Virginia City and the Comstock Lode
If you want to incorporate a little history with your visit to Northern Nevada, then you have to visit Virginia City. It's just a short drive up Geiger Grade (about 40 minutes from downtown), and the drive alone is worth it! Virginia City was the hub of the Comstock Lode silver mines in the 1860s, and today you'll find historic museums, mine tours, shopping, and dining, all in the same setting the miners knew over 100 years ago. It's a quaint town, and a great place to spend the day.
If you go, don't miss the V&T train that travels to Gold Hill and back. In fact, stop in Gold Hill and have a quiet lunch at the historic Gold Hill Hotel, then head back to Virginia City on the train. One of the best museums is The Way it Was, located on the south end of C Street as you enter from Reno. It will give you a good over view of the town's history and importance to the history of Northern Nevada. Walk the boardwalks, enjoy the shops, have a drink at a legendary bar, you can do it all in Virginia City!
