Want to know all the best things to do in Virginia City? We’ve got you covered with everything we found on our day trip!
Late July 2021 we had the pleasure of enjoying a day trip out to Virginia City from Reno, Nevada.
It is about a 45 minute drive through the mountains where there are some winding roads and steep drop-offs!
I honestly thought it was going to be a 45 minute drive out through the desert, so I was very pleasantly surprised by this scenic drive.
Fun fact about Virginia City: there are NO chain stores, franchises, or corporations in the city limits!
It’s a completely intact Western mining town with antique shops, saloons, restaurants, and historic sites.
We enjoy visiting historic Western towns like Tombstone in Arizona, so this was a fun day for us.
Planning A Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources Below!
??Accommodations
??Tours/Experiences
??Flights
??Car Rentals
Best Things To Do In Virginia City
When you come to Virginia City, the top things to do include grabbing a drink at a historic saloon, exploring the history museum, and dining at historic restaurants.
See our full itinerary on our Youtube channel.
1. Take In The Views From The City
As you drive into the city, this is what you’ll see.
We happened to go on a week day, which isn’t as busy as the weekends, but still busy enough that parking required a bit of effort.
The main street parking along this street was pretty much full, so we went down a block (down a STEEP hill) and park on the street on the back side of the city.
It was quite a climb back up, but it was free parking!
2. Explore Main Street
The way we decided to tackle this city was go up one side of the street and back down the other.
We checked out all the shops along the way. Below are some of our favorites!
One had a secret haunted trail in the back called Ghost Town.
3. Ghost Town
We didn’t do it, but there was a family in the shop at the same time as us trying to convince their roughly 10 year old son to go with the rest of the group and he was not having it.
It’s like going through a mini haunted house.
4. Quarter Machines
Another shop had a lot of interactive quarter machines.
I tried the Uncle Sam machine, which said I was an “Expert on Everything” and I can’t disagree, lol.
In the YouTube video above you can see how it works!
There was also a shooting arcade and fortune teller machines.
A lot of the old-timey type shops used every inch of space they had available.
There were lots of signs all over, even on the ground.
My favorite was this plaque built into the entry steps of one of the shops.
The one on the right just says “Beware of Occupant”, but the one on the left says “On This Site in 1897 Nothing Happened”. lol
5. Antique Shopping
We especially enjoy antique shopping when we’re out and about.
We figured as old as Virginia City is, they probably have some good stuff!
They surprisingly had a lot of Disney stuff, though all from this century.
If I had the space at home, there would be tons of Disney movie posters I would’ve definitely purchased.
What we did go home with though is an old Christmas-y mailbox.
We figured we’d use it to put all of our Christmas cards and letters in and set it out on our coffee table with our other Christmas decor.
Of course if you’re here all day you’re going to need to eat.
For us, half the point of traveling is trying food from all over.
Today we tried a few different options…
6. Eat Lunch At Cafe del Rio
This restaurant is on the far end of the main street and serves Mexican food.
It is very well decorated on the inside and has nice big open windows overlooking the valley.
JP had enchiladas, which seems to be his go-to meal lately, and I had a burrito.
We were too full for dessert, so we waited until later in the day for more snacky-snacks.
7. Have A Snack At Big Bear Springs
As we were walking back to the main part of the street, we came across this window where they were selling various sized bags of kettle corn.
They were giving out free samples!
We bought a medium sized bag to snack on back at our resort in Reno for the rest of the week while we were visiting.
8. Enjoy Dessert At Firehouse Creamery
It was pretty warm and sunny while we were visiting, so we eventually stopped for some ice cream to cool off and hydrate a little.
We tried the Chocolate & Brownie flavor and another flavor that I don’t remember.
I want to say maybe it was something with coffee.
But anyway, the back side of this creamery has a great deck overlooking the valley.
9. Drinks At Mark Twain Saloon
We actually went here because we noticed the slot machines, but we weren’t losing any money, so we decided to have a drink while we were there.
10. Gambling At Mark Twain Saloon
I bounced around from machine to machine putting in about $20 and getting back about $50 after 5 minutes. It was lots of fun!
There are a handful of old saloons like this with slot machines all over town.
This one just caught our eye first!
When in Virginia City, there is a lot of history to see outside of the shops and restaurants.
You can’t really do it ALL in one day, but you can accomplish quite a bit.
11. Antique Cars
We noticed tons of old cars all over town.
I know around August they have a festival with even more.
They’re just parked all up and down the street, so you’ll definitely happen upon some throughout your day.
12. The Way It Was Museum
This museum does charge a small admission fee, but it has a lot of antiques inside.
There is even a short video explaining the history of Virginia City.
Out front there are a lot of great photo ops spots, so definitely take advantage of that while you’re in town.
13. Fourth Ward School Museum
This historic school building is on the far end of town, near the Cafe del Rio restaurant.
