Find the Best Things to Do in Reno Arts District

About Reno Arts District

Photo courtesy of RenoTahoe/Flickr

Most visitors to Reno think that all there is to the downtown area are casinos. However, Reno has a fun and funky Arts District that is just south of the main downtown area near the Truckee River.

See & Do

The Truckee River is the center of the Reno Arts District. Right in the middle of downtown you can enjoy whitewater kayaking or tubing, swim during the summer and fall months and enjoy the wildlife in the parks along the River. The Truckee Whitewater Park is open all year long and is free to kayakers. There are several drops, waterfalls and holes to paddle in and the park has flat rocks, viewing platforms and bridges to watch the kayakers.

Eat

There are many restaurants to choose from in the Reno Arts District. If you want to dress up a bit, go out to dinner at the Beaujolais Bistro for their excellent French food, to the Wild River Grille for their nice selection of fish, steak, pasta and Cajun dishes or to Campo for their wood fired pizza and other homemade Italian dishes. If you want to keep it more casual, visit Pie Face Pizza just north of the river for their thin-crust delights, or head to the Silver Peak Restaurant near the movie theater for great pub grub, salads and burgers.

Party

Locals love the Arts District bars and come down during all days of the week. If you want to be by the river, visit the Sierra Taphouse or the Ole Bridge Pub where you can get a spot on their deck to watch the kayakers in the river. If you are wishing for wine, Java Jungle and its sister bar, Jungle Vino will get you started.

Stay

The closest hotels to the Reno Arts District are the main casino hotels downtown. These include the Big 3: the Silver Legacy, the Eldorado and Harrah's. The Siena Resort and Spa is located right on the Truckee and has several restaurants and bars with views of the river.

Shop

There is a bit of shopping to be done in the Reno Arts District and most of these shops are small and local. The Be Abundant store has a beautiful selection of items for the home, bedroom and bathroom. Tiny Dharma Books has a plethora of new, used and hard-to-find books and a few great places to sit and relax. If you want to go home with a bit of Reno, visit the Reno eNVy story where you can pick up a unique T-Shirt with the Reno eNVy logo on it.