The holidays are officially HERE! With Christmas less than a week away and snow finally in the forecast, I couldn't be more excited to celebrate with loved ones. Christmas is even more of a welcome respite this year, as I'll go out on a limb and say that Nick and I are busier this Christmas than we ever have been. With two new businesses to manage, it's more important than ever to take healthy breaks from work from time to time.
Last Friday, I closed the laptop and invited a group of my girlfriends to Reno for an afternoon of exploring, trying on vintage clothes (including a wedding dress that may or may not have been from this century) and getting dressed up to see a really wonderful Christmas show. We used Uber to get around town without having to worry about parking, and it worked beautifully.
Bonus: All the friends I invited have lived here longer than I have, and yet I was able to show each of them a new side of Reno they'd never seen before. We had so much fun! Visiting the Reno Tahoe area for the holidays? Here's a guide on how to make the most of your time in the Biggest Little City in the World:
1. Shopping: The Basement
Reno is going through an artisanal renaissance at the moment, with craft breweries popping up everywhere and brands like Strange Bikinis and Rawbry calling the city home. Situated downtown, The Basement might be the biggest example of this in all of Reno. Literally a basement underneath a gorgeous old post office building that now houses West Elm, The Basement offers everything from cold pressed juice to glow-in-the-dark boxing and is a very hip community-centric experience you can't miss.
2. Get Lost in Midtown
Midtown is definitely the "cool" part of town, with the best music venues, specialty cocktail bars and eateries. We enjoyed a casual dinner at Süp (one of my favorites) and explored Dick Diamond's Golden Jackal across the street, where we tried on outfits that would make Laura Ingalls Wilder proud, and pursued through the best collection of vintage I've seen in Reno. There's a lot to do in Midtown, so if you've never been, devote an entire afternoon to exploring. Uber is everywhere if you want to take a break from the walking!
3. Cocktails on the River
One of the newest non-gaming hotels in Reno, the Renaissance Hotel not only features an incredible indoor bocce ball court unlike anything you've ever seen, but an unparalleled view of the Truckee River. They have great happy hour specials, and a really refreshing cocktail list.
4. Sunset at Nevada Museum of Art
The Nevada Museum of Art is one of my favorite places in Reno. Featuring regularly revolving eclectic exhibits, it's exactly how a Reno art museum should be: unexpected and polished. We played around on the rooftop as the sun was setting — hidden behind clouds, but still a gorgeous view of the city.
5. Get Around: Schedule Rides with Uber
I used Uber's Scheduled Rides feature to get around throughout the day, which saved a lot of time. It was even my friend Alana's first time using Uber — she was really impressed! If you haven't taken Uber before, it's a user friendly ride request app that is available in 600+ cities around the globe. It’s a fast, affordable and safe way of getting around without the hassle... which I'm all about, especially during the holidays! I use Uber at least once or twice a week, both home in Tahoe and while I'm traveling — it's such a convenient way to get around, especially if you don't know the area very well!
6. The Unbelievables Show at the Eldorado
Thanks to my friends at Reno Tahoe and the Eldorado, we were able to see The Unbelievables... the perfect finale to our evening! I'm so glad this was my first variety show in Reno — it was so well done, and just Christmasy enough without being cheesy. We had General Admission tickets which put us at arm's distance from the stage (which of course gets you at risk for being called on) and our views couldn't have been better. The star of the show was inarguably America's Got Talent finalist Sara and her dog Hero, but all the acts were superb. Bonus: complimentary champagne... need I say more?! The Unbelievables is playing through the end of the year — don't miss it!
Disclosure: this post is sponsored by Uber. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.