Since our kids moved here several years back, we find ourselves traveling to this town pretty often…read morenow. They have tried to lure us to move here, but we keep reminding them we don't like snow. Accommodations are quite expensive-- especially during the high season, which is actually summer, not winter. But don't expect a deal in winter either. There is a lot to do in Truckee. For those who like mountain biking or hiking, there are tons of trails around. Naturally, there are several world-class ski resorts nearby as well. Expect to pay a lot. Truckee is one of the most beautiful places in Northern California. There's a good reason that people flock here. One of my favorite places to visit in town is the Fifty-Fifty" brewery. It is very close to Sierra Bible Church. On Sunday mornings you can get your spiritual enlightenment, and then follow it up with some liquid refreshment. If you go to the second service, the brewery will open about the time the church lets out. I'm not sure if they coordinated those times or not, but it works out well, at least for me. Truckee has so much snow, they have developed a world-class system of maintaining the roads. They actually teach other cities how to do it. There is an excellent State Park based upon the Infamous Donner party history. It's well worth taking the tour there. Now that our kids own a house here, we can avoid paying the expensive hotel bills. But I'm afraid our kids might make us shovel snow.

What more can I say then, Thank you, thank you, thank you, Town of Truckee-Truckee Donner…read moreRecreation & Parks Dept; for once again outdoing yourselves with the BEST fireworks show in California. Donner Lake was literally LIT up last night, with the MOST spectacular fireworks & finale show of all time! I can honestly write this, as I've had plenty of experiences with 4th of July firework shows, from around California (ie: numerous Bay Area locations, San Francisco Bay, North & South Lake Tahoe, boating at the Delta-fireworks put on by the Hilton Family), but none to date, have come even close to comparison, of the fireworks put on by the, Town of Truckee-Truckee Donner Recreation & Parks Dept, year after year. Because I can't personally thank each person, I'd like to take this opportunity to express my & my family's gratitude to EVERYONE; from the Town of Truckee, Town of Truckee personnel & road crew, Truckee Donner Rec & Parks Dept, Truckee Police Dept, Truckee Fire Dept, Truckee Hwy Patrol & to all those that volunteered, to make this day a special one. Thank you, for your time, patience & all of the hard work that was contributed & performed by every single person involved in making this years, 4th of July celebration at Donner Lake, amazing, fun & safe! You rock.

Iconic hike with incredible, ever-changing views!…read more Round trip: ~11 miles, about 6-7 hours. Parking: Free, plenty of spaces. Restrooms: 4 unisex restrooms (very smelly). Water: No water fountain at the trailhead, so bring plenty of water. Cell service is poor. The hike starts at about 8,900 ft and climbs roughly 2,500 ft to the 10,776-ft summit. The first 2.5 miles are relatively flat and easy, making it a popular turnaround point for the waterfall. After that, it becomes a steep, strenuous climb with very few switchbacks. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed. During our hike, one unleashed dog kept running up and down the narrow trail at full speed, startling hikers and creating a safety hazard on the loose, steep sections. We asked the owner to leash the dog, but she ignored us. The summit is an extinct volcano. We hiked in mid-June 2026, there was still a section of snow and ice near the top that was extremely slippery. Hiking poles are highly recommended: I slipped and landed on my butt several times, and I'm grateful my friend was there to help me. The descent can be just as challenging because of the loose gravel and dirt, especially if you have bad knees. Definitely bring hiking poles. The scenery kept changing throughout the hike: Lake Tahoe views, forests, wildflower meadows, volcanic terrain, and snow near the summit. It was a tough hike, but the beautiful scenery made every step worth it.

We didn't hike to the real mountain summit, that's for the Sierra Clubbers. We got to the summit of…read morethe Mt Rose Highway. There's a nice parking area here and trail starting spots for hiking. We had our pick up truck on the super hot day down in the valleys. Here at over 8900 feet, the temps were much cooler and pleasant. We're on our way to Reno cause there's better food choices there than in North Tahoe. If you're not used to high altitude, it might be a little hard to breath. Living down in the Sac Valley in Red Bluff, I don't get much high altitude heavy breathing practice. Well, at high altitude anyways! If you're driving over the pass here, stop and check out this stopping spot.

We saw this on the map and decided to check it out. Im so happy we did. The historian who gave us a…read moretour was so kind. She was so knowledgeable and gave us one of the best tours we have had. She was in no hurry but answered every question. She was full of knowledge of everything to do with this place. And to know that this historical gem is still in existence was super amazing and that they are continuing the effort to keep it alive for many to see and learn like we did. We stayed longer than we thought we would. I hope to return again one day.They sell shirts and magnets which we purchased to help support this wonderful place that holds so much history. There is a fee to tour but well worth every cent.

