Carson City Archives - Page 2 of 2

Carson City, Nevada: Recreational Travel & Baseball Tournaments

October 12, 2012 by The Mom Jen 4 Comments

Last month my family traveled to Carson City, Nevada for my son’s baseball tournament. Being on a traveling team does send us to various parts of the state, and in this case out of state. Our son thoroughly enjoys playing baseball, the rest of us enjoy the ability to take a road trip often to new places.

Carson City is a drive of about 5-6 hours from home. Having been there before, we have a good idea of the area and where we can find our necessities while away.

The ball games are played at Centennial Park, just out of town a bit. The fields all surround a central snack bar that serves all the best sporting event fare along with a few choices of beer if you will. There is plenty of free parking around the park and each tournament sponsor may charge an entrance fee while players and coaches are always free. Bonus for families with young spectator siblings, a fully covered playground with views of two of the four fields so parents and grandparents can stay tuned into the games. During the late summer, temperatures can get into the 90’s and 100’s, coolers are allowed with your own drinks and eats, and don’t forget chairs, umbrellas, and spritzer bottles for cool down.

There are plenty of restaurants that will satisfy both your culinary desires as well as keep your pocket book in check. Our family favorite that we visit each trip is Red’s 395, just down the street from hotels, casinos, and the historical Capitol area. This fun place has décor that will keep you busy admiring, as well as a magician and various showmen pleasing the youngest of your group. The wait is never too long and the night we took the team, parents, and siblings (group of 30) the wait and service was spot on! Menu items range from chicken to steak to pizza and all will fill you up, please your palate, and if you’re brave leave you asking for dessert! There is a fabulous kid’s meal menu too!

Even though we enjoy dining out and eating at the park, there are some times when we just need healthy alternative. Luckily close by we can find a Walmart store that offers the full grocery store. Here we stocked up on whole fruit, snack platters, water bottles, and the option to buy any toiletries or necessities of home we may have forgotten. When away it’s always nice to have creature comforts available when needed.

If the baseball games are not enough excitement for you, take the family over to Gold Dust West Resort for some 10 pin bowling games. Boasting a full snack bar, bar, arcade, and bowling alley, kids and parents alike can hang out and relax with another bonding activity. For those 21 and over and who like to test their luck, a casino is just next door with table gaming and slot machines that may reward you nicely! Let’s not forget to mention that same resort has a pool and hot tub for guests for pre- or post- game fun and relaxation.

There are many other great educational and historical things to do in Carson City, read some ideas in these related articles I wrote,

V&T Railroad Tour

History, Museums, Trails, and Drives

Also, the “Biggest Little City in the World” Reno is just a short 35-45 minute drive away.

Travel to Carson City, Nevada: History and Museums, Trails and Drives

August 2, 2011 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

Rich historic offerings, endlessly entertaining casinos and world-class golf draw visitors from around the globe for a Nevada vacation in Carson City. Due to our great Nevada location, Carson City serves as the hub of the wagon wheel for site-seers and adventure-seekers alike. My husband is a history nut, so all the following were something that we visited in some capacity during our recent trip.

The Nevada State Capitol and the Nevada State Library and Archives present changing historic exhibits which display memorabilia and exhibits to enhance cultural understanding. With my son heading into 5th grade and my oldest in 8th, the kids knew a few things about states, government, capitols, etc, so this was a must visit. My husband and I have visited 3 state capitols in the last 3 months and we love learning more history and passing that on to our kids. The security guard gave my youngest two kids a state coin, and now there mission is to collect all 50! (Free admission)

Nevada State Museum & Mint
Location: 600 North Carson Street (Hwy. 395) corner of Robinson Street.
Phone: (775) 687-4810
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm, closed Sunday, Monday, Tues. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Price: Adults $8.00, free for children 17 and under and museum members.
Website: http://www.nevadaculture.org
Explore Nevada’s natural and cultural history. Discover a life-size Columbian Mammoth, Datsolalee American Indian baskets, ghost town, and a walk-through mine known worldwide for its authenticity. View the dazzling beauty of the USS Nevada Silver Service. See the historic Carson City Mint, featuring the original Coin Press No. 1, which stamped millions of gold and silver coins from the rich ores of the Comstock Lode. Shop the museum store for memorable books and Nevada gifts.

