Nevada
Experiences

This Family-Friendly Park In Nevada Has A Park Train, Rose Garden, Biking Trails And More

Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada offers a variety of family-friendly activities, including playgrounds, a rose garden, and seasonal events like Food Truck Fridays.

Published May 31, 2022

Written by 

Christina Arrascaeta

Let your child’s imagination roar at Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada! One of the area’s most popular parks for families, the Idlewild Park has something for just about everyone. This park’s beautiful grounds and open spaces are an idyllic place for many other recreational attractions, including an annual Earth Day celebration! Come run, play and find your happy place at this wonderous 49-acre Nevada park.

Nestled along the Truckee River, the park is a lovely oasis of nature in the heart of Reno. Relax and unwind among the various birds and native fish and turtle species and take in the plentiful trees surrounding not one, but two large duck ponds.

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Google/Mike Scherzer

When it’s time to play, head over to one of the park’s playgrounds for so much fun! Discover the not-so-scary Lions Den or give your little ones the thrill of the park’s newest addition, the We-Go-Round ride, that kids will enjoy for hours on end!

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Google/Rhett Lawson

Watch your child’s eyes light up when they see the unmistakable yellow train traveling through Idlewild Park. Catch a ride for an exciting time your little ones will surely not forget!

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Google/Seth Klein

The train is open on weekends from 11am to 3pm. Also open on Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Adults will appreciate the many walking and biking trails throughout the park. Find peace and tranquility (as well as a little light exercise) as you enjoy the shade of the many trees over the well-maintained pathways.

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Tripadvisor/Bernardo F

One of the park’s highlights is the elegant Rose Garden. Established in 1958, the garden was certified by the American Rose Society. Find over 200 different kinds of roses spread over an acre of gardens, totaling almost two million roses in all!

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Google/Christina Stormson

You will find many celebrations held at Idlewild Park throughout the year. It’s not uncommon to see food trucks ushering in customers with their enticing delicacies, from street tacos to some of the best burgers you can find!

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Google/Clayton Fisher

During Food Truck Fridays, find over 45 vendors at Idlewild Park in Reno every week during the summer! Visit their website below for more information.

With picnic areas, a swimming pool, basketball, horseshoe, and tennis courts, ballfields, public art displays, plus so much more, this is one park in Nevada that makes anyone happy to be outdoors.

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Tripadvisor/mini

During the warmer months, take advantage of the beautiful weather by heading to Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada. Explore fun, new adventures with the child in your life, or stroll along the picturesque duck ponds at your own leisure. There are simply endless possibilities for a great time at Idlewild Park.

Find out more about Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada here.

Discover Food Truck Fridays by visiting their Facebook Page.

For more sunny-filled fun, check out the Largest Splash Pad in Nevada!

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Experiences

The V&T Railroad Steam Train Rides Offer Some Of The Most Breathtaking Views In Nevada

Experience a historic steam train ride through the scenic hills of Northern Nevada with the Virginia & Truckee Railroad.

Updated Aug 2, 2024

Written by 

Emerson

All aboard the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in NV! It's no secret that the railroad industry was quite impactful in the early days of the Silver State. Although most of the world has moved on from the days when trains were the ultimate form of transportation, you can still experience a good old-fashioned scenic train ride in Nevada with the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. Operating century-old steam engines, the railway offers steam train rides through the majestic Nevada landscape. Riding through the hills of Northern Nevada in a historic train is certainly something you won't forget. Check it out!

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At the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in NV, you can hop aboard an authentic steam train and take a journey back in time as you ride through the mesmerizing landscape. It's a bucket list scenic train ride in Nevada that you'll for sure want to do for yourself!

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

Virginia & Truckee is arguably one of the most famous short lines in the country. During its heyday, the railway operated as many as 45 trains per day, transporting everyone from regular folks to U.S. presidents and dignitaries.

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

The last train left the Comstock 80 years ago, but you can still experience what it was like to ride along this historic railroad. Today, V&T Railroad proudly operates century-old steam engines from the original 1870 train depot in Virginia City. It's one of the most unique Nevada train rides you can find in this area.

