Sparks

Sparks

The city of Sparks, Nevada—Reno’s next-door neighbor—attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for the meat-tacular Best in the West Nugget Cook-Off, the automobile extravaganza that is Hot August Nights, and big-time biker bashes during Street Vibrations. It’s also home to the Reno-Tahoe area’s premier shopping mall (including plenty of brand-name outlets) and the flagship location of award-winning Great Basin Brewing Company.

It’s Happening Here

Sparks, Nevada

The city of Sparks, Nevada is an easygoing town right next door to Reno, but this community of about 100,000 residents certainly knows when to turn up the fun. Originally a swathe of Truckee Meadows ranch lands, Sparks rocks its railroad heritage with its nickname, “Rail City,” and draws visitors with wild annual events, recreation along the Truckee River, and prime shopping, as the outlet capital of Washoe County. Sparks hotels offer magnificent views of the Sierra Nevada mountains and are a great base of operations for your next northern Nevada getaway.

Northwestern Nevada region

Region

Northwestern

Average Temperatures

Summer

89°F

32°C

51°F

11°C

Fall

71°F

22°C

36°F

C

Winter

49°F

C

24°F

-4°C

Spring

66°F

19°C

36°F

C

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Sparks History & Culture

Sparks, named for Nevada Governor John Sparks, sprang up in 1904 as the site of a major, new Southern Pacific Railroad switch yard, earning it the nickname “Rail City.” In the 1950s, while Reno rose to casino town fame, Sparks remained a quieter neighbor. Get a close-up glimpse of the region’s history and heritage at the Sparks Museum & Cultural Center, where you’ll be greeted by local icon Last Chance Joe, the colorful 32-foot-tall miner dude who stands tall above downtown Sparks.

 Sparks Museum & Cultural Center

Sparks Museum & Cultural Center

Sparks Museum & Cultural Center

Things To Do In Sparks, NV

Hot Ribs, Hot Rods, Hot Deals, and More

Sparks knows how to draw itself a crowd. Every Labor Day, Victorian Avenue closes to traffic for hundreds of thousands of barbecue buffs to mow down more than 240,000 pounds of ribs at the famous Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, one of the biggest grilling competitions in the nation. Thousands of classic cars, hot rods, and vintage vehicles of all stripes cruise the streets during Hot August Nights, while thousands of bikers gear up for the Spring and Fall Rallies of Street Vibrations.

Outlets at Legends Shopping Mall
Outlets at Legends Shopping Mall

Fishermen spin for trout, catfish, and even bass at the Sparks Marina, chase wild browns and rainbows in the Truckee River, and head up to nearby Pyramid Lake to cast flies from submerged ladders for the rare and massive, salmon-sized Lahontan cutthroat trout, Nevada’s official state fish. During holiday season, visitors find plenty of family fun during the annual Hometown Christmas parade and festivities. 

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off

Shoppers swoop in from all over and easily fill full days scoring bargains throughout the 51 brand-name stores at The Outlets at Legends Shopping Mall, including Levi’s, Banana Republic, H&M, and Forever 21, between taking in an Imax movie, chowing down at more than a dozen restaurants, and exploring the gargantuan SCHEEL’S sporting good store, complete with an aquarium, hall of wax presidents, and even a Ferris wheel.

Sparks Marina
Sparks Marina

Sparks Restaurants

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a dark time when you couldn’t find fresh, delicious craft brew in every town in America. Downtown Sparks was a rare place that you could, thanks to Great Basin Brewing Company, who opened their Sparks ale house back in 1993 and has been serving up award-winning ales—including their flagship “Icky,” short for “ichthyosaur,” in honor of Nevada’s official state fossil—juicy burgers, and their famous beer cheese soup ever since.

Great Basin Brewing Company
Steak House at Western Village Inn & Casino
Western Village Inn & Casino

Better reserve ahead if you’re after a meal at Reno locals’ annually highest-rated and aptly named steakhouse, The Steak House at Western Village Inn & Casino, home to USDA Certified Angus bone-in ribeyes, cowboy-toppinged tomahawk cuts, top-notch surf dishes, and some of the best martinis around. If you can’t get in, “down-home cooking” awaits at M&M’s Southern Café, Siu Korean BBQ offers traditional tabletop grilled delights, and Mexican-influenced breakfasts abound at the small classic diner counters at Carlillo’s Cocina.

Travel Nevada Pro Tip

Two words, pal: RIB VILLAGE. Veteran scarfers at the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off know the best bang for your buck is to bring your buds and book a table in the VIP section, where all-you-can-eat access to every vendor’s goods—plus unlimited beverages to wash it all down—await.

Sparks Hotels & Casinos

When you get to Sparks, it’s impossible to miss the two towers of the Nugget Casino Resort rising high above Victorian Square. What began as a small coffee shop in 1955 is now a local landmark offering 1,600 sleek rooms and suites with stunning mountain views, a spectacular year-round indoor atrium pool (and more of those huge, amazing views), lively gaming floor and sports book, and a suite of restaurants adored by visitors and locals alike—especially Anthony’s Chophouse for fine steaks and the Oyster Bar for pan roasts, seafood, and a killer happy hour.

