"It's even more beautiful than I remember it!"
I couldn't help but exclaim when we crested the hill and saw Carson Valley again. It had been too long.
A few years back, my love and I had seen this flawless valley, miles of green fields below gorgeous mountains still tipped with snow, as we stopped for gas while traveling to Reno. It was positively picture perfect. Instantly we decided we had to come back to Carson Valley.
I wanted to explore it all.
We invested recently in a four-wheeled hotel we can bring anywhere, anytime, so we set up at Carson Valley Inn RV Resort.
We wanted a spot with full hook-ups, plus other stuff to do on-site, and this place seemed ideal. Especially with its epic views, restaurant plus indoor pool and spa. And hey, if we decided to visit with Lady Luck, hopefully she's in there by the tables.
I was excited to return to the valley. It's just so extraordinarily beautiful. Plus, it's expansive...buildings aren't on top of each other, and neither are the people, so there's plenty of room to roam on our own. I was correct in thinking it would be the perfect place to explore safely during the pandemic.
Gazing out over Carson Valley deciding what to do first, we could imagine the pioneers rolling through with stagecoaches. We knew exactly why they chose to settle here. It must've seemed like paradise then, as it still does now.
So, backpacks stocked, reusable bottles ready to contain the best water we've ever tasted (seriously), we headed out to get the lay of the land.
Off we went, first stopping at Minden Meat and Deli down the street. My beer-loving partner read about the 31 brews they have on tap, along with their mouthwatering burgers and tri-tip sandwiches, so it was a must-stop.
It was like beer heaven in there, I almost couldn't tear him away. But we got our food to go. Being socially distant is important right now anyway, so we decided to get outside and eat in the fresh air.
Plus, I was eager to explore.
We picnicked at the Mormon Station State Historic Park in Genoa, which was established as a trading post for travelers in 1851. It was fun to eat where almost 200 years ago early settlers roamed.
Afterwards, I said, "Let's go learn about the area, there's an arts and antiques trail map we could follow." Perusing antiques and art could give us a bit of regional knowledge, I thought. "Maybe we'll find some treasures to bring home!"
We saw so many cool things; antique photos and ranching relics, local art, knick-knacks from long ago. The locals were so lovely, they told us stories about when Mark Twain used to hang out in the valley, and how the area was originally founded by brave pioneers.
Okay, yes, I got us a couple of souvenirs...couldn't help it.
"I want to check out Genoa, it's the first town in Nevada," my sweetheart shared. "And they say there's a haunted bar there we need to visit."
Nevada's "oldest thirst parlor," the Genoa Bar, was established in 1853 and indeed fascinating. We peeked inside at the antique paintings and photos, stained glass lamps, liquor signs and even some random clothing that lined the walls and ceiling. It seemed like time had stood still there, and they were very good times.
The vibe was fantastic. Right now, they're serving outside to keep everyone safe, and it was fun to feel like we'd fallen back in time on their historic patio.
Hungry again, we grabbed a table at The Pink House just down the street for dinner, another historic Genoa locale. It was precious! So charming…and delicious. They had a bunch of yummy-looking local foods in their shop we took home too.
Wiped out, we headed back to the RV to rest up for days two, three and four.
Rise and Shine! It was so quiet and peaceful at the resort, we slept like babies.
Starting out on day two, we got our caffeine fix down the street at Coffee on Main. It was some of the best coffee I'd ever had, roasted locally apparently, and their croissants were divine.
Reading about the 16-mile Genoa Trail System, we decided to tackle the approximately five-mile Discovery Trail. The panoramic views of the Carson Valley were absolutely breathtaking, as was the hike in places.
Green rolling hills for days, forest, creeks and rivers plus enormous mountains that looked dusted with powdered sugar. We were so hypnotized by the scenery and bird watching, we almost missed the herd of deer coming to check us out!
Next time we visit we're going to tackle the whole Sierra Canyon Trail.
Famished and tired from our hike, we decided to visit the quaint, historic restaurant we saw coming in, the J.T. Basque Bar and Dining Room. On our antiques tour yesterday, we learned that there was once a huge migration of Basque people in the area. Largely sheepherders, they settled in the valley, and this restaurant is a monument to their culture and cuisine. They even use locally sourced foods for their dishes, which I personally think is important.
After ordering their family-style dinner, which was served in several courses and includes pretty much anything we could think of, even wine and dessert, we were happily stuffed. It was a dining experience we'd never tried before, and absolutely decadent.
Someone yesterday told us about this little family-owned coffee shop in Gardnerville called DST Coffee, so we headed there. It was SO Nevada, we loved it! License plates lined the walls, and state mementos were everywhere, even in our cup, as they use coffee roasted in the region.
Afterwards, it was time for some snow play. We were in the High Sierra and near Lake Tahoe's many ski resorts, after all. We had made reservations the day before to do some skiing at Heavenly and wanted to lay eyes on Tahoe. It was a bluebird day, with great early season snow, and we could see for miles. But we missed our special valley and its peacefulness, so we headed back in the early afternoon.
We'd heard about the Overland Pub and Restaurant and their comfort foods, which we were aching for after the slopes.
It was in an historic Basque hotel built in 1902, and totally felt like it inside. After cruising through a bunch of starters like their fabulous beer-battered cheese curds, some smoked pork mac n' cheese and several of their draft beers, we were in a food coma and headed back to the RV for our third and final night.
I wanted to stay another week.
We packed up and checked out. I fought the sads, not wanting to leave yet. But there was more to explore before we headed to our actual home.
As we'd been indulging for days, we thought we'd grab something organic for lunch, so we grabbed a couple of yummy, fresh paninis and wraps from Abby Jo's Cafe Girasol, then made our way to the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center.
The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, designed by Frederic J. DeLongchamps, a famous architect. It was really interesting to go through the exhibits and have some knowledge of what they represented, since we'd been exploring the area for days. There was even one that replicated Gardnerville's Main Street in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Needing one final dose of history before heading home to the "real world" and our device dependence, we visited the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park. Seeing a working ranch built in 1857 was amazing. While the tours were closed, we wondered the beautiful grounds admiring the sweeping views of the valley. We even peeked into some of the buildings and learned more through the interpretive signs.
Instead, we returned to our trailer. It was far less dramatic than my vision.
Leaving Carson Valley, we were already making plans for our next trip. So, we stopped to discuss them over one more meal.
Sitting down at Thai Jasmine in Gardnerville, a place we kept hearing about, we began plotting our return.
"Next trip, we need to visit that awesome distillery we passed a couple of times, Bently Heritage. Their vodka and gin were so good, and the bartender said the grains were grown right there on the estate!"
"We need to bring our bikes next time too...and what about that other hike?"
"I didn't get enough shopping time in, there were so many cute little boutiques and galleries I wanted to check out!"
As we departed Carson Valley with its stunning panoramas in our rearview, we already had dates in mind to come back for summer. Hey, they say all four seasons are absolutely glorious, so it's like a new adventure every time!
