Once again, Reno Tahoe has proved to be the place for the uninhibited traveler eager to explore with No Limits, and we’re here for it! As we gear up for another year of epic, it’s nice to reflect on all that made Reno Tahoe our favorite place to be in 2025.
Your Reno Tahoe Top 10
New & Noteworthy Event Updates
Reno Tahoe’s events calendar is famously filled with unique experiences all year, from long-standing iconic favorites to new events. It seems like just yesterday that OffBeat Music Festival started, but it celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025. As the event continues to grow and change, we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years (and beyond!) bring.
Some new events that quickly became fan favorites included the Western Lights Festival, which will return in 2026, and Home for the Holidays at Greater Nevada Field, an Insta-worthy holiday display. And there was no shortage of party-ready fans to welcome the Party Animals to Greater Nevada Field to kick off the summer season. Speaking of high energy, the J Resort Festival Grounds celebrated its inaugural season, with artists like Subtronics, Slightly Stoopid, Quinn XCII and more.
The Reno-Sparks Convention Center was host to the USA Roller Sports National Championships. Events included speed and figure/artistic skating, hockey, roller derby and freestyle.
Groundbreaking News (literally!)
Never a place to stand still, new event spaces are quickly on the horizon for Reno Tahoe. The Grand Sierra Resort Reno Arena officially broke ground in September, with a projected completion date of 2027. The 300,000-square-foot arena will be the future home of Nevada Men’s Basketball, as well as concerts and other events.
College athletics aren’t the only ones getting more playing space - Jacobs Entertainment announced plans to build 12 youth sports fields in downtown Reno as part of the Downtown Reno Amateur Sports Association. The fields will host both local and traveling teams for soccer and lacrosse, with the first four opening in 2026.
Still Rolling After 30 Years
Some things never get old, and we would argue that bowling is one of them. The National Bowling Stadium, aka, the Taj Mahal of Kingpins, celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. The milestone was marked with a public bowling event. The stadium continues to be home to local, regional and national tournaments, as well as monthly public bowling days that benefit local nonprofits. We look forward to welcoming more than 60,000 bowlers back to downtown in the spring, as the USBC Open Championships take over the stadium from March to July.
Celebrating the Arts
As the gateway to Burning Man and home to numerous arts-focused events, Reno Tahoe is no stranger to all things art. And around here, the bigger the better, hence the reason you’ll find murals covering dozens of walls throughout downtown and MidTown. Some new murals that you’ll find around town include River Life by Anthony Ortega at West Street Plaza and XOXO by Erik Burke at Evelyn Mount Community Center.
In addition to the outdoor murals, you can also get a glimpse of some incredible art when you attend events at any of our venues. We’ve worked with both local and international artists to create one-of-a-kind pieces that highlight what makes this region so special. This year’s pieces included Bowling with Altitude by Bryce Chisholm (NBS), Reno Sunrise by Hayley Meadows (REC) and Wild Horses by Bill Louis (RSCC).
Wolf Pack Pride
Reno Tahoe is committed to Nevada Athletics. We are proud of our teams, and that’s why we decided to enter an NIL agreement with the Wolf Pack! Through this agreement, we have allowed University of Nevada athletes to show off their Reno Tahoe love. Local events like the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off and Offbeat Music Festival have been featured in these projects to help showcase some of the highlights of our area.
Nevada Football players Ky Woods and Charles Brown faced off in a friendly Reno Tahoe competition day that spanned all the way from MidTown to Chickadee Ridge. Our NIL agreement with the University of Nevada has helped propel our community’s team into the future, while showcasing what our area has to offer!
Reno Tahoe Creator Camp
Have you ever wished for the chance to revisit the sun-soaked, fun-filled days of summer camp? If so, then Reno Tahoe Creator Camp might be just what you’re looking for. This year, we launched our inaugural event, bringing 40 campers from 26 cities together with 11 iconic creators in five immersive camp-inspired itineraries. The groups explored Reno Tahoe, got to hang out with and learn from some of their favorite influencers, and made lifelong friendships. The event comes back in June of 2026, so mark your calendars if a summer adventure like this one sounds like something you can’t miss.
Raising the Bar
The many reasons to love Reno Tahoe haven’t been a secret to locals, but now others are definitely taking notice. The region saw its best single month for hotels in 20 years, and the airport has continued to see record-breaking passenger counts traveling through RNO.
The Newest Hot Spots
Even if you’ve been to Reno more times than you can count, there is always something new to experience. 2025 brought a few must-experience attractions and activities that we highly recommend adding to your itinerary. Locals have long loved Mt. Rose Ski for its lowkey vibe and great terrain, and now the WildSlide Winter Park tubing hill is bringing even more snow fun off the ski runs. Just make sure you book your tickets in advance so you don’t miss the chance to make more winter memories! And for those with little ones who are planning their summer vacation, Wild Island added Tiny Tides Kids Zone, with a wave pool, slides and splash park.
What’s old is new again at the Reno Antique Faire, a monthly outdoor market that takes over four blocks of Virginia Street every third Sunday of the month, April through November. In addition to the 140 vintage and antique vendors, shoppers can also enjoy food and beverage trucks. Find your next favorite treasure!
Fresh Foodie Options
Hungry? You’re in the right place. This year, even more great restaurants joined the dining scene - making it even harder to pick where to go! For your coffee, tea or baked treat fix, both Beloved’s Bakery & Cafe and Rising for People Coffee are must-tries. Beloved’s has been a long-time favorite at the weekly Riverside Farmers' Market, but now you can get their incredible baked goodies any day of the week at their new location on Plumb Lane. Rising for People Coffee has also been part of the local coffee scene for a while, but they just reopened in their new, beautiful location in MidTown.
For casual but flavorful bites, Madein Collective offers handcrafted food and curated drinks - the perfect spot to gather with friends and loved ones any time of day. One of the newest additions to Reno Public Market is Bol de Melange, serving globally inspired dishes such as chicken schnitzel, a Japanese-style chicken sandwich, fresh salads, and more.
For a unique and upscale dining experience, Toro Bravo and Reno Bar & Grill deliver bold flavors. Located in the Reno Riverwalk District, Toro Bravo is a Mexican steakhouse and cevicheria, with menu options ranging from shareable appetizers to steaks and fresh seafood. The perfect addition to your exploration of the Brewery District is lunch or dinner at Reno Bar & Grill. This restaurant is known for its attention to detail when it comes to flavor, meaning this is a meal you’ll be talking about long after you leave. Grab a fried shrimp po' boy or Italian beef sandwich for lunch, or dig into their 10-layer bolognese lasagna or jambalaya for dinner. Whatever you do, just make sure you save room for their housemade ice cream.
Backdrop for Backcountry.com
Calling all gear junkies! This is the ultimate place to put your best outdoor adventure gear to the test, and Backcountry.com took notice. In the summer of 2025, some of the retailer’s experts created A Gearhead’s® Guide to Lake Tahoe - Exploring the Sierras. Curious what they recommend? Check out which trails Jenna and Kendall rode, the gear they loved, and of course, how they kicked back post-ride. Next time you’re shopping for new outdoor equipment on their site, you might also catch a glimpse of some familiar landscapes since they also hosted a product shoot right here in Reno Tahoe.
Whew! What a year. Sounds like 2026 is the perfect time to make your dream Reno Tahoe getaway a reality!