Our group had an excellent experience touring the property. Just a heads up for less than mobile…read morefolks, there are some very steep steps involved in touring this historic property. Our tour was conducted by Halen, who was incredibly knowledgeable about not only the mansion, but the history of the area. The price for a tour is very reasonable. Just be sure to wave hello to the girls on the second floor...you'll understand when you take the tour.

We always visit the Mackey Mansion in Virginia City near Halloween in the fall. We love this annual…read morefriends-family tradition! Instead of our usual tours, this year we did the haunted house. It was short, but it was great fun. The whole experience was interactive, and everyone had an amazing time!

Ghost Town Haunted Attraction…read more This little walk-through was so much fun! Lots of laughs, just enough creepy stuff to keep the boys on their toes, and really well done. Perfect level of spooky for my 7- and 9-year-olds -- scary enough to be exciting, but not "Dad, I'm sleeping in your bed tonight" scary. Definitely one of those unexpected little stops that makes the expedition memorable.

So fun and family friendly! While walking around, we happened upon this haunted walkthrough and had…read moreto go in. A couple of jump scares and lots of laughs!

What a great experience in Virginia City. We rented a 60-minute tour of Virginia City, Nevada. We…read moresaw places only accessible by off-road. We saw: Silver Mines Silver Mine Shafts Cemetery Historical stories from the area We enjoyed the 60 minutes riding around in an off-road vehicle that seated 6. This tour was safe, and we were buckled in tight. The off-road vehicle was in good shape. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and well-versed in the history of the mines. We had a terrific time and learned a bit of history. Enjoy some outside time and a bird's-eye view of the history of Virginia City!

It was great! Highly recommend. Gives you a chance to see some places that you may have only read…read moreabout. Take a cool look at some of the off road places around Virginia City. We would definitely do it again.

Can you imagine meandering the roads back in the Wild West days of yore? How did the Comstock Lode…read moreStart? It all started with a golden nugget. Today Silver City is a ghost town of its former glory days. Wandering down the hill from Virginia City is Gold Hill. Just down the road a piece from Gold Hill you will find Silver City. The first golden nugget was discovered at Devil's Gate in 1850 just a little north of Silver City. Devil's Gate is the border between Storey County and Lyon County. It is a natural landmark through a narrow gorge. Devil's Gate became a infamous as a hideout for disreputable men or highwaymen. It was an unsavory area and many were robbed so few came through unarmed. Thousands passed through this narrow gorge as it was the only way through the area to the notable Comstock mines. Despite the reputation of the Devil's Gate a boomtown cropped up and became known as Silver City. The City has the notoriety of having one of the first stamp mills in the state of Nevada. In it's heyday it boasted of 4 hotels, boarding houses, saloons, brothels, parlor houses, stables, corrals, freighting center for Gold Hill and Virginia City, and over 1,200 people. Silver City was an important link between the mines of Virginia City and Gold Hill and the processing mills in Dayton. The mines were less productive than Gold Hill or Virginia City.. The town thrived until the V & T (Virginia and Truckee) railroad was completed in 1869 and the town was no longer needed to be a freight center. Today there are remnants of it's former days and there are a handful of historic buildings and structures such as the a cemetery, U.S. Post Office, the Hardwicke House built in 1862, a former ice house and B & B, a mostly intact mining facility etc. Nevada State Route 342 and 341 loop together running through the communities of Silver City, Gold Hill, Virginia City and Carson City. It is a historic road that dates back to the the Comstock lode era. This highway serves as the main road for both Gold Hill and Silver City but has 15% grades and hairpin curves.

Cool little town you drive through on your way to Virginia City. I love the old buildings but wish…read morethere was more of an effort to save them. Silver City is a near ghost town and a small residential community in Lyon County, Nevada, USA, near the Lyon/Carson border. Settled in 1859, the population in 1861 was about 1,200, but began declining after the Virginia and Truckee Railroad was completed in 1869. Construction workers left the area, taking their business with them.The population as of the 2000 census was 170.

Whenever we have guests visiting us in Reno, we take them to this city to check it out…read more Quality/Quantity - Welcome to the wild wild west, lol. A good tourist place to visit. Lots of things to see, do, eat, and drink. See Atmosphere below. Other attractions are - St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church, Historic Fourth Ward School Museum (see other 5 star review), Virginia City Outlaws, The Washoe Club Haunted Museum, Mackay Mansion, The Way It Was Museum, Silver Terrace Cemetery, Virginia City Visitor Center (see other 4 star review), etc. Atmosphere - Always a fun and great city to visit. Historical town. Sadly, I will miss the camel and ostrich races, see pictures. Also, I miss the motorcycle rodeo. Known for their tours - Ghosts, underground, mine, railroad, historic, trolley, etc! Parades - Approximately 8 a year; see their website. During the off season, there are plenty of free street parking, or $10 private lot parking. During peak season, you will have to park further and walk. Service - Good, caters to tourists. Price - Reasonable prices, especially for a tourist destination. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1859. I am glad that you are still prospering.

VC is still a great short drive weekend from Reno…read more The historic old mining town sits in the mountains southeast of Reno. And offers a day exploring quaint shops, more than its share of bars, interesting restaurants and old school hospitality. For a quiet trip come up when there's not an event. For a parade and full filled day, come up during on the the town's many event weekends. My go to is the Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival or as my friends call it - the Testy Festy. The Saturday before St Patty's where 15 or more groups complete to show off their creativity and cooking skills with testicules. At noon the locals gather for a St Patrick's Day parade, a mix of cowboys and folks celebrating the Iris in them. We choose to come up the day before and enjoy VC before the crowd and spend a couple of nights in one of the old school hotels. Visit shops. And have a few drinks. Explore the old streets and historic sites. Bonus is we are here before the crowd. :). On event weekends there is hardly any parking on the main street C and sometimes a couple of the parking lots are closed. So you'll need to catch one of the side streets off D.

