The "Biggest Little City in the World" sign in Reno, Nevada (Photograph by Franck Fotos/Alamy Stock Photo)

Doug’s Reno, Nevada

December 23, 2015
4 min read

Doug Erwin (on Twitter @douglas_erwin) has lived all over the world, but the place that interests him most is his hometown, Reno.

Doug loves the outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities, hip cultural scene, and economic vitality that have come to define Nevada’s “other city.”

The work-hard, play-hard entrepreneur founded a stand-up paddleboard company, SUP Tahoe, and continues to be a vocal advocate for the startup spirit that’s driving innovation in his town. He even helped bring a TEDx conference to Reno. 

Here are a few of Doug’s favorite things about the “Biggest Little City in the World.”

Reno Is My City

When someone comes to visit me, the first place I take them is to Coffeebar, a local franchise that serves up tea, crepes, and—of course—coffee.

September is the best time to visit my city because Burning Man, the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, and the Great Balloon Race are all happening nearby.

You can see my city best from the chairlift at Mount Rose Ski Resort.

Locals know to skip the slot machines and check out the area’s ski resorts, including Mount Rose, instead.

Reno’s Midtown District is the place to buy authentic, local souvenirs.

In the past, notable people like suffragist Anne Henrietta Martin (the first American woman to run for U.S. Senate), Olympic gymnast Jake Dalton, and freestyle skier David Wise have called my city home.

My city’s best museum is the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum because it inspires creativity and innovation amongst Reno’s youth.

If there’s one thing you should know about getting around my city, it’s that you can get pretty much anywhere in 15 minutes.

The best place to spend time outdoors in my city is one of the many parks along the Truckee River.

My city really knows how to celebrate the arts because there’s an entire month, July, dedicated to it: Artown.

You can tell if someone is from my city if they have a wild horse problem in their neighborhood.

For a fancy night out, I eat at LuLou’s, attend a show at the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, and have a night cap at Death and Taxes.

Just outside my city, you can visit Lake Tahoe.

My city is known for being a second-rate Vegas, but it’s really a vibrant and thriving community.

The best outdoor market in my city is the farmers market on California Avenue.

Stone House is my favorite place to grab breakfast, and the Nugget Casino Resort is the spot for late-night eats. 

To find out what’s going on at night and on the weekends, read the Reno News and Review.

To escape the crowds, I go backcountry snowboarding or fly-fishing from a float tube.

Picon Punch is my city’s signature drink. Sample it at Louis’ Basque Corner.

Cargo at the Whitney Peak Hotel is the best place to see live music, but if you’re in the mood to dance, check out Lex at the Grand Sierra Casino.

In the spring you should fly-fish from the shore at Pyramid Lake.

In the summer you should go camping at one of many hot springs in the eastern Sierras.

In the fall you should go to the Burning Man festival, about a two-hour’s drive northeast of Reno.

In the winter you should ski or snowboard near Lake Tahoe.

If you have kids (or are a kid at heart), you won’t want to miss Halloween trick or treating in the city’s stately Old Southwest neighborhood.

The best book about my city is Reno’s Big Gamble: Image and Reputation in the Biggest Little City by Alicia Barber because it’s a great book about Reno’s history and urban development in the American West.

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