Reno Rocks! The Biggest, Little City in the World

Its not all glamour, glitz and gambling. The town known as the Biggest Little City in the World offers visitors of all ages an array of entertainment outside the casino and convention hall.

Blending the best of both worlds, Inside Self-Storage selected Reno, Nev., as its new summer tradeshow venue, July 19-22. Reno is a perfect place for both business and family recreation, says Dana Hicks, tradeshow director for Virgo Publishing Inc. Its affordable, picturesque and fun. We anticipate a great show.

Attendees of the Inside Self-Storage Expo will have the chance to network with peers and expand their industry knowledge while enjoying a range of activities for adults and children. Days on the links, walks along the Truckee River or horseback riding are all easy options in this city that never sleeps. Take your choice of live casino shows or Broadway productions. For families with little ones, Circus Circus is top-notch big-top entertainment. If its a romantic evening youre after, make reservations for dinner and a show at one of the many hotels in the compact downtown Reno area.

For those who love the arts, Artown features hundreds of performing and visual arts including music, dance, theater, opera, childrens workshops, movies in the park, cowboy poetry and historical walks throughout Reno, July 1 to July 30. Peek into the past with Everyday Mysteries: Roy Curtis 1920s photographs of Reno are on display at the Nevada Historical Society. For car buffs, the National Automobile Museum houses more than 200 antique, classic and vintage cars in galleries and four authentic street scenes. Remember Bonanza? The original site for the Ponderosa, the ranch made famous in the long-running TV show, is in Incline Village, a 45-minute drive into celluloid history.

Incline Village is just one of many towns and vistas surrounding Lake Tahoe. Aside from magnificent natural beauty, the area is a host to innumerable activitieswater sports, hiking, mountain biking, gambling and dining. Lake Tahoe is just 30 miles from Reno, set high in the Sierras, cradled by tall pines. A two-hour paddleboat cruise shows off dazzling views of the Sierra Madre Mountains, Emerald Bay and the Vikingsholm Castle. Also, you can hear the words of The Bard at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festivals outdoor stage.

Some 25 miles from Reno, visitors will find the historic town of Virginia City. This former mining community, a famous site of the 1950s gold rush, offers tours of mines, mansions and museums. Visitors feet echo hollowly along the wooden sidewalks past gift shops and colorful period restaurants. Take the family for a ride on the Virginia City steam trainand watch for wild horses and burros that may trot by.

History Trivia

Renos rich and colorful history began in 1859, when Charles Fuller built a log bridge across the Truckee River and charged a fee to immigrants and gold seekers traveling to Virginia City. When Reno became a stop on the Central Pacific Railroad route in 1868, the town site of Reno was officially established. The presence of several legal brothels, illegal underground gambling, and a reputation for quick divorces earned Reno the title of Sin City. The town gained more notoriety with the Wests first train robbery. Although 90 percent of the loot was found, about half-million dollars in gold is still missing. Care to go on a gold hunt?

Heres another bit of Reno trivia: Jacob Davis of Reno tailored the first pair of sturdy, duck cloth pants from fabric purchased from the Levi Straus Co. in 1873now known as the birthday of blue jeans.

So, ISS visitors, put on your Levis, take a stroll through picturesque downtown Reno, play a few slots and remember, some of the glitter you see may be real gold!

For more information about the ISS Reno Expo, visit www.insideselfstorage.com .