Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Visit Carson City. Although our family is hosted at events and attractions in exchange for my time and efforts in attending and reporting my opinion within this blog, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.
Do you love weekend getaways? Do you love family road trips? If you answered yes, then you need to check out Carson City Nevada. Our family was invited for a weekend getaway to Carson City, Nevada. Carson City is a quick drive, just a little over two hours from our home in the Sacramento area. It was a beautiful and scenic drive, during which you get to take in the beauty of Lake Tahoe. Carson City is the capital of Nevada which is called the Silver State. Carson City is rich with history and beautiful architecture, we had an absolutely lovely time exploring this city.
While there are quite a bit of casinos, which Nevada is known for, there is also plenty of family-friendly adventures to be had. Our first stop was the Nevada State Museum, located in downtown Carson City at 600 N. Carson Street. Admission is FREE for kids 17 and under and Adults are only $10. The Museum is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Wednesday through Saturday.
There are three floors to explore at the Nevada State Museum, there was so much history to take in! Everyone in your family is sure to find their favorite here. I loved reading about the Hoover Dam especially since we recently visited and I also loved all the information on Women in History. I don't want to give all the details away, but I will tell you your kiddos will have a blast here. This was honestly a unique experience learning about what makes Nevada special. We learned about so many remarkable characters who blazed new paths and helped Nevada grow as a state and in many ways helped our entire nation.
One of our favorite parts was walking through the underground mine exhibit. Our boys loved exploring every nook and cranny. My youngest is six and he loves reading, I loved watching him read all the facts at each exhibit. I sure hope my kiddos will take their kids here one day and tell them about the time they visited. Our other favorite part was learning about Nevada's changing earth and all animals, there are a ton of animal replicas including a life-size mammoth. The Nevada State Museum is celebrating 80 years, very cool! Before your visit, be sure to check out upcoming events and exhibits online or on social media, you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.
After spending the morning at the Nevada State Museum, we went to lunch at Vino's Pizza. Located at 3228 N. Carson Street. The Pizza was delicious and the service was great. The Pizzas are cooked brick oven style, they also have salads, sandwiches, and a great selection of appetizers. Everything here is handmade and fresh.
After lunch, we headed to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. The Railroad Museum is located at 2180 South Carson Street. Admission is FREE for kids 17 and under and Adults are only $8, having free admission for kids is such a nice treat especially for large families. The Museum is open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM Thursday through Monday. This Museum is on the smaller side, especially if you are used to the large Sacramento Railroad Museum, but still worth the visit. There are trains both inside and outside the Museum to explore and a train ride is available for an additional small fee.
You can ride a train right at the Museum. Train Rides leave the Wabuska Depot, right at the Museum property entrance, and loops around the Museum grounds, on the train ride you will learn about the train's history. Tickets for the train ride are sold separately at the Train Depot, children 3 years old and under are free, children 4-11 years old are $4 and ages 12 and older are $8.
If you visit in December they have a special Santa Train experience! December 4th and 5th, 11th and 12th, and 18th and 19th. It is only $5 per person and children 2 and under sitting on a lap are FREE. The Santa Train runs every 30 minutes from 10 AM to 3 PM. You will take a ride on the Santa Train featuring historic equipment from the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. You get to visit with Santa Claus and receive a candy can aboard the train. You can also write a letter to Santa at the "Letters to Santa" table and much more. Masks are required on the train and inside all the buildings. Please note a limited amount of tickets are available for purchase in advance at the front desk for each weekend. Walk-Up tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Boarding time is 15-minutes before Departure time. For the most up-to-date information visit the website or follow them on Facebook @NSRMCC.
After our fun exploring at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, we went to our hotel to check-in. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, located at 4055 North Carson Street. We had a spacious suite that is perfect for families.
My boys were so excited to see an indoor swimming pool, especially since it is cold in November and they already miss summer swimming. Our boys quickly unpacked so they could go jump in the heated indoor pool. The Holiday Inn Express had a nice lobby area, they have complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary coffee, and they have a continental breakfast available.
The manager Gerald Garcia and the entire staff were super friendly and helpful. They went above and beyond when it comes to hospitality. We received a generous gift basket from the hotel staff, with a handwritten card, which was so very thoughtful as well as from Visit Carson City. We were gifted the most beautiful and tasty chocolates from Moondance Chocolates. The suite we were in had two queen beds, a pullout couch bed, and lounge chairs. This spacious room was extremely helpful since we have four children. I highly recommend staying at the Carson City Holiday Inn Express on your next visit. While the hotel has been there for over twenty years, it has been updated. Check-in is at 3 PM, check-out is at 11 AM, and parking is free!
After spending some time enjoying the indoor swimming pool we rested for a bit and then headed to dinner. We went to Sassafras an eclectic food joint located at 1500 Old Hot Springs Road. They are open Tuesday through Saturday 11 AM to 8 PM. When we first pulled into the parking lot, it looked packed and we thought we might have to wait a while. To our surprise, we were immediately seated. The parking lot is shared with the popular Hot Springs, so that is why it looked so packed. I loved the eclectic décor and loved my burger, made fresh with certified Angus beef, it was so delicious, I ordered onion rings as my side. Next time I visit I want to try their Asian-style chicken tacos which are served on jicama instead of tortillas. I also want to try their Lamb Burger, yum! The ketchup and ranch tasted homemade, I am not for sure they are homemade or maybe they add something to make it different, but definitely fits the atmosphere. With an expansive and diverse menu, your group should have no problem finding something that fits their fancy.