We've lived here for 3 years and have visited the museum 30 times. It features fire engines of…read morevarious eras with detailed information on each one. Uniforms and the firefighting equipment used during those periods have been preserved. You can even see photos of real firefighters from back in the day. Maybe you're a bit like me. I can stare at old pictures for ages and try to imagine what everything was like back then. Yes, this museum is in a very small building and doesn't have any "hands-on" attractions. But, I believe it is a wonderful slice of Comstock history and should be savored like a fine aged wine or a valued friendship standing the test of time. My personal favorite is the glass fire grenades. What did fire grenades do? Want to know more? Plan a trip Virginia City and tour the Comstock Fireman's Museum. Please make a donation. There's no charge to tour the museum but they rely on our money to keep the doors open. Even a small drop eventually fills a bucket!!!

LOVE this old firemen's museum! It's free to enter, though they have a donation jar in front of…read moreyou'd like to donate. It is really cool to see all the old "fire trucks" and learn about their history. This museum is very well kept up, and the front desk guy was very nice and inviting! We always come to Virginia City when we have out of town guests, and we always make it a point to stop in here! That is something that will continue!!

Right in The middle of town!!! They have maps, tour…read moreinformation and can book tours for you. They have combo tours available so you can make the best of your day! Excellent souvenir shop and clean restrooms. They take donations for restroom supplies! Local artists have a few items in here to lure you to the other shops!! Friendly locals that run the desk who are not afraid to talk to you and share stories!! The "where are you from board" now has my husband's Australia pin on it!!!

Whenever we have guests visiting us in Reno, we take them to this city to check it out…read more Quality/Quantity - Welcome to the wild wild west, lol. A good tourist place to visit. Lots of things to see, do, eat, and drink. See Atmosphere below. Other attractions are - St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church, Historic Fourth Ward School Museum (see other 5 star review), Virginia City Outlaws, The Washoe Club Haunted Museum, Mackay Mansion, The Way It Was Museum, Silver Terrace Cemetery, Virginia City Visitor Center (see other 4 star review), etc. Atmosphere - Always a fun and great city to visit. Historical town. Sadly, I will miss the camel and ostrich races, see pictures. Also, I miss the motorcycle rodeo. Known for their tours - Ghosts, underground, mine, railroad, historic, trolley, etc! Parades - Approximately 8 a year; see their website. During the off season, there are plenty of free street parking, or $10 private lot parking. During peak season, you will have to park further and walk. Service - Good, caters to tourists. Price - Reasonable prices, especially for a tourist destination. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1859. I am glad that you are still prospering.

I had a blast riding the train. I took a narrated 35 minute train ride from Virginia City to Gold…read moreHill and back. I sat in an open train car. The narrating train conductor was a hoot. Providing lively tales and facts of f the Comstock mining hey days. The train goes past old mining sites, through an original V&T tunnel to Gold Hill. All the train rides except for the last one of the day stop at Gold Hill so folks can disembark and do some exploring. The train station in Virginia City dates back to 1870. Take a moment to really look past the gift shop kitsch to see the old original bones. There were two train compartments. One was uncovered and the other was covered, both open air. I sat in the uncovered one wanting to see the views fully. The train moves steady, smooth and slowly. But it was summertime and hot out there. Luckily I brought my rimmed hat, sunglasses, and bottle water. I rode the last train ride of the day which I don't recommend. Besides not having the option to stop at Gold Hill, once the train gets back to the station, the staff is hustling to shut down the store, restroom... everything. Leaving little to no time to browse the gift shop or to use the restroom. Adults cost $18, kids age 5-12 $9, kids under 5 ride for free.

A lively way to get some of the history of the Comstock Load. The train starts at the original…read morestation on D Street and travels down to Gold Hill, then back again. A 45 minute round trip adventure. The conductor kept a lively conversation going tte entire ride. Very knowledgeable about the mines and history. Imagining the effort it took to build the tracks and the depths of the mines put things in perspective. A good overview before actually going into one of the mines. You can sit inside a covered car or outside. Speakers are posted for excellent sound. Sit on the east side looking west for the best views of the mines. The original trains are on display as well as a nice souvenir shop and restrooms. A small picnic area is available.

This painted bronze marker is mounted on the front of the Mark Twain Museum along the main street…read moreof Virginia City. It's in reasonable condition and in need of a touch up. The marker reads, "Near this site Nov. 3, 1860 was published the first Territorial Enterprise under a Virginia City dateline. Born 1858 at Genoa the Enterprise was to become a celebrated property of the Old West whose Editors, Joe Goodman, Rollin Daggett, Mark Twain, Judge C.C. Goodwin, achieved immortality in Western legion. This marker is placed Nov. 3, 1955 to mark 95 years of Nevada letters. Lucius Beebe, Publisher. Charles Clegg, Editor." From the hmdb, "When the paper first located in Virginia City in 1860, it was located down the street, on the second floor of the building which today is the Silver Dollar Saloon. In early 1862, it moved to the present location. Mark Twain started working there in August of 1862. The fire in 1875 did destroy most of the upstairs, however, the basement was not harmed. Fortunately, the desk Twain used, the composing tables, and type cases were in the basement at the time of the fire. Twain wrote a lot of his articles for the paper in that basement. He enjoyed being down there with the working guys." I found the history interesting and I hope you do as well. [Review 17699 overall - 45 in Nevada - 1220 of 2022.]