Traveling with Teens to Reno Tahoe

Instagram Worthy Events

If you're coming in the summer or fall, there's (almost) always an event, festival, or special showcase that's worth checking out. A few favorites include:

• Reno Rodeo in June (popular when I was in high school, even more popular for high schoolers now)
• Artown in July (a month long celebration that includes hundreds of events, performances, and experiences)
• Hot August Nights in August (city-wide classic car extravaganza, includes drag races, performances, and is very 'instagramable' for your teens)

My top event recommendation is to visit the weekend after Labor Day for The Great Reno Balloon Race. This hot air balloon festival is the largest free hot air balloon event in the world, and is hosted in one of Reno's most beautiful parks, Rancho San Rafael (worth visiting even if it's not balloon weekend).

The Great Reno Balloon Race is the most photographed event in the state, meaning your teens will love sending balloon snapchats to their friends, and you'll love the family photo you get, which will definitely end up on your holiday card. Hot air balloons never disappoint, every age group loves this event! (Including the adults!)

The area has beautiful spaces to enjoy when the weather is nice enough to be outside (which can be any time of year, but most reliably May-October). In the heart of Reno is Idlewild Park, with an accessible community pool and skate park, along with baseball fields, gardens, and a playground my kids still can't resist (yes, even at 16). It also features a great walkable stretch along the Truckee River.

Speaking of the Truckee River, you can float it on tubes/rafts with a service, or on your own, and there are about two miles of it that have spots you can stop to swim, picnic, and hang out (our family favorites are Mayberry Park and Crissie Caughlin Park). Follow the river west along I-80 for about 30 minutes and find yourself in Truckee, California, a cute, walkable historic downtown with unique shops (Truckee Variety Store is a must-stop), and the original location of the restaurant Squeeze In (you'll see why that matters in a minute).

After you spend the morning in Truckee the town, keep following Truckee the river and get to Lake Tahoe. The drive is beautiful, and you'll even see the Olympic flame that burns from the 1960 Winter Games along the route. Once you arrive in Lake Tahoe, you've got options upon options:

• Paddleboarding
• Wind Sailing
• Gondola Riding
• Hiking
• Beaching
• Sleigh Rides

It's truly a treasure trove for all. Two family favorites are Tahoe Tree Top Adventures (year-round ropes/zipline courses with two locations), and The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at the Sand Harbor Amphitheater (Shows run all summer, including non-Shakespeare performances).

Our hands-down favorite Lake Tahoe activity is taking a ride on the MS Dixie. This three-deck Dixie-style paddle boat takes you on a two-hour boat tour across the lake and around the world-famous Emerald Bay. There's food, indoor and outdoor seating, plus just enough fun facts and narration to keep it interesting, but not so much that it gets boring.

If you're visiting our area in the winter and want outdoor activities, snow sports are the name of the game. Skiing and snowboarding (most resorts offer lessons and rentals) or tubing and sledding are all easily accessible and will show you that your teen DOES in fact still know how to smile. There are close to a dozen resorts within an hour’s drive, but our favorite spots are Mt. Rose and Northstar. Both are convenient drives from Reno, Mt Rose being the technical closest, and Northstar features a wide range of ‘Apres Ski’ amenities and vibes.

No matter what time of year you're visiting, I recommend the Reno Ice skating rink, which is an indoor facility that has an affordable public skate at least once a day (with rentals), and every time we go, I'm amazed at how much my teens genuinely bond once they strap sharp blades to their feet.

I'd also suggest Coconut Bowl, a massive indoor arcade/laser tag/mini golf/go-kart facility that is a popular spot for teens. If you are visiting during the summer, it's right next to the Waterpark at Wild Island, which is a 10/10 crowd pleaser, and a hot spot for local teens to visit.

Recently, my 15-year-old daughter said: My friend wants to hang out on Saturday, are we doing anything? When I replied that we were planning to do a family escape room experience, she literally replied: "Seriously?! I'll cancel ALL my plans right NOW!" Is there any higher endorsement for a parent than that? There are plenty to choose from, but our favorites are Deadline Escape Rooms in South Reno, and the ones at the Grand Sierra Resort (GSR).

The Grand Sierra Resort is a great place to stay when you’re visiting Reno Tahoe, and it's also a clutch place to visit with your teens, especially if they have varied interests, or the weather is not cooperating.

There are cool escape rooms, an amazing pool in the summer, and an ice skating rink with fire pits (s’mores kits on hand!) in the winter. There's also an outdoor golf driving range, a bowling alley, an extensive arcade, laser tag, magic shows, restaurants, shops, and plenty of space for everyone to move freely (while staying contained).

For places to eat, my trio of teens consistently love a few local places, and the top of the list is Squeeze In for breakfast/brunch. It's a local eclectic, colorful restaurant with five regional locations (the original in Truckee is iconic) and rarely do my kids work more cooperatively than when they team up to present their case for why we should 'go to Squeeze.'

When we're feeling morning indulgent, it's Doughboy's Donuts, the agreed-upon favorite of not just my three teens, but pretty much everyone else in the area, too. When we're looking for food on the go, we're big fans of Port of Subs. It's a regional sandwich chain with lots of locations, and it's perfect for picking up on the way to an outdoor activity. (If you can all agree on ingredients, one XL sandwich is enough to feed the whole family, and keeps it very budget-friendly.)

We also like Chihuahuas Cantina and Grill for lunch or dinner, it's the kind of 'vibe' teens like, the food is consistently good, and it’s also right next to an escape room, which makes it the perfect spot to debrief as a family and keep the fun going.

When we're looking to do something 'nicer' with the kids, you’ll either find us at Biscotti's at Peppermill (our other favorite resort in town - great pool, arcade, and rooms!), or sushi. It might sound strange, but Reno is BIG on sushi. In fact, it's the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi capital of the world! Which means all of our teens have a taste for sushi, and love the experience of picking out rolls, using their chopsticks, and enjoying the free-for-all that only an all-you-can-eat experience brings. Our favorite spots are Sushi Rose, Tha Joint, and Sushi Pier.

Whether you're visiting because your teen is playing in a sports tournament or you're coming for a weekend getaway, you'll find that Northern Nevada has a lot to offer to both you and your teenage companions!