After a record-breaking hot summer, Fall is in full swing at last. In Reno this means we have a huge diurnal temperature shift from cool nights to warm daytime highs — with some high temperatures in the late afternoon. Along with the earlier sunset, this is the best time of year to relax outside for dinner and take a leisurely stroll.
It is a nice calm before the storm — before the busyness and craziness of the holiday season, and the first snow storms in the Sierra Nevadas.
Thanksgiving stands out as the busiest travel weekend in the United States, when huge swathes of the country migrate east and west, north and south, to see their families. Reno being an up-and-coming city, many travelers return to where they came from — to California and the East Coast, to the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest — to go back to mom and dad’s home for a hearty meal and, hopefully, no family grudges or arguing about politics.
While there’s no guarantee that the big connecting airports across America — Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas — will be calm and orderly during the holiday rush, in my experience you can count on the Reno-Tahoe airport maintaining its usual easygoing demeanor throughout the season.
For starters, just getting to the airport is easy. It’s not in a remote location far from town, and traffic is rarely a concern, even during rush hour. The airport sits just east of I-580 and is only a few miles from most major casino hotels. As far as public transport goes, the airport is served by the RTC Transit bus route, which also runs extensively through midtown, downtown and along Virginia Street.
Hailing a taxi, Uber or Lyft isn’t as easy as at larger airports, but there is a waiting parking lot nearby, so if you use your favorite app at the baggage claim, you should be able to catch a ride within 10 minutes.
After passing through some of the larger airports across the country, you will likely find that Reno-Tahoe sparkles with cleanliness inside, and apart from peak times, check-in lines and security checks are usually short and quick.
Pickup and drop-off is also easy. The pickup and drop-off lanes are policed frequently, and spots are usually plentiful. Even if you have to drive back around while waiting, the route isn’t long, confusing or trafficky.
Another great feature of the airport is that there is only one terminal, so you don’t have to worry about walking long distances between transfers or crossing the entire airport upon arrival.
Being such a manageable regional airport, it’s worth investigating what nonstop flights you can find out of Reno to avoid any headaches when traveling. Austin, Las Vegas, San Diego and Guadalajara, Mexico, stand out as excellent vacation spots within only a couple hours (or less) of travel time out of Reno proper. It’s definitely something to consider before planning your next vacation, because travel isn’t just about enjoying the place you are going to, enjoying the journey matters too.
