunch at a neighborhood spot first, then spend the afternoon gallery-hopping. Circle back after dark for the district’s breweries and cocktail bars. Most of MidTown is within a 30-minute walk end-to-end.
- Best for: brunch, murals, breweries
- Walkable radius: under 30 minutes end to end
- Anchor Street: South Virginia Street
MidTown alone carries more than 100 murals, according to Visit Reno Tahoe (RSCVA).
Nevada Museum of Art
The Nevada Museum of Art is the only museum in the state with American Alliance of Museums accreditation. The field has awarded that mark of distinction since 1971. Four collections rotate through its downtown Reno galleries, built around land art, altered landscapes, and the American West.
Rembrandt and Andy Warhol pieces have been shown at the museum, according to Nevada’s official tourism office, alongside its own contemporary land art installations. The rooftop level opens to wide views of downtown and the Sierra. First Thursdays run later into the evening than a normal visit day.
- Location: 160 West Liberty Street, downtown Reno
- Founded: 1931
- Focus: land art, altered landscape photography, the American West
Fewer than one in twenty of the nation’s roughly 33,000 museums hold AAM accreditation (American Alliance of Museums).
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe sits under an hour from downtown Reno. That makes it an easy half-day or full-day stop without giving up a second night in the city. North Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village side is the fastest to reach, and Sand Harbor’s beach draws the biggest weekend crowds.
Paddleboarding in some of the clearest water in the Sierra comes in summer. Or drive up to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe in winter, about 30 minutes past the lakeshore, for lift-served runs. Either season turns one day in Reno into one day in the mountains.
- Drive time from Reno: under an hour
- Summer draw: paddleboarding, swimming, Sand Harbor beach
- Winter draw: Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, about 30 minutes past the lakeshore
Lake Tahoe spans the Nevada-California border. It holds some of the clearest water measured in the western United States (Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority).
Virginia City
Virginia City earned National Historic Landmark status in 1961. The mining town formed after the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode first put Nevada on the map. Thirteen saloons line the historic C Street today, close enough for a walkable Old West saloon crawl.
Ride the restored Virginia and Truckee Railroad through the hills where the miners once worked. Then duck into the Fourth Ward School Museum or a 400-foot underground mine tour before the shops close. The drive back to Reno runs about 40 minutes.
- Drive time from Reno: about 40 minutes
- National Historic Landmark District: designated 1961
- Comstock Lode discovery: 1859
The Comstock Lode Historic District covers 14,750 acres and 400 buildings as a National Historic Landmark (National Park Service).
Genoa Golf Club
Genoa Golf Club’s Lakes Course sits about 50 minutes south of Reno. It has hosted a U.S. Open Qualifier on its Peter Jacobsen and John Harbottle III design. The Carson River and its wetlands come into play on 14 of the course’s 18 holes. Public tee times run year-round on the Lakes Course.
The Grill at The Lakes keeps its patio open to the public for a post-round meal. Diners get views of the 18th green and the Sierra foothills behind it. The club’s second layout, the Ranch Course, reopened in June 2026 for members only. A public visit centers on the Lakes side and its restaurant instead.
- Lakes Course yardage: 7,359 (Gold tees)
- Past host: U.S. Open Qualifier
- Public dining: The Grill at The Lakes, open 7 days a week
The Lakes Course scorecard runs 7,359 yards from the gold tees. That’s confirmed on the club’s own course page (Genoa Golf Club, 2026).
A good Reno weekend rarely stays inside the city limits. A morning on the Truckee River Whitewater Park or the National Automobile Museum covers the downtown half. That’s the real core of things to do in Reno. Lake Tahoe, Virginia City, or Genoa Golf Club’s Lakes Course covers the rest. Each sits under an hour away, with public dining at the Grill at The Lakes waiting at the end. Which of those three drives fits the time available?
Plan Your Reno Weekend
Pick one downtown stop and one drive out of the city, and the itinerary plans itself from there. Planning a group trip? Genoa Golf Club’s golf outings page covers rates and tee sheets for a weekend foursome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there anything fun to do in Reno?
Yes. The Truckee River Whitewater Park, the National Automobile Museum, and the Whitney Peak Hotel’s climbing wall alone answer most searches for things to do in Reno, and none of them require a casino visit.
How to spend a day in Reno?
Keep a single day downtown. Start at the Truckee River Whitewater Park in the morning. Walk to the National Automobile Museum by early afternoon. Close the day in MidTown District for dinner among its murals and breweries, no car needed between stops.
Is Reno still worth visiting?
Reno drew an estimated 3.8 million visitors to Washoe County in 2024, and most of that pull now sits outside the casino floor. A Guinness-certified climbing wall sits downtown, and Lake Tahoe or a 19th-century mining town is under an hour away for anyone who wants them.
What to do in Reno if you don’t gamble?
Skip the slot machines, and Reno still fills a weekend with real things to do in Reno. The Nevada Museum of Art covers art. The National Automobile Museum covers history. The Truckee River Whitewater Park covers the outdoors; no cards needed.
What is Reno best known for?
Reno calls itself the Biggest Little City, built on its casino history. The bigger draw now sits within an hour of downtown, Lake Tahoe’s shoreline one way, Virginia City’s saloons another, and a golf course south of town that once hosted a U.S. Open Qualifier a third.
