Carson City Is Calling

Fall Getaway to Carson City, Nevada

Remember being a kid and playing until sundown? Your childhood memories deserve a sequel! So head to Carson City, Nevada, and make new memories with those you love. This state capital is where going wild means exploring the outdoors and enjoying the history and comforts of a vibrant community. Your best days are ahead in Carson City, Nevada!

Hike or Bike the All New 'Capital to Tahoe Trail'

This one’s for those who like a new challenge. The recently completed Capital to Tahoe Trail is the first singletrack hike and mountain bike connection from Carson City to Lake Tahoe (and beyond!).

The Capital to Tahoe (aka Cap to Tahoe) Trail combines some of Carson City’s most viewtiful terrain. Be sure to pick up a complimentary Cap to Tahoe sticker at Carson City’s visitor center (716 N. Carson Street, Suite 100). Views of the Washoe and Eagle Valleys and plenty of solitude make this hike a bucket-lister. Just be prepared for wilderness solitude and inclement weather.

Pro Tip: The Capital to Tahoe Trail can be extended … all the way to Canada. Check out the Carson City to Canada Quest.

There’s plenty more to do outdoors in Carson City. Hikes range from the longer Ash to Kings Trail (13.4 miles) to the short but H2-O-so-sweet Kings Canyon Waterfall. It’s just under half a mile to reach it, with plenty of surrounding trails for those who want to add some mileage.

Carson City is an off-road biking haven. It hosts a popular annual gravel bike race, Stetina’s Paydirt, and is home to some of the best singletrack straddling Nevada and California. The 14-mile (one-way) Flume Trail is a must-do for mountain bikers, with amazing views of aspen meadows, Marlette Lake, and Lake Tahoe.

Check out top hikes, bike rides, and water adventures in Carson City.

Where to Stay in Carson City

Who Ghosts There?

Get ready for a spirited time in Carson City with signature seasonal events like the Carson City Ghost Walk (happening in September through October 19) and Mark Twain Days.

The Murals & Music Festival (September 26-28) features artists painting murals in real time around Carson City. Enjoy live music at Nashville Social Club, Brewery Arts Center, The White House, and Bank Saloon. Take a mural tour, listen to artist talks, and join in some interactive mural painting.

See Carson City’s museums and galleries. The Nevada State Museum is exemplary for conveying and celebrating Nevada’s adventurous, wild, and natural history.

Experiential exhibits include walking through a mine and a ghost town.

Another museum of important history, and in lessons for the future, is the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum. It’s a profound place not only in sharing American Indian traditions, but in sharing stories about the Stewart boarding school experience. The Center is in memory of the first students from the Great Basin tribes, and all others impacted by the Stewart experience. The museum acknowledges the significance of Place on sacred land inhabited by the Great Basin tribes long before anyone else.

Where to Stay in Carson City

I'm on a Train!

All aboard for one of Carson City’s best adventures! The state capital has a rich history with historic railways. Embark on a train ride excursion on the V&T Railway—in a restored 1914 Pullman coach. It’s a relaxing and enlightening way to spend a few hours or a full day.

There’s a wine and spirits excursion for those seeking a shorter outing.

There’s also a full-day train adventure from Carson City to historic Virginia City, passing through tunnels, canyons, and mining towns. Along the way you’ll hear narrated stories and interesting facts. Enjoy a 3.5-hour stop in charming Virginia City. Saunter along the boardwalks, belly up to a saloon bar, do some shopping, and check out museums.

Carson City’s Nevada State Railroad Museum is well worth a visit. Many items at this museum come from Hollywood studios, who utilized them for cinema and television. The museum is an ode to the railroad heritage of Nevada and also has some really cool locomotives and cars once used along classic railroads in the state.

Even if you’re not a history buff, you’ll likely love Carson City’s Kit Carson Trail. It’s a 2.5-mile urban walk through Carson City’s historic district. The story of Nevada’s capital city is told through nearly 50 landmarks, including 1800s-era homes, churches, and museums.

You can also go on a guided Ghost Tour or follow an audio tour on the Kit Carson Trail.

Download the Kit Carson Trail map.

Where to Stay in Carson City

Who's Hungry?

With all the art, culture, history, and outdoors, plus a few ghosts, you won’t have to worry about anyone being “hangry.” There’s plenty to eat and drink in Carson City.

Wash away post-hike thirst and replenish your energy at Great Basin Brewery. Next door to the brewery is Old World Coffee, worth your morning buzz with its tasty beans roasted right in Reno.

Red’s Old 395 Grill is home to Carson City’s only woodfired oven, where Iron Chef Jose and his team cook up and serve an award-winning house-smoked BBQ.

Find the next generation of Cheers in Carson City’s Plaza, at Piazza … see what they did there? Wine and food here are inspired by travels in—surprise—Spain and Italy. That’s some good taste!

If you can’t get enough Italian food, there’s more! Cucina Lupo has house-made pastas and bread, using ingredients from local farms.

Basque culture meets Nevada’s mojo at Villa Basque Café. Conceptualized by Martha and Pete Coscarart, specialties include paella and Pete’s World-Famous Chorizo.

Savor a casual brunch at Eve’s Eatery for a variety of artisan fare to start Sunday Funday. You can’t be known for elegant pastries unless the art of pastry making is of paramount importance. And L.A. Bakery makes it so, freshly handcrafting a variety of baked goods each day.

Where to Stay in Carson City

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View
  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View
  2. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View
  3. Great Is an Understatement!

    Tucked against the Utah border in eastern Nevada, Great Basin is a hiking wonderland of 13,000-foot peaks, ancient forests, sub-alpine lakes, and marbled limestone caves.

    View
  4. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

    View