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Reno, Nevada
The root: The Biggest Little City — silver from the Comstock Lode fed it, neon raised it, and now it's a university-and-startup town with the old gamble still winking.
Eat: Louis' Basque Corner — family-style Basque boardinghouse fare; Bimini Steakhouse — Peppermill classic for a special night; The Steakhouse at Circus Circus — a Reno old-timer.
Skip — don't: The tired casino-floor buffets and 99-cent specials that survive on foot traffic — cheap, not good; the Basque tables and old steakhouses are the real meal.
Specialty: Basque boardinghouse suppers — a sheepherder legacy you won't find anywhere else in America at this scale.
Shops & crafts: MidTown's vintage and antique shops — neon signs, old casino ephemera, and Sierra-made crafts.
See: National Automobile Museum — 200+ vintage cars; Truckee River walk — Riverwalk shops and whitewater park; Virginia City day trip — the Comstock mining town itself.
Main Street: Virginia Street under the famous arch — neon, wedding chapels, and the Truckee running right through downtown.
After dark: MidTown's bar and music crawl; a night drive up to Virginia City's saloons for the old Nevada after-hours feel.
When — events
Hot August Nights (early August, classic-car takeover)
Great Reno Balloon Race (early September, Rancho San Rafael).
Event dates are the typical annual timing; confirm with the town before traveling.