Visiting the Sutro Tunnel is like stepping into the pages of Nevada's mining history. Originally…read moreenvisioned by the bold and inventive Adolph Sutro in the 1860s, the Sutro Tunnel Company wasn't just a business--it was a revolution in engineering. Designed to drain water from the notoriously flooded Comstock Lode mines, this 3.88-mile tunnel became one of the greatest mining infrastructure feats of the 19th century. The tunnel was said to be able to drain 4mm gallons of water a day in its prime! What makes the Sutro Tunnel so compelling isn't just its size or ambition, but the purpose behind it. At a time when mining disasters were common, this tunnel was a visionary solution to save lives, improve ventilation, and streamline ore transport. Adolph's drive led not only to the tunnel's creation but also to the birth of a vibrant town around it, complete with homes, a post office, a church, and even its own newspaper. Although the commercial impact of the tunnel was eventually limited--due to shifting mining priorities and falling silver yields--its legacy as a pioneering piece of mining infrastructure remains unshaken. It's a symbol of ingenuity, persistence, and community spirit. Fast forward to today: the site is being lovingly restored thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Sutro Tunnel and local volunteers. These modern-day stewards are breathing life back into the historic structures, including the machine shop, mule barn, and portal entrance. The first hundred feet of the tunnel have already been cleared, with plans to extend much further. I attended a fundraiser event put on by the Friends of Sutro Tunnel in which they had poker tournament in the tunnel itself! What you'll find when you visit isn't a tourist trap--it's a time capsule. The preserved buildings echo with history, and the guided experiences provide insight not just into mining, but into the people and dreams that shaped Nevada. With ongoing fundraising events and community gatherings, the site continues to give back--raising thousands for causes like childhood cancer and drawing people together over a shared love of history.

Rounding out my historic court house tour of my 2017 Nevada road trip is this beauty. This is…read moreAmerican history at its best. Be sure to check out on your visit to Virginia City. It's just one street up from the main drag. From the web: The Storey County Courthouse, built in 1876 after being destroyed in the great fire of 1875, is the state's oldest continuously operating courthouse. The courthouse boasts one of the few Lady of Justices in the country that is not blindfolded. Storey County chose to not blindfold her to communicate to its citizens that justice was not blind here.

Absolutely beautiful building that grabs your eye when you arrive in town. A little bird told me…read morethe Storey County Courthouse was built in 1876 after being destroyed in the great fire of 1875 It is the state's oldest continuously operating courthouse. The courthouse boasts one of the few Lady of Justices in the country that is not blindfolded. Storey County chose to not blindfold her to communicate to its citizens that justice was not blind here

The Tallac Historic Site is definitely one of the best places to go to when visiting South Lake…read moreTahoe. There's plenty of parking and a paved walkway, which is easily accessible when the site is open. This place is particularly nice in the offseason when the roads are closed. You park outside in a dirt parking lot right next to Camp Richardson. You then walk along the road until you come to the lakeside. Then you can walk around the lake and see all the historic buildings. If you get hungry, you can walk along the beach to the Grove which is usually open at Camp Richardson. This place is great to go to year-round, but particularly during the shoulder season.

Looking for access to Tahoe's shoreline without the crowds? Look no further than the Tallac…read moreHistoric Site. I discovered this place while taking my son to a day camp that was using this area as a homebase for the day. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but I found a fairly expensive parking area, shaded picnic tables, and a flat dirt path that meandered along the shoreline of the lake, offering access to the water itself every couple hundred feet. Along the path, there were also placards detailing the history of the site and even some interesting remnants of former buildings that include you into what happened here in the past. This is a great place to learn some of Tahoe's history while enjoying its current beauty without the crowds of the larger public beaches. There's also a section of this area that is available for rent for private functions too, and you can enjoy the history and beauty during a private function with friends and family.

I was her last week for a Legislative Day sponsored by Jewish Nevada. After meeting at the State…read moreCapital and enjoying Lunch at the Supreme Court, we all wandered over the Nevada Legislature ready to talk with various representatives about 4 specific bills of interest. When I worked in Industry years ago in California, our business association did this sort of thing. The procedure is the same. You dress up a little more and you go to the representative's office for maybe a 15 minute appointment. If you're lucky, you get to talk to their Chief of Staff, who does the heavy lifting. Or if you're not, the person is a no show, usually because a vote has been called or there's an unexpected caucus meeting. In between, the representative escorts you into their office for a pleasant conversation with questions and of course a heartfelt thank you. In our case, we were speaking with "friends" of our legislation, which also meant lots of smiles, softball discussion, and pictures for future publication. The State of Nevada version is a bit different than California as it's a smaller legislature, it's in Carson City, there's a huge Las Vegas area contingent, and it only meets for 4-5 months every other year. So you get situations like the one one Las Vegas representative I chatted with about his long term rental in the Carson Valley and what he did in his free time so far away from home. I suppose that also goes for a lot of the support staff, lobbyists, etc. who have to be here too. If you're local, it's good seasonal or retirement work, but only if you want several 60+ hour weeks concentrated within this relatively tight and robust schedule. It was great to be back to this sort of thing and to see parts of the legislative process (and energy) up close. I was also impressed with the professionalism of the building staff, particularly Security. They also have a nice little gift shop on the ground floor that is definitely worth a look during one of your waits.

