WHERE TO STAY IN RENO

FROM the base of the world’s largest artificial climbing wall on the outside of Whitney Peak hotel, I squinted up at its dizzying 45m height, directly over the iconic Reno Arch. Inside, a 650m2 park includes two 4.5m-tall boulders, another climbing wall and a kids’ room.

“The facility attracts experienced climbers as well as first timers who are bitten by the bug and start climbing regularly,” the desk attendant said. If you get nibbled, classes and memberships are available.

The pet-friendly, non-smoking hotel features 310 rooms, sleek decor – and a sauna and steam room.

Overlooking the river, mountains and downtown, the Plaza Resort Club Hotel offers 10 floors of guest rooms, each with its own theme, including gaming, railroads and the Reno Air Races. General manager John Wolf showed me around, pointing out photos and artwork that designers worked with the Nevada Historical Society to locate. Guests can enjoy a gym, speakeasy-style cocktail lounge and pool with an antique bar.

EXPLORE

A couple of shabby storefronts are relics of the once-neglected Midtown District, but they’re greatly outnumbered by a head-snappingly diverse jumble of independent retailers and services, including high-end and vintage clothing boutiques, record stores, wine bars, hipster taverns, poke bars and acai cafes.

Plan for a few hours to walk South Virginia Street and its environs. I couldn’t decide which of the district’s 80-plus murals were my favourite. Art Spot Reno offers self-guided and guided tours.

Just steps from the Virginia Street Bridge – where the newly divorced allegedly flung their wedding rings into the Truckee River – the Raymond I Smith Truckee River Walk heralded Reno’s renovation in the 1990s. Today, the Riverwalk District is a symbol of municipal unity.

Entertainment venues such as the Pioneer Centre for the Performing Arts host local and touring acts. | Washington Post