The Trip to the Casinos of Reno, Nevada
Part II
Travel Information Provided by GamblingResort.com
Reno has so much in common with other cities in small town America. Quiet tree-lined streets. Beautiful older neighborhoods. Free flowing traffic.
Cruise by foot along historic North Virginia Street, however, the main road through Reno. The buildings here stand in sharp contrast to the buildings in other small towns: sky high, fantastical casinos that throw long shadows over the narrow street below.
The neighborhood blocks of downtown where most of the casinos in Reno are concentrated barely seem able to contain these soaring structures.
Maybe this is why Reno is known as "The Biggest Little City in the World."
This city lacks the scale and scope of a place like Las Vegas. But to most folks, this is a good thing. Many a down low gambler prefers the small town atmospherics of a place like Reno. A dollar seems to go a long way here.
Reno, really a medium sized city with a small town pulse, has a current population of 210,000. It lies 26 miles north of the Nevada state capitol of Carson City, 22 miles northeast of Lake Tahoe and a long, long way from Vegas.
Believe it or not, Reno was the birthplace of Harrah's Entertainment, founded in 1937 as a bingo parlor by William F. Harrah.
Today Harrah's has evolved into the largest gaming company in the world that operates under many different labels.
The company, once publicly traded, is now owned by a group of private investors. This casino empire includes well-known gambling resorts such as Bally's, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Paris Las Vegas and the Horseshoe brand in different locations.
The traveling crew of GamblingResort.com, which has been on a road trip recently to re-visit various gambling destinations, fell in love with Reno all over again because it believes that Reno is unique and special place.
Reno is a hybrid of positive attributes with its Wild West frontier sensibilities, its close proximity to small farms and ranches in the Carson Valley, to old mining towns like Virginia City and the ski resorts of Lake Tahoe.
One can gamble the hours away in a mega resort like Harrah's or the Silver Legacy or the Eldorado, all on North Virginia Street, then find oneself a few moments later, on the banks of picturesque Truckee River, a calming presence by any standard.
Step outside one of these casinos, head south for a few short blocks, and there you are.
The Truckee River flows through a fertile valley called Truckee Meadows from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. It is a thumping life force that runs through the heart of downtown Reno.
Time spent on a patch of grass near a thicket of trees at the edge of the river could be the perfect antidote to any gambler who might need a spot to readjust his attitude after a run of bad luck at the nearby gaming tables.
The travel website, GamblingResort.com, provides information about all the casinos in Reno, Virginia City, Carson City and Lake Tahoe. It is a great resource for those planning to visit one of these gambling destinations.
One can find all sorts of useful stuff at GamblingResort.com, including photos, casino statistics, map locators, addresses and phone numbers for every casino in the USA and beyond. One can also book hotels here. Give it a try!
Stay tuned for upcoming dispatches from Virginia City and Carson City.
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