There is a small admission fee to go inside to tour the building.
You can see it was under refurbishment while we were visiting.
But it’s still a very beautiful building with a great view!
14. First Presbyterian Church
This church is one of the older buildings in Virginia City.
There’s no fee to go in and you can check it out any time the doors are open.
This church was dedicated on January 1st, 1867 and cost $12,000 to build (which is roughly $225,000 today).
15. Take A Guided Tour From Lake Tahoe To Virginia City
With a guide, you’ll start your day trip by minibus, driving along part of the Pony Express.
When you reach Virginia City, take a 6.5-mile round-trip train ride before enjoying free time in town to explore at your leisure.
? Click Here To Book Your Wild West Day Trip From Lake Tahoe With A Train Ride Today!
Where To Stay Near Virginia City
A great place to call home while you’re visiting this area is Thunderbird Resort Club outside of Reno, Nevada.
This is a timeshare property that is open to the public and is laid out like a townhouse, so it’s very spacious and has all the amenities you need when you travel.
Check out our full room tour video on Youtube.
Click Here To Book Your Stay At Thunderbird Resort Club Today!
More Fun Things To Do Near Virginia City
For more tips on planning your trip to Virginia City, check out ourTips For Planning A Trip To Anywhere (A Step-By-Step Guide).
Since Virginia City is practically in the middle of nowhere, you are probably visiting as part of a trip nearby.
Two important concepts to keep in mind when planning a trip here are toStay Safe When Traveling During Extreme WeatherandStay Well While You Travel.
Lastly, any type of travel can be expensive in their own way, so to ensure you’re able to afford your dream trip out to this historic town, read ourTips For Traveling On A Budget: Your Guide To Planning An Affordable Trip.
Here are some other fun things to do near Virginia City.
✅Lassen Volcanic National Park Day Trip
When we were staying in Reno, we knew we would want to take a day trip out toLassen Volcanic National Park, but we had to keep an eye on the wildfires and road closures to make it happen.
Surprisingly enough, we drove through smoke most of the way there, but because of the direction of the wind, the park itself was completely clear and we had a perfect day!
Weather permitting, this park is absolutely the most underrated National Park we’ve ever visited.
✅The Best Casinos and Restaurants in Reno
On a few of the days we were visiting, the smoke was very heavy in Reno.
Ash was falling from the sky, the sky was orange, and the second you walked outside the smell would just hit you.
Luckily, most of our sightseeing in Reno was just going to the casinos and restaurants, so we spent most of our time indoors.
✅1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Experience in Reno
This tour is very popular in Reno.
Ferino Distillery has been named one of the Top 10 distilleries in the US, so you know your tour and tasting flight will be so good!
?Click Here To Book Your 1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Today!
More Fun Places To Visit In Nevada
Now for the obvious choice when visiting Nevada.
Vegas is about 6 1/2 hours Southeast of Virginia City, about a 420 mile drive.
It’s the perfect destination to end a long road trip.
We go all the time since it’s also only about 4 hours from where we live, so we have a ton of guides for having the best Vegas trip.
If you’re going on your birthday, be sure to check out our complete list of theBest Birthday Freebies in Las Vegas.
We also have guides forThings To Do in Las Vegas Besides Gamblingsince there are plenty of other things to do here besides the casinos.
There are also funThings To Do in Las Vegas Off The Stripif you want to venture out a little further or evenFun Day Trips To Take From Las Vegas.
Some of our favorite attractions includeAREA15,The Neon Museum, andHappy Hours.
If you’ve been to Vegas before, you’ll know timeshares are a big thing there.
Whether you have any interest in buying one or not, check out our guide onWhy You Should Attend A Timeshare Presentation On Your Vegas Vacation.
Vegas is also known for being a wedding destination and in general is just popular with couples, so if that’s you, check outThe Best Couples Weekend Getaway in Las Vegas.
Lastly, if you’re visiting in the Fall, read up on all theFun Things To Do In October.
Where To Eat In Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a foodie’s dream.
There are so many restaurants that are immersive experiences and there are even some cheap and quick restaurants worth mentioning.
Check out our guides on theBest Cheap Restaurants,Best Drinks,Best Desserts,Most Romantic Restaurants, andBest Italian Restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Las Vegas
Below are the questions we came across the most when sharing about Vegas travels.
We’ve answered them in-depth with each having it’s own blog post.
✔️Does It Snow In Las Vegas?
✔️Does It Snow In Nevada?
✔️Is Las Vegas Safe? (+ 10 Tips To Stay Safe)
✔️Are There Beaches In Las Vegas? + 15 Best Pools
Conclusion: Best Things To Do In Virginia City
Virginia City is a very well preserved historic mining town in the hills of Northern Nevada.
There are so many unique things to do in Virginia City that make it worth visiting at least once in your life.
Pin this for later!
