4 Nevada Hot Spring Day Trips That Clearly Hold Water

Maybe the best part about swinging through Carson Hot Springs is that it’s part of what many Carsonites have dubbed THE TRIATHLON. It sounds serious because it is—seriously relaxing, that is. Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint is so close to Carson Hot Springs that the buildings are practically touching. And Shoe Tree Brewing Co. is right next door, too. Snag a day pass to the springs so you can soak, then savor, then sip… and repeat.

A few minutes away, Downtown Carson is teeming with dining options that promise to please any palate. For breakfast, try Cracker Box or Squeeze Inn, while quicker bites and tasty perk-ups await you caffiends at Comma Coffee and Old Word Coffee Lab. Lunch and dinner options are a-plenty, depending on what you’re in the mood for—try The Basil for Thai; L.A. Bakery for fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, and of course baked goods satisfying many dietary needs; Cucina Lupo for Italian, or Great Basin Brewing Co. for elevated, locally-sourced pub grub and craft beers.

Carson City’s location at the foot of the Sierra Nevada—just over the hill from Lake Tahoe—means outdoor action aplenty. Epic hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and more all await just minutes from downtown. Start with the easy Kings Canyon Trail for gorgeous tree-studded trails to waterfalls, alpine vistas, and wildlife habitat. Keep that swimsuit handy, too, because the capital is less than 25 miles from Lake Tahoe’s stunning beaches.

Fancy yourself a history hound? Carson City’s robust history and heritage is impossible to avoid. You can’t go wrong with a visit to a historic brewery turned arts center, a mint turned state museum, or a self-guided stroll around the 1850s-vibin’ West Side Historic District—a neighborhood of historic businesses and homes once occupied by Nevada’s early movers and shakers, including Mark Twain—many of which were around before Nevada was, well, Nevada.

Any! But we especially love this place in the wintertime—those nippy dashes from the resort to the neighboring restaurant and brewery make that warm re-entry splash just that more satisfying.

There’s a lot going on in this gorgeous little valley, tucked against the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, almost due east of South Lake Tahoe. As the oldest settlement in Nevada, Genoa’s charm is on full blast, with an array of small businesses, both original to or gracefully accenting this wildly historic community. The oldest “thirst parlor” in Nevada—The Genoa Bar & Saloon—is a must-see. They don’t offer anything beyond liquid calories, but you can order tasty panini from the Genoa Country Store across the street and enjoy it with your Bloody Mary, at the bar or in the heated patio.

Venture beyond Genoa to the greater Carson Valley area for always-tasty local faves (and 30+ beers on tap) at Minden Meat & Deli or embrace another thread of Nevada history that stretches statewide with a family-style Basque dinner at JT Basque Bar & Dining Room in Gardnerville.

Add a side of history at the artifact-packed Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park or the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center. And don’t leave without a souvenir from Cheshire Antiques, where 90% of the stock is required to have been made pre-1950.

This whole region is filled with hiking and biking trails for every skill level, including those just down the street from the resort throughout the Genoa Trail System. Meanwhile, Genoa’s only about a 25-minute drive (or several hour hike, if you’re into that) to Tahoe, putting skiing, boating, stand up paddleboarding, and hundreds of miles of trails. Excellent fishing awaits on the Carson River and the crystal-clear waters of Topaz Lake. Schedule a personalized wildlife photography tour with local legend JT Humphrey for an unforgettable afternoon tracking and photographing wild horses, bobcats, and eagles that flock to this valley each year. Or see it all from above on a breathtakingly scenic glider ride with Soaring NV.

As Nevada’s first non-Indigenous settlement, it’s hard to avoid history around here. Learn about the Mormon Fort that started Genoa and Carson Valley, and swing through the Genoa Courthouse Museum to get the lowdown on Legendary Nevadans like Snowshoe Thompson.

Summertime in the high deserts of Nevada routinely drops nighttime temps to a satisfying mid 60s and 70s, making an evening soak under the peaks and stars pretty unforgettable. All trails and museums are open during the summer months, and posting up on the porch of the Genoa Bar with a cold one will be a memory you won’t soon forget.

The beauty in enjoying all the healing opps Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa is that, afterwards, you can head straight for Reno and check out endless dining opportunities, or beeline it up Geiger Grade to Virginia City. It may even feel like two vacations in one.