Western Village Inn & Casino
Western Village Inn & Casino
Nugget Casino Resort
Nugget Casino Resort

The Western Village Inn & Casino, on the shores of the picturesque Sparks Marina, offers 147 ample rooms and suites, plenty of games and a happening sports book bar, four bars and lounges, and four popular restaurants, including that incredible steakhouse. More Sparks casino action can be had at Rail City Casino, home to the popular Rail City Ale House, and at Baldini’s Casino, where gametime specials delight hungry sports fans.

#TravelNevada

Whether you’re pilin’ up bones at the rib cook-off, knocking back Ickys, or lounging by the pool, tag your pics with #TravelNevada so we can share them here and help make your Sparks memories fly!

#epichigh #escape Come and enjoy  Free Hot Sakes 🍶 with your AYCE sushi 🍣 @thajointsushi 🤤🤤
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#thajointsushi #sushi #ayce #food #eatwell #sushicoma #2thajoint #reno #sparks #lovesushi #sake #omg #salmon #freshness #tuna #yellow tail #sushiporn #love #foodporn #followme #getinstalike
No day begins until we've had our coffee ☕ and for many of us living in RenoTahoe, that means LighthouseCoffee in our cups! ⁠⠀
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Lighthouse Coffee is family affair. Todd and Melanie Prinz started it all in their original location on Vista in Sparks, with Todd focused on sourcing and roasting the best beans on a small batch (5lb) roaster right in the middle of the store, and Melanie making magic in the kitchen with their pastries and quiches everyday. ⁠⠀
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With the help of their children, Joel, Hannah, and Caleb, they expanded both retail and wholesale operations, providing us with two exceptional options for experiencing their hospitality and allowing them to serve their coffee across the community!⁠⠀
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If you've yet to experience the Prinz family hospitality, make Lighthouse coffee your next adventure. One sip and you'll feel like part of the Prinz family, and that's just how they'd like it.⁠⠀
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Lighthouse Coffee was recently featured by Yelp as one THE #Blackowned coffeeshops you must experience across North America!  Check them all out by tapping the link in our bio.⁠⠀
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📸: Lighthouse Coffee⁠⠀
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#RenoNevada #SparksNV #RenoFood #RenoFoodies #RenoNV #RenoIsRad #RenoEats #RenoTahoe #BiggestLittleCity #HomeMeansNevada #Yelp #YelpReno #BelongsOnYelp #YelpEliteSquad #CityOfReno #DowntownReno #MidtownReno #RenoEnvy #TravelNevada #VisitNevada #LocalBusinesses #NevadaFoodies #OnlyInReno #RenoLocal #MeetThe Owners #SupportBlackBusiness #SupportBlackOwnedBusiness #SupportBlackBusinesses #BlackLivesMatter
Sparks Marina Park . #nevada 
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#park #marina #usa #america #beautiful  #love #descover #enjoylife #thankful #like #share #beautifulamerica
Single, double or triple, how do you take your burger? The Island Burger at Island Grill is customizable with an option to add bacon, a fried egg, sautéed onions and mushrooms and more! 

Open Thursday - Sunday at 11am.
Sparks, NV Petroglyphs, Enjoyed a nice little hike to check these out. #petroglyphs #nevadapetroglyphs #hikingnevada #northernnevada #explorenevada #hikingadventures #nevadadesert
Just four more days to play! 🎃 The pumpkin patch is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10-6 this week, the last day is Halloween day. Get your tickets online, we have a limited capacity. See you soon!! #pumpkinpatch #pumpkinfarm #haymaze #barnyardactivities #andelinfamilyfarm #fallfun
Are you one of the lucky ones to get the day off work for Nevada Day? Stop by Copper Cat Studio and start your holiday shopping! Copper Cat Studio is a great place to shop, supporting over 20 local artisans in a quiet and safe environment. We are here today Friday and tomorrow Saturday 11am-3pm.
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Visit the studio gift shop Tuesdays 11-6pm, Wednesdays-Thursdays 11-4pm, Friday-Saturdays 11-3pm or by appointment. Copper Cat Studio, 300 Kresge Lane in Sparks behind Woody's Grille.
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#coppercatstudio #renosparks #renotahoe #buylocalrenosparks #buylocalhandmade #biggestlittlecity  #nevadaartist #truckeemeadows #biggestlittlecity 
#mosaic #homemeansnevada #nevadaday #nevadalove #fusedglass #resinart karenkelleyvetter jbmccubbins claymama63
What's more fun than visiting a classic drive-in? Stay socially distanced and enjoy a great movie the old fashioned way! Founded in 1950, the West Wind is a family company committed to keeping the American Drive-In experience alive. ⁠
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The best part? The El Rancho drive-in is only a four-minute drive from Green Pines Apartments. Who's ready for a movie and popcorn? 🚘🍿⁠
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#greenpines #greenpinesreno #greenpinesapartments #NevadaApartments #renoapartments #sparksapartments #apartments⁠#apartmentliving #apartmentlife #NevadaLife #HomeMeansNevada #NevadaApartments #TravelNevada⁠ #RenoTahoe #RenoNevada #reno #sparks #BiggestLittleCity⁠ #thisisreno #renoisrad #renonv #apartmenttherapy #renoparks #bestapartments #community #fall #winter #renovated #tenants #renodrivein
@justagirlfromoz image
Pumpkin party for the cows! 🎃#leftovers #pumpkins #cows #pumpkinsnack #nothinggoestowaste
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