2019 Convention - Getting There, part 2
By Dave and Shelia Nickerson
July 17-20, 2019, Reno Nevada
In our great nation, we have many natural wonders. This is especially true out west where the Rocky Mountains rise up from the Great Plains and become the Continental Divide. Tremendous national parks, including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and Rocky Mountain National Park, are to the north, and Yosemite, Mesa Verde, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park are to the south.
Beyond the Continental Divide are the Grand Canyon states with their wind and water carved wonders. Utah is host to five of the most picturesque national parks our country has to offer: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. Add a week to your convention trip and tour Utah. Fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, and return the car when you get to Reno. A road trip suggested by National Geographic can be found by going to https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/united-states/utah-national-parks/.
Yosemite, one of the West’s top attractions, is three-hour drive from Reno. Lodging is available in Lee Vining and June Lake. From there you can visit central Nevada’s Bodie Ghost Town, Mono Lake, June Lake Loop, Mammoth Mountain, and Devils Postpile. Yosemite round-trip bus service on YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) is offered three times daily from Mono County. Fare includes the park entrance fee, and YARTS connects with free park shuttles inside Yosemite. (www.yarts.com and https://tinyurl.com/y5o7c9hn) Winding up the eastern side of the Sierra Mountain Range on Highway 120, you will cross Tioga Pass at an elevation of 9,960 feet. Without the crowds from the valley, the eastern entrance with wild Tuolumne Meadows, Lembert Dome, Cathedral Lakes, and Tioga Pass is a true Yosemite experience. From here it is another ninety minutes down into the Yosemite Valley. It is highly recommended to park and take the shuttle buses.
Within the Reno vicinity are many vacation opportunities from which to choose. Incredible Lake Tahoe sits at an elevation of 6225 feet and is only twenty-two miles away. With a maximum depth of 1,645 feet, Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States and the tenth deepest in the world. The lake water is 99.994% pure, giving it beautiful color and clarity.
Northern Nevada is very picturesque with a rich history of fortunes made in the gold and silver mines and ghost towns left behind when the strikes ran dry. Virginia City, one of the largest historical districts in the country, invites visitors to step back in time. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in the late 1800s made this mining town a booming metropolis with more than 25,000 residents. Carson City is the capital of Nevada. In its center, the 19th-century Nevada State Capitol Building features a grand silver cupola. Housed in the former Carson City Mint, the Nevada State Museum features an underground mine, a mammoth skeleton, and a coin press from the 1800s.
> When you arrive in Reno for convention, you will be treated to a resort experience at The Peppermill with its restaurants, music, pool, spa, casino, and so much more! The special rate of $129 plus tax per day for guest rooms is available from July 11 through July 24. Convention dates are Wednesday, July 17, through Saturday, July 20. Both four-day and two-day convention registrations will again be offered. More information about the Tuesday, July 16, pre-tour will follow. Hotel reservations may be made now by going to https://book.passkey.com/e/49750288. Both smoking and non-smoking guest rooms are available. Be sure to click on which one you want. The hotel will be very busy in July, so opportunities to make changes to your reservation will probably be limited.
We have but scratched the surface of possible vacation opportunities open to you on your way to Reno. Start planning your trip today!¯