If you start your day in Virginia City, kick off the day with house-roasted joe and tasty breakfast treats at The Roasting House. Alternatively, if you head up the hill by day, treat yourself to house-smoked ribs and more at Virginia City Jerky Co. and south-of-the-border faves at Cafe Del Rio.

Opportunities to snack on for salt water taffy, fudge, and candy apples abound, as do Old West saloons that feel like you just stepped onto a movie set. Step into several favorite that have been a fixture of main street for more than 150 years (you can’t go wrong with the Silver Queen, the Ponderosa, or the Bucket of Blood Saloon). For dinner, cruise down to Gold Hill—a speedy 5 minutes from “downtown” Virginia City—for elevated fare at the Crown Point Restaurant, which serves up everything from Angus steaks to flavorful curries in a dining room that predates Nevada statehood.

There’s a reason the boardwalk-lined streets of Historic C Street—with its charming shops, restaurants, and saloons—continually earns it a place on the top 10 lists of Historic Main Streets in the U.S. Tour Chollar Mine—where you can still see that mysterious blue clay that made VC famous still oozing out of the walls—and the Comstock Gold Mill—a fully operational stamp mill that processed millions of dollars in silver ore.

As the site of what was once the world’s heftiest silver strike, Virginia City became a magnet to wealthy businessmen and entrepreneurs, famous gunslingers and ladies of the night, politicians, and laborers from around the planet. Today, you can dig into its one-of-a-kind history at several fascinating museums.

Saint Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church & Museum, an iconic part of of the Virginia City skyline since the beginning, welcomes visitors to explore its impressive architecture and to learn the story of the church’s role in the lives of miners and people who lived here. Meanwhile, Piper’s Opera House is one of the most significant vintage theaters in the US, the academically inclined Fourth Ward School Museum & Archives is the last school of it’s kind, and the Courthouse Slammer & County Museum tells the town’s tales through numerous artifacts and intriguing displays.

As a totally enclosed healing wonderland, any time of year is perfectly great for a visit to Steamboat. The private soaking rooms are indoors, as are the therapy and wellness treatment rooms, and there is a sweet little outdoor tub on the grounds, too. In other words, there’s really no wrong choice here.

Caliente may be small, but it still delivers some big flavors when it’s time to fuel up: the Knotty Pine, J & J Fast Food Restaurant, and Side Track Restaurant & Side Car Speakeasy . J & J can whip up quick to-go bites if you’re stashing a meal for later, while Knotty Pine is a delightfully old-school, no-frills diner packed with locals more often than not. Meanwhile, Sidetrack is a newer joint in a historic building, offering super fresh meals that cater to all dietary needs—plus swanky day-end cocktails and fresh brews in its adjacent lounge.

Southeastern Nevada is one of those tucked-away, hidden-in-plain-sight regions that’s a sin to simply pass through on the Great Basin Highway and an unforgettable blessing when you make it its own destination. In fact, this park-packed paradise boasts staggering canyon walls, labyrinthine slot canyons, lush valleys and meadows packed with wildlife, and unimaginable vistas around every corner—many of which you can count on having all to yourself. Get to know six state parks (all within 70 scenic miles of one another) here. Need a weekend gameplan? Start here.

This former railroad resort town has been swiftly rolling into rebirth as a veritable mountain bike mecca. Warm up with jumps and a pump track at the in-town skills park, then head for Barnes Canyon, where more than 20 miles of trails (extending concentrically from beginner to advanced) range from fast and flowy to rocky and technical—inviting anyone on two wheels and of any skill level to come out for a rip.

Though outdoor action takes the blue ribbon around these parts, history is a strong best in show, thanks to the arresting beauty of the Spanish mission-style Caliente Railroad Depot, and preserved pioneer history in places like Elgin and Spring Valley. While much of the region was home to quiet Mormon ranchers and farmers, real-deal rough-and-tumble Wild West action dominated everyday life in Pioche the “living ghost town” (located a half-hour north of Caliente) that once hosted a massive silver discovery. Among the glimpses still offered into Pioche’s raucous past—where crime and murder ran so rampant 70-ish people were buried before someone actually died of natural causes—are a once-elaborate turned quickly dilapidated courthouse that cost $1M, as well as uncommon relics like the only aerial mining tramway in the state still dangling over the historic cemetery.

When it comes to being outside, summertime temps in this part of the state can surpass certain people’s comfort zones (although that’s a great time to get on the water in nearby Spring Valley State Park). That said, you can’t go wrong with a visit during spring, fall or winter.