Weekend in Reno Tahoe

Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting. Let’s go: Weekend in Reno Tahoe!

Cast Your Calm

One of the most understated forms of meditation? The quiet sport of fly-fishing. You’re surrounded by free-flowing rivers and crystalline lakes as you listen to the tranquil melodies of bird life, streams, and gentle breezes brushing by. Add in the beauty of sunlight dappling across the water as you cast your line … this is the graceful art of fly-fishing. Whether you’re solo or sharing time with loved ones, learning to fly-fish is one of nature’s most unique and nurturing experiences.

Book a guided fly-fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop. If you’ve never cast a fly, now’s the time to try; friendly (and patient!) pro anglers can teach you the basics and take you to some of Reno Tahoe’s most scenic waters, including the Truckee River and Pyramid Lake.

The tribal-owned Kooyooe Pa’a Guides is woman-owned, welcoming, and deeply experienced in the traditions of fly-fishing. No previous fishing experience is needed to embark on a guided tour at Pyramid Lake.

Cool Fact: Autumn Harry is the first Paiute woman fly-fishing guide in Kooyooe Pa’a Panunadu and in 2022 was named a USA Today “Woman of the Year–Nevada Honoree.”

Tip: Fly-fishing outfitters in Reno Tahoe can accommodate those with mobility challenges, so don’t shy away from this beautiful opportunity to try a new sport.

For equally remarkable more traditional fishing trips, hook yourself up with Hooked Up Sport Fishing. They offer a variety of fishing charters on Lake Tahoe. There’s also reel fun to be had with Lake Tahoe’s Reel-lentless Fishing Charters.

Fishing in Reno

From Oh Wow to Om

You don’t have to fly solo when embarking on one of Reno Tahoe’s most exciting ways to get a bird’s–eye view of Lake Tahoe. North Tahoe Watersports lets you double up on parasailing thrills, so you can go up in the air with friends, family, or that special someone. Soar above Lake Tahoe surrounded by majestic Sierra Nevada peaks.

If you’d rather be on the lake, rent a single or double kayak or a stand-up paddle board from Tahoe Paddle and Oar. Or join one of their guided natural hot-spring and boulder-maze kayak or stand-up paddle tours, where you’ll discover more about the lake’s geographical history.

Get into a flow on the waters of Sparks Marina. This tranquil park with the Sierra as a backdrop has a beautiful shoreline and a calm lake, perfect for stand-up paddleboarding lessons.

Something new to try: PaddleFit. Save the date for summer sessions of this full-body workout combining core conditioning and yoga on a paddleboard.

Rent a stand-up paddleboard, kayak, or canoe from Adrift Tahoe at Kings Beach, a lively recreation area surrounded by cool shops and restaurants. Even for beginners, these water activities are a fun way to explore Lake Tahoe. Stick close to shore and enjoy teal coves with giant boulders ideal for soaking in some sun-fueled vitamin D.

Reno and Lake Tahoe Paddleboarding

Get to the Art of the Matter

The Black Rock Desert—home of Burning Man—is a couple of hours away, but the event’s creative influence reverberates throughout Reno’s downtown, including the iconic Space Whale—a life-sized stained glass and steel sculpture of a humpback whale mother and calf.

Right in Reno, places like the Generator and Shim’s Surplus Speakeasy (one of the city’s most popular taverns) are community-supported enclaves of multi-art disciplines, from welding sculptures to open mic poetry performances.

Reno’s walkable districts make for one of the best places to take a self-guided art stroll among nearly 200 creative works throughout the city. Sculptures, intricately painted traffic boxes, and plenty of murals taking up full building walls immerse you in culture, with plenty of local shops, restaurants and breweries to stop into along the way.

Speaking of breweries, Reno Tahoe is a basecamp for best in beers, but you can also enjoy food (including kids’ menus) and other drinks (including no-alcohol options).

Burgers and BBQ are better together at The Brewer’s Cabinet. The beers are brewed on-site and the barbecue menu sizzles with food like the Chimichurri Tri-Tip Sandwich. Pair with a Dirty Wookie Imperial Brown Ale for maximum malt impact.

What’s your Alibi? Choose from a range of local brews (or try a hop-infused sparkling water) at Alibi Ale Works. Their Incline Village original taproom and brewery—the Barrel House—has a beer garden ideal for kicking back, to relax after adventures in Reno Tahoe. It’s been voted Best Brewery by locals in Tahoe (9 times and counting).

Flock to Reno’s leading lager house. Pigeonhead Brewery started with German-style lagers and quickly scaled to other craft styles, resulting in distinct seasonal beers, from crisp Kolsch-style to a spicy India Pale Ale.

Get to know Reno Tahoe’s Breweries & Distilleries

Take the Reins

The great wild open awaits for horseback riding adventures over the meadows, through the valley, and among the lakes and mountains. Take the grandkids, take your kids, take your best friend’s kids (!), and saddle up with these excellent guiding companies:

In the Truckee Reno Tahoe region, Piping Rock Horses helps you to connect with the land and animals, but not Wi-Fi! Wranglers bring safety and stunning scenery to even the most novice rider (read, a person who’s never been on a horse). Check out their guided tours amid a Jeffrey –pine forest filled with wildlife and wildflowers.

Hoof it in the high desert on a horseback tour with Heavenly Hoof Prints—offering everything from Kiddo’s 101 to Adults 101 packages. Meet your horse, brush your horse, then saddle up and hit the open trails together—the desert beauty is nature’s tonic for inspiration and relaxation.

Go the way of the Wild West with Sierra Adventures’ horseback expedition. Start off the modern way with a hotel shuttle pickup and breakfast, then it’s westward ho on the beautiful Sierra Range. Guides lead you and your horse through a high desert landscape, often decked in wildflowers, with streams cutting across the landscape and snowy serrated mountains on the horizon.