What an honor to be included in the field trip to the Nevada Legislature. A bunch of Speech and…read moreDebate teams from Northern Nevada took part in the National Speech and Debate Education Day as part of the Northern Nevada Forensic League. We were honored with a tour and some history of our state and our state government. We got the privilege to sit in on the assembly as they took care of some business and voted on items on the agenda. Some interesting history we learned today from the gentleman who gave us our tour of the legislature building and the grounds. The Nevada Legislature first met in 1861 at the Warm Springs Hotel. Once the Nevada State Capitol building was built the Nevada Legislature met there until 1971. In 1971 they built their own building.

Carson City and the Carson River that goes through the city are named after Kit Carson who explored…read morethe area and found a new route across the Sierras with John C. Fremont. Also referred to as the "Daniel Boone of the West," Christopher Houston Carson was a fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He became a frontier legend in his own lifetime through biographies and news articles, and exaggerated versions of his exploits that were the subject of dime novels. I know all of that from visiting his home and museum in Taos NM https://www.yelp.com/biz/kit-carson-home-and-museum-taos?hrid=PkZ27jVvIExwkVMgK7tySA. The statue shows Carson on horseback. It also includes maps of Nevada showing his various travels through the state. The marker below reads, "It was in the winter of 1843 - 1844 when Kit Carson, along with the John C. Fremont expedition worked his way south from Pyramid Lake looking for an easy route across the Sierra Nevada. Carson, depicted here, tracking his way through the mountains east of this location, was considered one of the best mountain men of the day. His name is still synonymous with the wide-open spaces and lore of the American west, an image we still cherish as part of our freedom and heritage. It is the spirit and love of the West that we honor with this statue." [Review 17691 overall - 37 in Nevada - 1212 of 2022.]

I didn't have the same troubles accessing the cemetery that Lynette had back in 2014. I can only…read moreassume that's because they've improved the signage or the roads. It's still eight turns back from the road and through an industrial park that includes Waste Management, so be on the lookout for garbage trucks on the wrong side of the road. There is a small parking area at the end of an asphalt road and you'll need to walk in. The cemetery ground is uneven and sandy in most places, so it's not handicapped or wheelchair accessible. The marker near the entrance tells the story. "Empire City was a milling town that was established in 1855. As you read this storyboard you are facing east toward Brunswick Canyon. The City of Empire was located to your right about 1/4 - 1/2 mile. At one time Empire City stretched for 3/4 of a mile and had a peak population of 700 people. Located on the Carson River, it got its nickname, Seaport, because the river was used to ship timber here from Alpine County. Previously the timber had been hauled over the mountains. The town milled lumber, most of which was used in the underground labyrinth of the Comstock Lode. The primary ore that was milled here was silver and gold bearing quartz rock." "There are approximately 200 people buried in Empire Cemetery. The people buried here had an assortment of occupations such as: Laborers in the mills, shopkeepers, blacksmiths, carpenters, cooks, feeders, masons, real estate agents and amalgamators. Not all of the people here made it to adulthood as there are many children buried here. Also interned is a Vietnam Veteran who died serving his country." [Review 17696 overall - 42 in Nevada - 1217 of 2022.]

We were driving through on our way back from Reno to South Lake Tahoe…read more Always on the hunt to see interesting local historical landmarks, I Yelped the area and found that this wasn't too far out of our way. Getting there wasn't easy. Our GPS got us in the area, this Yelp map's no help. We found ourselves on Morgan Mill Road looking up at a hill. How to get up there? Going around on Deer Run Road brought us into an industrial maze that were all private roads. We asked at the Federal building and some nice folks tried looking at land maps but couldn't figure out a way in. So we chalked this up as a miss and started back on the road. My husband took a wrong turn (forgot which road) and just as he U-turned, saw this little sign atop a stop sign. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#KAFfKJrNcHMj0aj_m3YNYQ It looks like a private driveway to the industrial businesses up there, but we figured "Why not?" Found another little sign. That-a-way! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#XdftG581m96R8ny2jr31Bw Found it! It was rather eerie because nobody else was around. Even though there were all these businesses on our way up the hill, it felt isolated. You could tell that there's some maintenance done and that last stretch of road looked like new asphalt. You walk through a rusted turnstile to enter. There's a placard with historical info by the entrance. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#xPTFt_akP1FEkxzf3Z1NKQ Most of the headstones indicated that the Empire City residents buried here passed away around 100 years ago in the early 1900s. Some plots & headstones were elaborate. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#-8sjJEMIJ9PZBu12PMcspg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#wEdGp9O7pB_GdIqR9GvkwQ Hearing the wind whistling, it made us feel mournful. This is a very somber place. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/empire-cemetery-carson-city#UYzdka2_AYM5W-w4wFrdbA We found Empire Cemetery to be interesting and worth the visit. While looking at the headstones and taking note of the lifespans, I let my imagination go and tried to picture the person and the life they led during this era. If you happen to be in the area, drop by to pay respects.