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About 35 miles southeast of Reno, Nevada in the Virginia Range and the shadow of Mount Davidson. You can walk down the main streets and feel like you have stepped back into time. Virginia City has a rich history and the comeback from the “Great Fire of 1875”, is an amazing story. You can read all about Virginia City on their website at https://visitvirginiacitynv.com
Virginia City has been one of my favorite places since I was younger. My boys never got to visit with me, but this trip I got to take my husband and he loves it as much as I do. We just took a day trip, even when growing up we have never stayed, one day we will plan a stay so we have more time to explore.
There are few options to choose from but note they are not very large locations so they tend to book very quickly, you will need to make a reservation well ahead of time, especially if you are planning on attending one of the local events. There are also a couple of specialty options for larger groups with the Bunker House and St. Mary’s Art Center. The Virginia City RV Park offers 50 full hook-up sites as well as 3 cabins available for rent. You can get more information on a stay at https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/stay-a-spell/
There are attractions, shopping, saloons with their historical feel, and dining. Also, something to keep in mind while planning your visit is that the “off-season” starts in October and runs until Spring and many attractions and businesses do close during this time. You can find out about all the attractions offered, costs, and availability on their website at https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/mines-more/
The visitors center should be your first stop, so you can plan your time and purchase any attraction tickets you need. Most attraction tickets are purchased at the visitors’ center, but some are purchased directly from the attraction and some require reservations. The visitor center is at 86 South C Street (at the corner of C and Taylor Streets). The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
A Comstock Adventure Pass is an access pass to embrace the history that fills our museums, go on a mine tour, explore our historic buildings, ride on the famous Virginia & Truckee Railroad and so much more all at a discounted price. Pass prices vary depending on which attractions you would like to include. If you would rather choose the attractions you want to see you can also purchase individual tickets, but the Comstock pass is a way to save some money.
For more information about the prices and types of passes visit their website at https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/comstock-adventure-pass/
There are several “Free” attractions you can visit as well. They suggest a donation, to help maintain the attractions but it is not required.
- Gold Hill Hotel
- Comstock History Center
- Silver Terrace Cemetery
- Liberty Engine Company No 1-Comstock Firemen’s Museum
- Marshall Mint Museum
- St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church & Museum
- The Courthouse Slammer & County Museum (open weekdays only)
If you like everything planned out for you several preset itineraries are available. You can find these on the website at https://visitvirginiacitynv.com/itineraries/
If shopping is more up your alley, you can shop to your heart’s content. From jewelry stores to stone specialty shops, antiques to mercantile, clothing, specialty shops, and old-time photos, everyone will find something they love. One of my favorite times of year is Christmas so we always have to stop at Forever Christmas. No visit is complete without a stop at Kettle Korn Depot and Grandma’s Fudge Factory.
The Roasting House
After a stop at the visitors’ center, we dropped by the Roasting House for a bite to eat and a drink to fuel our day. The smell as you walk in the door if you happen to be there while they are roasting coffee of site is amazing, and I am not a coffee drinker. We both gave the Morning Glory breakfast a try, hubby had a latte (his go-to drink) and I had a chai latte and a caramel fizz because it was calling my name. We sat at the counter and enjoyed the lattes and caramel buzz fizz, before taking our sandwiches and second round of drinks to a table.
Grandma’s Fudge Factory – 20 North C Street
As soon as you get anywhere close to the shop the aromas that attack your noise are intoxicating. If you are lucky, you may arrive when the copper kettle is tipped and the hot peanut brittle is poured onto the cold marble slab. Or there is a chance that the amazing fudge is being made by hand before your eyes. They have an ice cream counter, but we come for the peanut brittle.
Bucket of Blood Saloon – 1 S C Street
After walking around for a few hours, we decided it was break time. While there are plenty of places to choose from, we decided to stop at Bucket of Blood Saloon, cause the name caught hubby’s attention. There is plenty of seating at tables or the bar. But we decided to pull up a chair to the slot machines in the back. Not a fancy place, but the staff is friendly and the locals even friendlier. It is full of a lot of history and memorabilia. The Bloody Mary is one of the best I have had that I haven’t made myself.
So, we did not eat much since we had dinner plans back in Reno, so our day was filled with exploring the town and seeing all the sites and shops.