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

This historic steam train ride in Nevada will take you on a beautiful journey from Virginia City to Gold Hill and back.

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

The scenic train ride in NV lasts approximately 35 minutes. During the ride, the conductor will narrate the history of the Comstock and V&T. Along the way, you'll enjoy views of historic sites, including several Comstock mine sites, in addition to the delightful Nevada scenery.

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

Once at Gold Hill, passengers aboard the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in NV can step out and explore the train depot, the Liberty Engine Fire Company monument, the 1859 Gold Hill Hotel, and so much more. You can return on any of the later trips during the same day.

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

We can't think of a more pleasant way to spend the afternoon than by riding through the hills in a historic steam train in NV!

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company/Facebook

Visit the website for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad to help plan out your train ride adventure and to see all Nevada train trips offered. Don't miss the holiday rides for Halloween and Christmas! Grab a pair of great binoculars to use on the ride in case there's something you'd like to get a better view of.

What do you think? Are you ready to take a ride on a historic steam train in NV? This looks like so much fun! Tell us your thoughts or any experiences you may have had in the comments below.

Worked up an appetite on the train? Grab a bite to eat at one of these awesome Nevada restaurants.

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Experiences

The Mystery Of The Nevada Triangle Will Baffle And Terrify You

The Nevada Triangle is a region where over 2,000 aircraft have vanished, including the famous disappearance of aviator Steve Fossett.

Updated Jul 30, 2024

Written by 

Jennifer Young

Most of us are familiar with the Nevada Triangle. For those who aren’t, it’s an area of Nevada and California where many aircraft have vanished over the decades. It’s very similar to the Bermuda Triangle. Because Nevada’s remote wasteland of desert and mountains stretches across more than 25,000 square miles of underpopulated areas, crash sites usually go undiscovered for very long periods of time. For the past 50 years or so, nobody is exactly sure how many flights have vanished within the Nevada Triangle. However, many people believe the total is more than 2,000. Read on to learn more about this Nevada Triangle mystery. It’s truly baffling.

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One of the most popular stories regarding the Nevada Triangle is the disappearance of Steve Fossett, which took place on September 3, 2007.

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NASA/KSCWikimedia Commons

Here is Fossett at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility seated in the GlobalFlyer cockpit.

In addition to being an American businessman, Fossett was a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was also the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon.

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NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sadly, when Fossett flew his single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon over Nevada's Great Basin Desert, it never returned, and neither did he.

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Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

After a month of not being able to locate Fossett's plane, the search was called off. On February 15, 2008, Fossett was declared legally dead. The moment Fossett went missing, many people assumed he either faked his own death - or was shot down over Area 51.

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Arpingstone, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

So, what is it exactly that's causing aircraft to go missing within the Nevada Triangle? Many experts claim the area's climate creates a special type of atmospheric condition that can actually rip aircraft from the skies. In Steve Fossett's situation, many experts believe climatic conditions created a 400 mph downdraft. At the most, his aircraft could climb 300 mph. This speed difference meant he was doomed from the moment he entered the region.

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Jeff Sullivan/Flickr

Fossett's identification cards were discovered in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California on September 29, 2008, by a hiker. On October 1, 2008, the crash site was discovered just 65 miles from where Fossett initially took off.

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Kim Shiflett, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Two bones were recovered about one-half mile from the crash site on November 3, 2008. After a series of tests, it was concluded that the bones did in fact belong to Steve Fossett.

Here is a quick video regarding the disappearance of Steve Fossett:

After reading this article and watching the video(s), do you believe the Nevada Triangle mystery will ever be solved? If you found this mystery terrifying, here’s another sinister story about Nevada that will send shivers down your spine.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nevada/sinister-story-popular-nevada-lake-chills/

Want more? Check out this Haunted Boulder City Ghost and UFO Tour by our friends at Viator for a truly thrilling experience.

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