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Guide to Reno, USA - Nevada
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Reno
Since Las Vegas took flight as Nevada's premier destination for tourists and vacationers, it's sibling Reno has continued to make attempts at following in its footsteps. The unintended consequences, however, despite the influx of travelers coming to the city, is that Reno has increasingly solidified its image as a small-town escape. Shack-like establishments seem to dominate the city streets, but modernism has not turned a blind eye to this desert town. You will find casinos in Reno - albeit not on the grand scale as those found in Vegas - but the intrinsic nature of its people is far more 'western', and as a result, you may come to enjoy the laid-back feel of even its busiest districts. Travelers who are put off by the immense glitz of Las Vegas often flock to Reno, where hotels are free of golden ornaments and where stars are visible when the sun escapes below the horizon.The World Poker Championship certainly does not descend upon the green tables in Reno, but the people of this city are not oblivious to the concept of fun. If you will, think of Reno as the small-scale gambling complex of the West, and if you're flying in, remember that you can wait until you're settled in before breaking into those cowboy boots.
When to go:
Yes, Reno is in Nevada, and yes, Nevada's plains are scorchers, but sometimes Reno proves to be an exception to the accepted fact that every place in this state is a hotbed. The first inkling that differences can be made is when you come upon the banks of the Truckee River. Sure, it's not the Nile or the Mississippi River, but nevertheless, it does run through downtown, where, as it so happens, nearly every casino in the city exists. This wonderful addition to the land allows a steady, cool breeze to waft through the area, which is one of the reasons why the University of Nevada was established relatively close to Reno. When all is said and done, Reno surely never sees winter's flakes or gets doused by monsoons, but the weather fairly pleasant throughout the year; excessive heat is rarely evident. For the brief stint of wildflowers that comes annually, make a visit to Reno in spring.
Getting there and around:
The majority of flights coming in and out of Reno-Tahoe International Airport are in fact domestic, with the occasional airbus arriving from or departing for Canada or Mexico. Central and South American connections are few but do exist, and European fliers will have to stop over somewhere in the Eastern US. The easiest way(s) to cover the distance between the airport and Reno is by bus or rental car. Getting around town via a rented car is not an outlandish method by any standard. Parking spaces are available in most parts of town, and you're always availed the opportunity to discover further reaches of the state. However, if you're here solely for the craps and blackjack streaks, you're probably better off keeping with public transportation.
Attractions:
The 'Wild West' seems to be the overriding theme in Reno among Casino architecture. A few rusty saddles and a splintery front porch seems all the old-timers need to feel at home, but inside these faux-historic money-suckers you'll find relatively modern interiors. Harrah's and the Reno Hilton seem to be the most popular of the bunch, and in both even techies will be satisfied with state-of-the-art vending machines, hundreds of WIFI hotspots, and daily doses of caffeine are available at any of the dozens of cafes around the city. If you're tired of losing those dollars or have struck it big and are intent on holding onto your earnings, you can take a break from the slots and head off to a few cultural, scientific, and historic centers while you're here. The National Automobile Museum is basically a shrine to anything on wheels made between 1900 and 1970; The Fleischmann Planetarium, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, is open to tourists looking for space simulations during the day and genuine stargazing is on the agenda almost every evening.
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