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Reno lies at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains and features a thriving nightlife and booming entertainment industry. Like Las Vegas, the city draws tourists from all around the country to try their luck at the casinos. Rent an RV and discover why Reno is known as the biggest little city in the world. If you prefer a smaller vehicle like an SUV or 8-seater van, you can also compare rental cars in Reno through VroomVroomVroom.
Reno is one of the smallest cities in the country, yet it is one of the most visited because of its abundance of resorts and casinos. Make sure to plan your trip around exciting local events like the Hot August Nights classic car convention and the Reno Air Races. For an escape from the city, admire the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe, just a 50-minute drive south of Reno.
Some of our favorite things to do year-round in Reno are:
Summer (June, July, August): If you are craving some fun in the sun, consider heading to Wild Island. This family adventure water park is located at the foot of the beautiful Sierra Mountain Range. Enjoy thrilling splash rides or hold your breath on the four-storey drop slide. There are also plenty of summer events around Reno including the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival and the Reno Rodeo to make your trip unforgettable.
Fall (September, October, November): Make sure to catch a football game and cheer on the Wolf Pack at the University of Nevada or watch the Great Reno Balloon Race which is held every September. And with fall officially in full swing, don’t miss out to celebrate all things pumpkin with the PumpkinPalooza held in Sparks Victorian Square. If you love dressing up for Halloween, the Reno Zombie Crawl downtown is perfect for you.
Winter (December, January, February): If you're itching to hit the slopes, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is the best place to ski, board and play all winter long. Only a 25-minute drive from Reno and just 10 minutes from Lake Tahoe’s north shore, the resort serves as a perfect getaway for the whole family to enjoy snowboarding with your kids and get lessons from the resort staff.
Spring (March, April, May): If you enjoy hiking, some must-see trails around Reno include Hunter Creek Trail and Galena Creek Trail. Don’t forget to indulge in a favorite spring treat and explore some bars and restaurants in the Riverwalk District to see what types of food and drink options are available for the season. Plenty of special events like the Reno Ukulele Festival, Reno River Festival and Hot August Nights Spring Fever Revival are worth checking out.
Year-Round: For some of the best free things to do in Reno, visit the Reno Arch, Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, Tahoe Pyramid Bikeway, and Sparks Heritage Museum. Other favorite highlights in the city are Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Huffaker Park, and Nevada Historical Society Museum. Of course, no visit to Reno is complete without taking a quick spin of the roulette wheel game or playing slot machines at one of Reno’s local casino resorts.
Bordertown Casino and RV Resort is a full-service campervan rental resort with 50 large, pull through spaces. Located at 19575 U.S. 395, the resort is only a-20 minute from the city via US-395 S. Picnic tables and complete hookups for your RV rental are provided for your convenience. Enjoy choosing your own entertainment, since the casino is open 24 hours a day.
Bonanza Terrace RV Park is located at 4800 Stoltz Road with special rates for long-term motorhome rental parking. The park is two miles north of the downtown area. You will appreciate the quiet location and easy access to Reno's popular attractions like the Nevada Museum of Art and National Bowling Stadium. Right across the park is the Bonanza Casino, if ever you are up for some late-night drinks or a poker game.
Grand Sierra Resort RV Park at 2500 E 2nd Street is ideally located at the city center with full hookups and many sites that offer a view of the river. Spend a few days relaxing from driving your RV and stay at this resort while enjoying all the wonderful amenities. It has a 50-lane bowling center, restaurants, and a luxury casino. Bring your kids to Fun Quest while you visit the golf driving range nearby.
National Automobile Museum, located at 10 Lake Street, provides more than 224 automobiles on display. You can find rare and vintage cars arranged according to year and model. Guests often feel like they are walking into a different time, especially with every collection of classic cars from the 1920s and 1930s.
Aces Ballpark, located at 250 Evans Avenue, is a great place to park your RV rental and catch a game or two while in Reno. Although the stadium is not as big as those that accommodate Major League Baseball (MLB), every seat in this little ballpark is great, as far as visitors are concerned.