Nevada State Railroad Museum
Location: 2180 South Carson Street (US 395) at Fairview Drive, near the south end of Carson City
Phone: (775) 687-6953
Hours: Friday through Monday 8:30am-4:30pm, closed Tues, Wed. & Thurs
Price: Adults $5, Children 17 younger Free
Website: http://nevadaculture.org/museums/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=412&Itemid=123
Friends of the Museum website: http://www.nsrm-friends.org
Considered one of the finest regional railroad museums in the country, it includes five steam locomotives and several restored coaches and freight cars. Most featured equipment is from the Comstock Era’s Virginia & Truckee Railroad, America’s richest and most famous short line.

The highlight of our trip to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City with the kids was the hand cart ride but I thoroughly enjoyed the displays and diagrams of western Nevada Railroad history. After strolling through the remarkable collection of restored train engines and cars I was astonished by the restoration shop out back. Volunteers are on hand to describe and explain the history of and the effort necessary to take one of the dilapidated railroad artifacts (also on display in the back of the shop) and transform them into the beautiful examples of machinery, trophies of the industrial age. If your kids get a little tired of the history, there are train sets to play with at the front of the museum, smart!

The Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada
Location: 813 North Carson Street
Phone: (775) 884-2226
Hours: Tues.-Fri. 10am-4pm, Sat. & Sun. 10am-5:30pm
Price: Children 2+ $3, Adults 14+ $5, Srs. 55+ $4, children under 1 free
Website: http://www.cmnn.org/

The Kit Carson Trail, a 2.5-mile self-guided walking tour, escorts sightseers through Carson City’s famous historical homes district, the largest in the West. A painted blue line along the sidewalk with inlaid bronze medallions marks the route past various landmarks: Victorian-style homes over 100 years old, museums and original churches, the Governor’s Mansion and the home of Mark Twain’s brother – where the famous author spent much of his time. The tour also provides insight and anecdotes about the capital city and some of its more colorful personalities.

Railfest, a celebration of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, takes place in August in Carson and Virginia Cities. Activities include train rides, live entertainment, trolley rides and special exhibits at area museums.

Reno/Sparks Drive
We drove the Reno/Sparks area for a little drive on our trip, it wasn’t more than about 35 minute drive. Just north of Carson City, Reno is home of more than a half dozen first class hotel-casinos including the Silver Legacy, Harrah’s, the Eldorado, the Siena, and Circus Circus. Reno’s promotional slogan is “America’s Adventure Place” and one of the hottest new things in town is the Truckee River Whitewater Park, a half-mile water attraction in the center of Reno with rapids, a slalom racing course, and nearly a dozen “drop pools” and boulders for kayaking maneuvers.

Annual events ranging from Hot August Nights, a celebration of the music, cars, and fashions of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, to Street Vibrations, a huge motorcycle rally and parade, help keep the downtown rocking during the summer months. More upcoming fall events include: Reno-Tahoe Open (August), Great Reno Balloon Races (September), National Championship Air Races (September), and the Great Italian Festival (October).

Adjacent to Reno is the community of Sparks, once an important railroad town, which has grown into a vacation destination with first class hotels, fine dining, championship golf courses, and the Sparks Marina, popular with sun-worshipers, wake-boarders and day sailors. Victorian Square, in the center of Sparks, is a picturesque shopping/casino/restaurant district that incorporates a 19th century Victorian theme. The Sparks Heritage Museum in the downtown offers a glimpse into the town’s rich history.
We were not compensated for any of the places we visited in this post.

V&T Railroad Tour: Carson City to Virginia City, NV

July 30, 2011 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

Ride the Virginia & Truckee Railroad (V&T) for an unsurpassed Comstock Era experience. Our recent family trip to Carson City included a 28 mile roundtrip train excursion through the heart of the Comstock Lode to Virginia City on the “Queen of the Shortlines”.

The trip began just a few minutes east of Carson City along Highway 50 at the Carson East Gate Depot. Future plans call for the extension of the line into downtown Carson City, but for the interim this depot includes a small gift shop, and plenty of parking. We boarded the train and were welcomed by an enthusiastic staff dressed in Comstock Era attire. Shortly thereafter our narrated trip through 140 years of mining and railroad history began.

The recently restored tracks follow the historic railroad that transferred billions of dollars of ore from the Comstock mines and transformed Nevada into the Silver State. The scenic route winds it way up Virginia Range through two restored tunnels and skirts the old mining areas of Mound House, Silver City, American Flats, and Gold Hill. Artifacts of the mining area including abandoned equipment and mine shafts abound along the route and all was colorfully described by our entertaining narrator.

