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-We get 300 days of sunshine a year (big plus for me)
-We're conveniently located 30-45 minutes from Tahoe, 2 hours from Sac & 3.5 hours from S.F.
-We have GREAT outdoor recreation opportunities/facilities (water skiing, snow skiing, kayaking, boating, off-roading, hang gliding, golfing, hot air ballooning, swimming, hiking, biking, etc.)
-It rarely stays below freezing for more than a few days in a row, even during our harshest winters
-Without wind, ANY valley will have smog. This isn't some characteristic unique to Reno. In fact, our area air quality is quite good. What most of you are probably seeing is the inversion layer that occurs in the winter, which looks bad, but isn't dangerous.
-It can get quite windy in many locations, particularly in the afternoon (e.g. Washoe Valley, Spanish Springs, etc.), but it's no where near as bad as Chicago w/ their below zero wind chill factors and freezing sleet/rain. It's definitely not windy all the time like has been portrayed.
-Meth is a problem in the entire West, but I have yet to know anyone who admittedly does it (maybe I hang with a bunch of saints or maybe I'm just not looking for the right signs)
-We have a distinct four seasons w/ very little precipitation/humidity (No shock to me, but I guess it is to some....deserts aren't typically known to be green. Still, we have a good mix of vegitation and trees given the fact that we get around 10" of precipitation per year. Did any of you complainers even research/visit Reno before you moved?)
-Friendly people (though there are always going to be exceptions, I've found the people in Reno generally nicer than many other cities I've visited)
Thank you for the beautiful pictures and the positive comments! When our house here in cold WI finally sells, my son and I will be joining my husband in this great place!
-We get 300 days of sunshine a year (big plus for me)
-We're conveniently located 30-45 minutes from Tahoe, 2 hours from Sac & 3.5 hours from S.F.
-We have GREAT outdoor recreation opportunities/facilities (water skiing, snow skiing, kayaking, boating, off-roading, hang gliding, golfing, hot air ballooning, swimming, hiking, biking, etc.)
-It rarely stays below freezing for more than a few days in a row, even during our harshest winters
-Without wind, ANY valley will have smog. This isn't some characteristic unique to Reno. In fact, our area air quality is quite good. What most of you are probably seeing is the inversion layer that occurs in the winter, which looks bad, but isn't dangerous.
-It can get quite windy in many locations, particularly in the afternoon (e.g. Washoe Valley, Spanish Springs, etc.), but it's no where near as bad as Chicago w/ their below zero wind chill factors and freezing sleet/rain. It's definitely not windy all the time like has been portrayed.
-Meth is a problem in the entire West, but I have yet to know anyone who admittedly does it (maybe I hang with a bunch of saints or maybe I'm just not looking for the right signs)
-We have a distinct four seasons w/ very little precipitation/humidity (No shock to me, but I guess it is to some....deserts aren't typically known to be green. Still, we have a good mix of vegitation and trees given the fact that we get around 10" of precipitation per year. Did any of you complainers even research/visit Reno before you moved?)
-Friendly people (though there are always going to be exceptions, I've found the people in Reno generally nicer than many other cities I've visited)
If you are a resident of reno and you like it that's great.I for one have been here for 12 years and can say i really don't.IMO if your a middle class family it's really hard to make it here it is pricey.And yes i did my research before i moved here 12 years ago,alot has changed in reno over the years.There is a BIG meth problem in reno,i don't use drugs but see people all the time here on them.Even carson is dealing with big meth issues over there.And yes it's very windy here all the time,work outside and you will know.But i do have to say that reno is alot better than any part of cali,and i grew up in cali so i do know.IMO reno is not a family town,nothing for kids to do,and yes lake tahoe is nice if your able to travel there,there's even a place called davis creek in washoe valley that's nice to go to in the summer,but that's if you can get there.
It sounds like you may be looking for a more centralized, larger city where you can walk/take public transportation to most facilities/places.
Even though you have to, as you say, "travel there", I really don't get the comment that there is nothing for kids to do. Compared to where? Sure, we could use some more museums, but overall, I disagree. FWIW, the Nevada Discovery Museum should be open in 18-24 months & the Grand Sierra Resort is slated to start construction on the largest indoor water park in the U.S. later this year. There is also a huge shopping/entertainment complex under construction at the Sparks Marina that will have a Dave & Busters, T-Rex Restaurant, AAA Baseball Stadium, etc.
As for some simple suggestions of what the area currently has to offer for kids, please check out any number of the following (Yes, you will probably have to "travel" to most of these venues, just like pretty much anywhere else):
-Check out Rancho San Rafael Park. It's beautiful, quite large and has a playground, arboretum, log flume ride, dinausar slide, Wilber D. May museum, pony rides, etc.
-Get outside and walk/ride your bike. There are numerous walking/biking trails throughout the region
-See a show/performance during Artown during the entire month of July, many of which are fun for the family (e.g. free movies in the park, etc.)
-Visit Fleischmann Planetarium & Science Center. Some exhibits are free and it's always nice to walk around UNR and check out the beautiful & lush quad and the architecture of the older buildings
-Go to Wild Island Family Fun Center (mini golf, bowling, water park, small roller coaster, race cars, etc.)
