This Nevada Downtown Is Made For Strolling
Nevada is a historic state that was once known as a destination during the Gold Rush. While many seeking their fortune passed through the state on their way to California, Nevada was also a popular destination. The Comstock Lode became the richest silver deposit in American history, leading to a surge in population and industry.
The lode sat beneath Virginia City, which continues to reflect that history today. Several of the saloons lining downtown Virginia City trace their origins to the 1800s, while others occupy buildings from the same historic period. Visitors can easily explore downtown on foot, starting at one end of C Street and strolling north or south to take in saloons, shops, and cultural destinations along the way. If you want to stroll through a unique, historic downtown, then Virginity City should be your next stop.
Saloons
Virginia City is well known for the many historic saloons that line C Street. The saloons are not just bars but genuinely significant historic destinations with a history that dates back to the discovery of silver and gold in the region. Visitors to the Ponderosa Saloon take a step back into the 1860s. The saloon is one of the longest-standing businesses in Virginia City and boasts many unique features.
In its back, the Best & Belcher mine still stands. First created during the 1800s gold rush, the mine was eventually linked to the saloon by owners who began offering tours of the mining shaft. Today, guests can enjoy a 25-minute guided tour of the mine, where they can see historic pieces of equipment, before relaxing with drinks in the Ponderosa.
Just across the street is the Mark Twain Saloon and Casino. The saloon was first constructed in 1863 and managed to be one of the buildings that survived the “Great Conflagration of 1875,” a fire that swept the town and leveled 33 blocks of Virginia City. Today, guests to the casino can take a spin at the slot machines or saddle up to the bar for a drink beneath the face of Mark Twain, carved above the bar.
From the Mark Twain Saloon, continue walking two blocks north along C Street to reach the Red Dog Saloon, an iconic destination in Northern Nevada. The saloon’s storied history begins as the Comstock House, when it was built along with the rest of the town over the Comstock Lode, a rich source of silver discovered in 1859. Decades later, the building was refurbished into a saloon and became the home of the "Red Dog Experience."
In the summer of 1965, local disc jockey Travus T. Hipp created this experience, a blend of traditional folk music and psychedelic rock. The performance was held in the refurbished saloon, and this psychedelic night blended performers with the audience to create a sense of community. Janis Joplin would later perform there, and today the saloon remains a music destination. Visitors can drop in for musical performances throughout the year, ranging from open-mic jams to classic rock performances and country jam sessions.
Events
The Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry is one way of touring downtown. A tradition for 35 years, the oyster fry (actually bull testicles) takes place alongside the larger St. Patrick’s Day celebrations that occur in Virginia City. Awards are handed out for the best cooks in the festival, and revelers can enjoy live Irish music while enjoying drinks and celebrating in St. Patrick’s Day costumes as they walk downtown. For those hoping to enjoy all the historic saloons in downtown Virginia City, the Devil Made Me Do It Saloon Crawl invites guests to take a sampling tour while enjoying confections. Occurring on Valentine’s Day, crawlers can enjoy signature-theme drinks and treats as they walk from one saloon to another.
Culture and History
After exploring the saloons along C Street, continue a short walk east toward the intersection of C Street and Taylor Street, where the Virginia City Outlaw Theatre awaits. This unique Wild West comedy has been performing for 20 years, making audiences laugh as performers shoot it out in a gun show. But there is more to this unique destination. Guests can also book The Murder, Mystery, and History Tour, a walking tour of Virginia City’s Main Street that explores the area’s historic landmarks and the legends of the town’s past.
Just across the street, the Washoe Club Museum and Saloon serves up drinks while also acting as a window into the town’s history. The saloon has been featured on shows like “Ghost Adventures” and is purportedly haunted by notorious figures, including Lena, the Lady in Blue, who is said to be spotted at the top of the spiral staircase. Guests take guided tours of all three floors of this historic site to learn more about its history, which dates back to its opening as a private club in 1875.
Stores
Guests in Virginia City will find plenty of unique spots to shop in between the many saloons that dot the street. The Silver Stope is the destination for anyone interested in Native American jewelry, though the shop also specializes in leather wear and souvenirs. Just steps to the south, the Comstock Rock Shop showcases stones and geodes for sale, including jewelry pieces. A little further south, guests can head to Rainbow Wooden Art for handcrafted wooden statues, including wooden ships, as well as metal art. And next door at Pops Country Collectibles, visitors to town can pick up souvenirs and collectibles to take home with them.
Nearby Towns
If you are in the Virginia City area, there are towns nearby that share a similar history. Nearby Carson City was first established as a community in 1858 and later thrived as a governmental, commercial, and transportation hub during the Comstock mining boom. Carson City became a center of freight and transportation. Today, historic sites like the Charles Hotel, which dates back to 1862, offer a glimpse into the Comstock-era history of western Nevada. Closer to Virginia City, Silver City sits just to the south, and both towns developed in close connection with mining activity along the Comstock Lode. Silver City preserves many of the remaining buildings that once made up the mining settlement.
A Gold Rush Destination
Virginia City is a unique destination that combines a walkable downtown with incredible historic sites. The saloons that run through the center of town are not just places to grab drinks but to get a glance into life in the 19th-century and the days of the Gold Rush. When you think of all the shopping, cultural spots, and entertaining events that also fill historic Virginia City, it becomes a go-to destination for those who want to stroll downtown.