At the Virginia City Station we disembarked and walked up the hill to the main street. You’ll find a plethora of antique shops with treasures and can spend hours touring the shops and museums. You can also find leather goods, jewelry, and even everyday clothing while shopping and getting an old-fashioned portrait is popular. There are plenty of diners, ice cream and candy shops, and saloons to find what you need to satisfy your appetite, as well as some spots to gamble as well! The scenery was just as good as the ride up but was greatly enhanced by a herd of 7 wild horses grazing right next to the tracks. The nice breeze through the open air windows will lull your little ones to sleep on the ride back, maybe even you!

Relaxing and interesting, this ride is definitely the way to visit Virginia City. Our group included kids, parents and grandparents and we all had a great time on the train and in Virginia City. We recommend bringing snacks and cold drinks along for the train ride and make sure to get your tickets ahead of time due to the popularity of this excursion. The train isn’t air-conditioned and the summer time can be warm, dress appropriately, alternate sunny window seats, bring some cash for ice cold water bottles sold on the trip. Seats are first come-first served on both the trip over and back, and I suggest you don’t leave anything behind once you reach Virginia City. Be sure to visit virginiatruckee.com for the latest schedule, fares and special events.

Out trip tickets were hosted in exchange for our honest review.

Hampton Inn and Suites, Carson City Review

July 23, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Driving hwy 88 through the still-snow capped mountains of the eastern sierras, we made our way to Carson City, Nevada. Known for the Comstock Lode’s biggest silver find in world history, the city hosts a large set of historic buildings, museums, and also the home of the V&T Railway.

Just 3 miles from the Capitol building and less than a half-hour from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, the Hampton Inn and Suites
provides lodging for the whole family to enjoy, near many great local attractions, and each night’s stay includes a fabulous hot breakfast.

Stroll or drive down the Kit Carson trail, the historical lifeline of this amazing city-it is easily accessible from the hotel in Carson City. The 2.5-mile tour passes more than sixty of the community’s most historic buildings and homes, many from the 1860s. The Hampton Inn and Suites also puts you close to the State Capitol Building, as well as the Nevada State Museum, which was home to the U.S. Mint in the late 1800s. Inside, see a ghost town, a silver mine and more. A short drive brings you to world-class skiing in Lake Tahoe; casino action in Reno; and more old west history in Virginia City. Ask the friendly team at the hotel for more tips on the area’s attractions.

The first night we arrived, it was happy hour in the breakfast room. Wine from a local restaurant was served in both red and white varieties along with a trail mix of sorts and fresh fruit. This doesn’t happen every night, but was a nice way to say, “welcome” to the hotel for us! The dining area is large with many tables and a flat screen tv, and also there’s a nice sitting area with couch and chairs as well.

The rooms are wonderful with amazingly comfortable beds, desks, sleeper sofas in some rooms, and a large bathroom. The closets are adorned with a full floor-to-ceiling mirror that can help getting ready go smoothly with a large family with 3 girls like ours. Microwave and mini-fridge are great for popcorn and to keep drinks cool before you head out or for a late night snack. On the bed when you arrive you’ll find a tv lap tray with padding on the bottom, the remote, tv guide, channel guide, and door privacy marker. I love how everything was in one place and also makes it easy to enjoy a drink or snack in bed (ah the luxury).

In the evening of the first night, I craved a drink, there’s a mini hotel store for all those items you may have forgotten to bring, but also snacks, drinks, ice cream, and microwave meals if you can’t make it out to a restaurant. The coffee and hot water station is always open and provides tea, hot chocolate along with regular or decaf drink options.

Breakfast is plentiful and will get you off to the right start each morning. You have your hot food area that had belgian waffle makers, hot eggs, sausage, and potatoes available on alternating days. The cold food area held milk, cereal, yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs. The baked goods included full-size muffins, breads, bagels, pastries, and all the fixins. A variety of juices are also available. Monday through Friday, pre-prepared “On the Go” bags are available with fruit, drinks, and a pastry if you can’t stay and eat. Breakfast was so good each morning that we felt we could get by with just a light lunch and keep our tummies happy for a bigger dinner.

Right next door to eachother on the main floor you’ll find the full fitness room and indoor pool and spa, something mom, dad, and the kids can enjoy. The indoor pool is large and though it keeps you out of the direct summer heat, the room itself it quite warm and stuffy, like a sauna. The water is heated, but is very refreshing and the hot tub can warm up aching muscles with the power of the jets. Lounge and regular chairs are few, but available, with the room lit up by many surrounding windows. Pool’s open until 10pm daily.

The Hampton Inn and Suites was more than we could have asked for, great place to relax and rest our heads, and also a fun place to look forward to coming back to! The staff was friendly whether it was at the front desk, in the hall, or in the elevator.

Our stay was hosted, all opinions are our own.