Animal Ark, located at 1265 Deerlodge Road, is a tourist destination where you can see many animals being cared for by volunteers and by the staff. For convenience, you can park your RV at a resort within Reno. Admission fees are part of donation proceeds to fund the needs of the animals. Golf carts are available for guests who have difficulty walking along the trails.
On hiring an RV in Reno
Unlike when hiring a rental car, people tend to book an RV a bit further in advance, and there are a few reasons for this.
When you’re hiring an RV, you’re not simply hiring something with four wheels to buzz around a city for a few days, instead you’re hiring a vehicle that you could well be living in for days, weeks, or even months. As such, people tend to have far more specific needs — some may require a certain number of berths, perhaps an onboard kitchen, or more comfortable living space. All this means that doing your research to find the right RV for you can pay off handsomely — but it also means that supply is more limited. When supply is limited, it is a good idea to book as far in advance as possible so that you know that the RV you need will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With this in mind, while it isn’t unusual for people to book a hire car the day before they need it, with RVs, people often book their vehicle months in advance. So our advice to you is if you’re planning to rent an RV, start researching today, and when you find the right RV for you, book it!
One more point, another way RV rentals differ from regular cars, is that bookings are not instant. Once you make an RV booking it will need to be approved by the provider. Yet another reason not to leave your RV rental until you’re sitting in the airport boarding lounge.
If you’re new to RVs and not sure where to start, please give our RV rental information page a read as it explains many of the basics you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
We could start off by telling you that a typical customer hiring an RV in Reno tends to look at RVs with two or four berths (including a toilet and shower). This isn’t really all that helpful though, as they type of RV you should hire in Reno depends very much on the type of RV you — rather than a typical customer — needs. Consider the following questions:
How big is your travel group? What is your budget? What facilities do you need — or not need? Where are you planning to go? How long for? Knowing the answers to these questions — and plenty more — is the best way to make sure the RV you hire in Reno is the right one for you.
Solo travellers or couples might find a compact RV to be more than enough, while families — especially those with young kids — or larger groups might prefer a more spacious motorhome with multiple sleeping areas.
Next, consider the facilities you need and the facilities you want. These might sound the same, but they are very different! Basic RVs often include a bed and simple cooking gear, while more luxurious options feature kitchens, bathrooms, and comfortable bedding. For example, if you’re planning on camping, perhaps paying the extra for comfortable beds isn’t really necessary, but if you’re not even packing a tent, then the extra expense required to get more comfortable beds might be a smart choice.
Where you’re going also matters. If you’re planning to just potter around Reno and its immediate surrounds, then you could probably get away with a standard RV. That said, if you’re planning to drive from Reno to Denver — or Los Angeles — something more spacious would be a sound investment.
Think about your budget, as RVs vary in cost depending on size, amenities, and rental duration, and while shortening the length of your trip might bring different options within your budget, spending more to get a bigger van may mean you’ll spend even less on hotels. Either way, do the math!
In conclusion, when you’re booking an RV for pickup from Reno, it pays to be honest when considering what you need versus what you want, along with what fits with your budget and overall travel plans. It’s the best way to maximise your chance of getting the perfect RV for you.
For most rental RV providers, the minimum age to rent an RV is the same as for car rentals — 21 years of age. Depending on the RV rental supplier, those under 21 may only be able to rent certain vehicles. Double check with the RV rental provider to see what their specific requirements are.
In most cases, you won’t need to present a special type of licence to rent an RV — you’ll only be asked to present your standard and valid full driving licence. Keep in mind that a probationary, learner permit, or provisional licence are not accepted for RV hire. If your licence is in a language other than English, you’ll need to provide an International Driving Permit in conjunction with your valid licence. If you’re unsure as to whether your licence will be accepted, you should contact your prospective RV provider prior to booking.
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