Looking for a great weekend getaway? Just across the state line sits Reno, whose nickname — the world’s biggest little city — perfectly captures its feel, that mix of big-city attractions and small-town vibe.
So much has changed in the last few years, you’ll find a heady mixture of new and re-energized ways to eat, drink and play. Here’s how to spend a fun-packed 24 hours.
Saturday afternoon
Whether you’re blowing into town after a day on Tahoe’s ski slopes or coming directly from the Bay Area, make sure you arrive early enough to have some fun before dinner. The Grand Sierra Resort — one of several fun hotel options for your stay, with rooms that start at $57 — hosts an ice skating rink near the resort pool. Grab some skates and hit the ice, then enjoy some après-skate hot chocolate and s’mores from the bar. Head inside to warm up, or get toasty by one of the fire pits. Details: The ice rink opens at 4 p.m. daily at 2500 E. Second St.; www.GrandSierraResort.com.
Saturday evening
Next up: dinner. Speckled with restaurants and bars, Reno’s Riverwalk is a great place for a stroll, even when the weather is cold. Head for Campo for inventive farm-to-table Italian fare — handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas and more. The menu evolves with the seasons, but when we visited, our favorites included a sensational bucatini carbonara ($19) with pancetta and sugar-snap peas and a BLT and avocado pizza ($19). Details: Open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 50 N. Sierra St., CampoReno.com.
Do that dining on the early side and you can catch a show afterward at the Pioneer Center. The Reno Philharmonic, the Nevada Festival Ballet and the Nevada Opera all call this downtown Reno theater home. And musicals — such as “Noel the Musical,” which runs Dec. 14-16 — light up the stage every month.
Head downstairs — take the steps on the right side of the building — and you’ll hit the Pioneer Underground instead. Here, comics from around the country gather to make guests roar with laughter. Grab a seat in the front if you want to be part of the show. Want to be left alone? The back is a better place for you. Details: 100 S. Virginia St., PioneerCenter.com and PioneerCenter.com/underground
Looking for a little post-show entertainment? Bundox Bocce is tucked inside the nearby Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel — another good choice for lodging; rooms start at $113 — to play a round on one of the indoor courts. Other draws include giant Jenga, shuffleboard and a full bar. Details: Open from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight Friday, and noon to midnight on weekends at 1 S. Lake St.; www.BundoxBocce.com.
Sunday morning
It’s hard to go wrong with Reno’s brunch and breakfast scene, but it’s tough to beat the Stone House café’s eclectic menu of offbeat eggs Benedict ($11.50-$16) and fruit-topped waffles ($10.25). Best downed with a mimosa or two. Details: Open for breakfast at 7 a.m. daily at 1907 S. Arlington Ave.; www.stonehousecafereno.com.
After breakfast, find the mountains. A little cold weather doesn’t stop anyone in Reno from getting outside to enjoy the fresh air. Sure, you can always ski and snowboard, but why not try something new? Reno’s hiking trails offer plenty of winter sports fun. As you head up the Mount Rose Highway — Highway 431 — make a stop at Mountain Top Sports to rent snowshoes ($12). Grab a pair and pick a trail, perhaps at Galena Creek Regional Park, which offers easy to moderate trails. Details: Mountain Top Sports is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 11000 Mount Rose Highway; MountainTopSports.us
Sunday afternoon
Next up: Warm up. The rest of your day will be spent in South Creek Center. Start at Bibo Coffee for a raspberry cream latte, a minty mocha or a coconut and ginger Thai café. Take it — and quiche or a pastry, perhaps — to go or enjoy it there. Then head out to do a little shopping at apparel stores, such as Triggers Boutique or Home Means Nevada Co., or decor boutiques such as the Freckled Frog and G.J. Rhodes. And depending on what your palate craves, Beer NV and the Whispering Vine Wine Bar are right nearby. Details: Bibo Coffee is open from from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at 75 Foothill Road, BiboCoffeeCompany.com.
Finish your weekend with an early dinner at SouthCreek Pizza, a family-owned eatery so dedicated to serving pizza that tastes like it was made in Italy, they fly in their ingredients and use a wood-fired brick oven imported from Naples. Pro tip: Take a seat at the bar if you’d like to watch the pizza makers throw dough while you dine. Details: Open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday at 45 Foothill Road; SouthCreekPizza.com.