-Visit a local skate park, pool, basketball court or even summer camp
-Go to the mall/movies (I know it may sound too obvious, but kids always enjoy it. The $3 theater at the Grand Sierra Resort is quite clean and well maintained for a second run theater...great for families on a budget)
-Play video games at an arcade, there are several good ones in the area (e.g. Circus Circus, Atlantis, Nugget, etc.)
-See a show at the Pioneer Performing Arts Center, Downtown Events Center or Lawlor Events Center
-Go to the Rodeo, State Fair, Farmers Market, Hot August Nights, or Italian Festival or any of the other many festivals held in the area in the warmer months
-Visit the Nevada Museum of Art or the National Automobile Museum
-Go swimming or fishing at the Sparks Marina or Truckee River Whitewater park
-Visit our local Boys & Girls Club or new commmunity center in Sparks on Oddie Blvd
-See a baseball/basketball/football game up at UNR
I'll leave off here, but as you can see, for a city of just over 200k people, Reno has quite a bit to offer kids of all ages.
Last edited by jwaters943; 04-27-2007 at 11:05 AM..
Gee, after reading about Reno, I don't know what to think. My husband and I are considering moving to Reno from Vegas. I have lived here one year after living in So Cal for 12 years and I HATE it here. I know all about the wind, meth and auto thefts. I miss green and trees. I'm sick of desert landscaping. So Reno vs Vegas.....open for opinions. Thanks
From May through early October, Reno is a bit greener than Vegas. Crime is definitely less in Reno, particularly property theft. Still, both are tourist destinations that seem to attract the lowest common denominator and both suffer from a higher than national average crime rate. As far as winds go, I find it funny that someone from SoCal is complaining about wind. Do the words "Santa Ana" mean anything to you?
I loved the Santa Ana's. Got rid of the smog for a little while. The wind is definately warmer in So Cal than it is here, but the wind gets rid of the smog here too. Well, ready or not Reno here we come.
I don't want you to get the wrong idea about Reno. It is what it is. It's a nice sized town that's close to the mountains, lakes, and desert activities. There's no income tax. It's cold in the winter. The wind can blow and when it doesn't it gets smoggy. Summer here is nice and warm with cool evening breezes. There’s traffic at commute time and it’s pretty much clear sailing the rest.
What I’m trying to say is Reno has good points and bad points like any other town. If you want a tropical paradise with few people this isn’t the place. If you want a medium size town that is incredibly close to some of the best skiing in the world, this is the place. I say, make a list of what you want in a town and see how many items on your list can be satisfied by a move to Reno. This board is a very good resource but I say be specific with your questions.
The local paper isn’t very good but the link is rgj.com. You can check it out to see the local issues etc. Good luck and I hope you make the best choice for you.
Thanks to all you Reno residents for your many comments about your city. Please keep posting. My husband and I are planning to early retire within the next year and Reno is one of our top choices for retirement. We've vacationed here many times. I wish I could say I love it and there is no place I'd rather be, but I'm not sure. It doesn't take my breath away, but we have always enjoyed visiting, and we have to live somewhere.
We're currently north of Chicago. While we don't get much snow, we do get subzero weather. This winter we had nearly 4 straight weeks of subzero weather with wind chill 20 degrees lower than that each day. I thought I would go crazy! Also, taxes here are killing us. We have a modest 1600 sq. foot house and our taxes last year were $6300! They are raising them 5% again this year. We actually have a pretty good chance of selling our house compared to many people with larger homes because their taxes are several thousand dollars higher. It's rough! We were the youngest of all of the people we socialized with, and they have all retired and moved away. Since we are originally from Western New York, we have no friends or family left here. We won't go back to WNY because of high taxes and HORRIBLE winters. If you think living in a windy area is bad, try living in a place that gets up to 144" of snow a year.
We're somewhat restricted about choosing a place; I have allergies to grass pollen and mold so we like the desert. Please tell me that I can have that desert landscaping in Reno. We never want to mow a lawn again. I have mild asthma and can't tolerate humidity -- I feel like I'm breathing through water. We like to play videopoker (we're not heavy gamblers but we definitely want to live within driving distance of at least one casino). We want to spend the first several years of our retirement taking car trips throughout the northwest -- who knows, after that we may want to move again -- so Reno would be a good home base for us. We want to live near a decent-sized airport. Also, we want to live near a university so we can take some courses. We love Tahoe -- it would be fun to either buy a small boat or at least rent one down there a few times a year so we can fish occasionally. We like to hike and bike. And....you are not going to believe this.....we love the wind. Now, the wind as many of you have described may be a little overwhelming, but as retirees it would give us a chance to stay indoors and veg out.
I wish Reno (proper) were prettier, but one can't have everything. I love your mountains though, and the drive to Tahoe is breathtaking. We drove there once (from Reno) right after a light snowfall and it was so gorgeous it brought tears to my eyes.
We don't care whether or not we live in a 55+ community. There was a time that I thought I would never want to live in one, but I guess it depends on the community. Mostly, we want a safe neighborhood with a really good supermarket or farmer's market close by. We love to cook.
We're going to Reno in about 3 weeks to see if it stays on our list. If not, I don't know where the heck we will live. We've ruled out a few places that were either two hot and humid, too expensive, too remote, too bible belt, or too snowy.
Please keep the comments coming. And please leave suggestions for us as to good neighborhoods in Reno or Sparks -- not necessarily 55+ but comfortable, safe places with an interesting blend of people and friendly neighbors. Thanks very much.
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