Lauren Marek

NEVADA: Our trip through the Burner Byway

Last month, Carra and I were lucky enough to spend a few days in Nevada exploring Reno and the Burner Byway. We had both only ever been to Las Vegas and were excited to explore more of the Silver State!

We started and ended our trip in Reno - “The Biggest Little City in the World”. Our stay at the Whitney Peak Hotel was fantastic. It was Reno’s first non-gaming, non-smoking hotel, a trend that keeps picking up Downtown – it’s independently run and they even have the world’s largest outdoor rock-climbing wall!

Reno is one of those places that takes you back in time. We fell in love with all the vintage signs and met the most kind and charming folks along the way. There are tons of unique restaurants and shops in Reno - specifically in the Downtown and Midtown areas where we spent most of our time.

Our favorite Reno spots were:

Campo - Wow, we ate like queens at Campo. The food was to die for and the ambiance and view of the river were top notch. They had a great selection of wines and specialty cocktails. We had the warm olives and roasted cauliflower as an appetizer and finished off with the gnocchi. Save room for dessert if you can!

Golden Jackal - What a gem of a shop in Midtown! There was a solid collection of vintage shirts and jackets - we wanted everything. It’s such a beautiful location and you can tell they take a lot of care in curating their vintage goods.

Nevada Museum of Art - A beautiful space with 4 floors of art! With the same accreditation as SF MoMA and the MET, the NMA is world renowned and also features work from local artists. Make sure to stop at the top floor for an incredible view of Reno. 

Noble Pie + Pinon - We shared a pizza from Noble Pie and got some local beer from Pinon and had a nice lunch on their patio. There were so many fun pizza options at Noble Pie and a wide assortment of beers on tap and in bottles and cans at Pinon. Carra ended up getting a sake beer, which we’ve never had before! 

See See Motor Coffee Co - We loved the aesthetic of See See. Not only do they serve some of our favorite coffee, but they also have painted motorcycle helmets by different artists on display, great photos on the walls, and unique merchandise for sale. We also tried a Puffle, one of their specialties, which is like a waffle and toaster-strudel combined!

Pine State Biscuits - Some of the best biscuits we’ve ever had! Carra is from North Carolina and was suspicious until her first bite. We later found out the owners are originally from NC! We tried the Veggie Reggie, their vegetarian biscuit, and were in absolute heaven.

The Eddy - If we lived in Reno, we’d frequent The Eddy. It’s a dog and kid friendly outdoor space on the riverwalk made out of shipping containers. There are food trucks and TONS of local and craft beer on tap. I played bocce ball for the first time and I think I’m a natural.

Our big adventure during our trip was driving out to Black Rock Desert - most famously known as the yearly location for Burning Man. It’s a beautiful 2 hour desert drive from Reno. Carra and I pulled over a number of times along the way to take in the views.

Our first outing was a guided nature walk with Friends of Black Rock to see the Fly Geyser and visit property owned by Burning Man - it was super informative and absolutely beautiful. We spent our time exploring the small town of Gerlach and its nearby highlights.

Probably one of our favorite moments on this trip was watching the sunset on the Playa - one of the largest, flattest surfaces on earth covering over 200 square miles. It is one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever seen. The sunset was incredibly romantic. We keep trying to explain to people how incredible the Playa was, but I really feel like people have to experience the beauty in person.

Some highlights in Gerlach and stops to and from Reno were:

Bruno’s Country Club - Bruno was a legend in Gerlach, owning the only motel in town, a restaurant and gas station. The Country Club is a great restaurant with tons of history on the walls and some of the best food in town. We loved the veggie chili nachos!

Pyramid Lake - it’s HUGE! Really though, it’s one of the largest natural lakes in the state of Nevada and is known as North America’s most beautiful desert lake. Make sure to stop by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor’s Center to learn about the lake and its role in the history of the Paiute tribe.

Planet X Pottery - This fully solar powered ceramics studio is a desert oasis. There are multiple galleries on the property filled with sculptures, paintings, and ceramics. We loved walking around and experiencing the space. Plan to have space in your bags to take home a souvenir or two.

Guru Road - Also known as Doobie Lane or the Wonder Road, Guru Road is a mile-long dirt road north of Gerlach filled with quirky folk art installations. We decided to park on the road and take a walk to see the art up close. Some of the engraved rocks along the way paid homage to the locals and others sported quirky words of wisdom. Make sure to also take in the stunning views surrounding Guru Road.

Miners Club - We stopped here for breakfast and felt like locals. Carra couldn’t stop asking the bartender questions about Gerlach and all of the unique events that take place in the town. I was obsessed with the sign out front!

A huge thanks to Travel Nevada and Travel Mindset for partnering with us on this trip! We had an amazing experience and it was the perfect getaway after just recently getting engaged! We’ll be back soon!