Life with ArielIn the last two weeks of March 2022, I lived in Reno as a small getaway. It’s like my trip to Sonoma and Napa the year before, not a vacation but a way to change things up a little bit. My expectation was low because my prior impression about Reno was quite average – an average city with average scenic sites and average things to do. I’ve never heard of any famous activities or sightseeing spots there. It mostly serves as a cheaper accommodation option for skiing trips to Lake Tahoe.
After living like a local there for two weeks, I feel Reno is underrated. Although it’s not as glamourous as Las Vegas and its casinos are not as fancy, the local parks are pretty and peaceful. Its scenic sites and views are not as stunning as Lake Tahoe, but they are much less crowded and more accessible. Last but not the least, the entire city is dog friendly. I was able to find poop bags easily and most of the parks allow dogs too.
Truckee River
In my opinion, natural lakes and rivers make a city more attractive. Reno boasts Truckee River, which runs across the entire city, through the middle of downtown. It makes a huge difference. Usually, downtowns are sketchy with high crime rates. I will avoid as much as I can. Thanks to the long, beautiful Truckee River, I walked Ariel there almost everyday. Late March is perhaps not the best time of the year to go because the trees on the banks were withered, but I had snow mountains in the background, which made it unique scenery. The water volume of the river was high, so I saw people fishing there too.
The Reno Truckee River Trail runs through the downtown area and connects several of my favorite spots in the city. Thus, it became my daily routine for either walking or jogging. The soothing sound of running river helped cover the noise from the streets and people passing. I sometimes just sat on the benches along the banks of the river, enjoying the peaceful moment, emptying my head, and relaxing.
Idlewild Park
Idlewild Park is one of my favorite spots in the city, located along the Truckee River Trail. It’s a large green area with two lakes. In summer, it hosts Food Truck Friday every week, which is a popular event in Reno. I never found the park crowded on weekdays or on weekends, which is very different from what I experienced in the Bay Area for a park located in a central area. So it was a pleasant surprise for me. Ariel loved it too because she had more freedom to run.
Hub Coffee Roasters
Hub Coffee Roasters on the Riverside Dr is another favorite spot of mine along the Truckee River. In addition to the high-quality coffee, I loved the location. It’s not in one of those busy commercial buildings but rather in a residential area. The coffee shop is still busy but the surrounding is less so. Therefore, you won’t feel rushed. After grabbing a cup of delicious coffee, walking across the street, sitting on the benches next to the Truckee River, you are away from the crowd.
Virginia Lake Loop
Virginia Lake is beautiful, especially in sunset. This popular loop is only 1 mile long, but I don’t mind keep looping it until my legs can’t move anymore. It’s a local park, so the trail is paved and flat. During sunset hours, golden sunlight generously spreads on the white houses on the bank and reflects into the lake. Within 20 minutes, the lake turns from blue to golden to pink and purple. The soft hue is so healing that you will forget about time. The fountains in the middle of the lake add some movement to the picture. Along with kids’ laughers from the playground nearby, they draw you into reality.
Rancho San Rafael Regional Park
I have to put this park on the list because it’s Ariel’s favorite. Formerly a ranch, this park has a vast grassy area as a dog park. It truly is dogs’ heaven. I doubt I will find any dog park of this size in any other cities. As a shepherd dog, Ariel fitted in so well, running fast and freely, greeting and playing with other dogs – the only thing missing was some sheep for her to chase after. This park also has quite a few trails for both humans and dogs. To name a few, Miners Trail to the “N”, Evans Canyon Trail to Keystone Canyon Trail Loop, and Rancho San Rafael Loop.
Reno City Overlooks – University Ridge Park and Windy Hill
University Ridge Park is my most-recommended lookout spot for city views of Reno. It’s located in a residential area north of downtown Reno, so it’s not that busy and can provide you some quiet solitude time. There’s not much area for hiking or even walking due to the limited size of the park. I liked to drive there around sunset or sunrise time simply to get a breathtaking view of Reno.
Windy Hill Scenic Overlook is more known than University Ridge Park and can get pretty busy in the evenings. It’s located between Bartley Ranch Regional Park and Anderson Region Park. You can hike around these two parks before sunset to get some workout. For example, the Quail Run and Flume Trail Loop connects the scenic overlook to other parts of Barley Ranch Regional Park. However, other than the city view, other views on the trail were so-so in late March. The grass was dry and there’re not many trees.
Downtown Reno
The downtown area is probably best known for the Reno Arch, which is more pretty at night when the light is on. On the arch, it says “the biggest little city in the world.” Although I’m not sure if that’s true, Reno earned this nickname by being a small town with all the amenities big cosmopolitans have. It, of course, also inherits the dark side of big cities like homeless people, unsafe downtown, people with mental illness wandering on the streets, etc. As a result, I don’t like the downtown area and didn’t feel safe at night.
Reno Surroundings
Sparks Marina Park
Sparks Marina Park is in Sparks, NV, only a 10-minute drive from downtown Reno. It’s a peaceful park where you can enjoy a casual walk or jog. One side of the marina has a manmade beach where beach volleyball is set up. Another side of it has a cute coffee shop with friendly staff where you can get a simple bite while enjoying the marina view. Snow mountains are in the background and reflected into the water.
Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake is about 50 minutes away from Reno by car. Other than it’s official website, you won’t find much information about this lake because it’s a protected area of the Paiute Indian tribe. Anyone who wants to do water activities, fish, or camp around the lake has to purchase a permit. A lot of areas are closed to the public as well. So it’s better to do some planning before you go. I understand and appreciate all these rules and restrictions. They not only help protect the ecosystem of the lake but also make this area holy, secret, and quiet.
Even if you don’t have a permit to get close to the lake, the drive along Hwy 446 from Sutcliffe to Nixon is already jaw-dropping. You can enjoy this spectacular lake from a distance at many lookouts along the way. The lake expands about 125,000 acres, surrounded by stones in special formations spiking out of the water. Unlike normal lakes that look dark blue, Pyramid Lake is in light blue and the color changes between blue and gray depending on the weather and how the sky looks. It is a magic oasis among Nevada’s desert landscape.
