Discover Reno: Art, History, and Trails Along the Truckee River

Reno combines urban history, art, and active experiences in an unusual way. The Truckee River flows through the city center, while museums, historic districts, and signposted tours offer different perspectives on the city. Those who want to combine culture and activity will find a variety of themes to shape their day. When choosing your vacation rental in Reno, it is therefore worth first considering whether you would rather focus on museums, riverside experiences, or historic walks.

River, Water, and Trails Through Reno

The Whitewater Park features 11 drop pools over a total length of 2,600 feet. The course is rated Class 2 to 3 and can be used by kayaks, canoes, rafts, and inner tubes. This allows you to add an active water experience to your stay without viewing the city exclusively through the lens of museums and history. Which equipment and pace are right for your group depends on your own planning.

The Tahoe Pyramid Trail also offers a clearly described section for travel planning: The completed West McCarran to Sparks section runs through Reno’s Riverwalk District and is 10.7 miles long. For a historic perspective on the riverfront landscape, the Historic Riverfront Walking Tour leads to 20 sites. The Mansions on the Bluff Tour includes 29 sites, while the Historic MidTown Tour leads to 36 sites. This gives you a choice between water, a longer route, and themed urban walks.

Art and Automobiles as Distinctive Reno Experiences

The Nevada Museum of Art is Nevada’s only art museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Its permanent collection is divided into four thematic areas: the Robert S. and Dorothy J. Keyser Art of the Greater West Collection, the Carol Franc Buck Altered Landscape Photography Collection, the Modern and Contemporary Art Collection, and the E. L. Wiegand Work Ethic in American Art Collection. The building itself also takes up a landscape theme, as its design was inspired by the geological formations of the Black Rock Desert.

The National Automobile Museum opened on November 5, 1989. It is designed as a self-guided tour through historic street scenes, galleries, exhibits, and displays, and features more than 240 cars with authentic street scenes and matching sounds. For your travel planning, this means you can create a self-contained museum day focused on art or automotive history instead of limiting everyone traveling with you to a single interest.

History, Neighborhoods, and Offerings for Different Age Groups

The Discovery offers 67,000 square feet of permanent and rotating exhibitions. It also features events and programs for all age groups.

The University of Nevada, Reno National Historic District includes the Quad, Manzanita Lake, and 13 historic buildings. Reno also has more than 150 historic markers. East 4th Street played an important and multifaceted role in the city’s history for more than a century. The Mansions on the Bluff neighborhood contains homes where three former U.S. senators lived. This is a historical reference, not a statement about current residents.

Reno’s MidTown neighborhood has been a lively commercial and residential district for nearly a century. Together with the themed tours, this creates a cityscape that can be explored through both individual historic sites and entire neighborhoods. Reno-Tahoe International Airport is located in the center of Reno and can serve as a point of reference when arriving.

Compare More Destinations

If you would like to compare different places before booking your vacation rental, you can also include these destinations in your further planning: Incline Village, Sparks, Lemmon Valley-Golden Valley, Cold Springs and Crystal Bay. Reno itself is well suited to travel planning that combines culture, history, riverfront landscapes, and active experiences according to your plans for the day.

For the higher-level travel overview: Washoe.