After dinner, we went to the Polar Express! This was our first time, riding the Polar Express train ride. This is a whole Christmas experience, it definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit. If you have not heard of the Polar Express experience, you get to ride the Polar Express train to the North Pole. You board the festive train with your golden ticket in hand, the train is decked out in Christmas décor. Keep your golden ticket handy, as it is punched once you are on board. You receive hot chocolate and a cookie while the story is narrated and actors help bring the story alive on the train ride. The hot chocolate was the perfect temperature, not too hot, and the sugar cookie was really yummy. On our train ride, they asked for two helpers to be reindeers, our youngest volunteered and he had so much fun dancing to the Christmas music and being part of the show. The train arrives at the North Pole and you see the lighted and festive area, elves happily wave to you through the window, you see Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Santa boards the train for the ride back. Santa Claus passes out silver sleigh bells as keepsakes. You get to chat with Santa and take photos before you arrive back at the train station.
We dressed in our Christmas matching pajamas, and my kiddos were so grateful we were not the only family in our family Christmas pajamas. It was so fun seeing other families in their matching pajamas, and others in warm cozy Christmas attire. With the VIP package, we received a keepsake ceramic Polar Express mug with our hot cocoa and a Polar Express gift bag. With all the packages everyone receives hot cocoa and a cookie. I will say the Polar Express experience is a little on the pricey side, especially for larger families, but I think it is such a fun experience, one your kiddos are sure to remember, it definitely creates those memorable family moments. This would be a fun experience to do with cousins, grandparents and grandkids a whole family Christmas experience.
Before lining up for the train ride, you can peruse the gift shop areas, they have heat lamps outside to help keep you warm. If you are a Polar Express fan, you will be enthralled with all the fun merch they have. Part of the show starts right when you are in line before boarding, which helps build the excitement before boarding the train. We were in a VIP room, they have private rooms available which are perfect for families and friends to go together. These tickets sell out so fast, they are already sold out for this Christmas season. You definitely want to plan ahead and purchase your tickets as soon as they are available. The Polar Express train experience is about one-hour, you do have to arrive early. Parking near the train station is $15 or you can park for free at the Gold Dust West Casino and take the free shuttle to the station.
After a restful sleep, we started our Saturday morning with breakfast at Mom and Pop's Diner, which is right in the heart of downtown Carson City. WOW! The breakfast was AMAZING! Everything everyone ordered was delicious, and I especially love that it is locally owned and operated. The customer service was outstanding, just like all the food. You know that is one of my favorite things about everywhere we went in Carson City, you met locals. Even at all the Museums, most of the staff is all-volunteer staff, huge shoutout to all the amazing people who volunteer, volunteers rock! You serve your city and bring so much joy. Know that you make a difference and impact beyond what you know. Back to breakfast, I ordered the Nachos Scrambled eggs with chorizo, fried tortillas, and cheese, similar to Migas. It came with hash browns and toast, all the serving sizes were large. My kiddos loved their french-toast and hot chocolate. One of our sons ordered the kids' menu pancake and it was a large Mickey-shaped pancake. I highly recommend you visit Mom and Pop's Diner, we were too full to try their homemade cinnamon rolls, but we saw one brought out and it was HUGE! After I saw how good it looked I wish we would have ordered one to go, on or next visit we will!
After breakfast, we walked around downtown and looked at the many shops, and took in the beauty and character of all the buildings. I could have walked around the historic downtown area all day, there are plenty of benches to sit and people watch.
While downtown we visited the Carson City Capitol building located at 101 North Carson Street, let me just say this is a MUST do! They have FREE tours from 9 AM to 3 PM. You can take a self-guided tour, or enjoy learning more with another amazing volunteer! Upstairs in the Battle Born Hall is where my kiddos spent a ton of time, they have a really unique hands-on museum. Our kiddos were able to use a stamp to create a seal to take home with you. After learning about coin minting the kids were able to do a pencil rubbing of a coin. They had fun trying Morse Code, the Battle Born Hall is so fun and interactive. Our kiddos had fun reading about Nevada and quizzing each other. We easily spent over an hour upstairs, there are benches in the room, since our kiddos were having such a good time exploring and going over some of the stations multiple times, I just sat and watched them, I was really surprised at how much fun they had here. Since Christmas is around the corner at the time of our visit the outside is very festive with Christmas décor and they were adding more while we were there.
After touring the Capitol building we drove over to the Governor's Mansion, located at 606 Mountain Street. It makes for a great photo and again, I love taking in the beauty of the buildings. I love driving through the neighborhood and looking at all the homes with such character and charm. On a sign near the Governor's Mansion it says the following:
Reno Architect George A. Ferris designed this neoclassical, mansion, which cost $22,700. It is the only home ever built for Nevada's highest elected official. In July 1909, acting Governor Denver Dickerson and his wife Una became the first residents of the mansion. Two months later, June Dickerson was born here. From 1909 to 1999, sixteen families have occupied the mansion. In 2000, first lady Dema Guinn began a revitalization of the grounds. Private funds supported many of the improvements, including this fence extension donated by steel engineers, Inc., Las Vegas, and Blue Mountain Steel, Inc. Carson City.
During our weekend trip, we also made stops along Kit Carson Trail, Kings Canyon, Carson River Park, and Bowers Mansion Regional Park. There are a ton of great trails, and beautiful scenic areas to enjoy nature. We did a quick Friday-Saturday trip, and it was packed full of family-friendly adventures. We did not even have time to take a dip in the very popular Hot Springs. We will definitely have to schedule another visit and enjoy the Hot Springs. Although we packed quite a bit in, we sadly ran out of time to take in everything that Carson City has to offer.
Before getting back on the road to drive home, we stopped at Red's Old 395 Grill. This is another fun restaurant, so many things to look at inside. You can smell the yummy BBQ from the parking lot. Everything our family ordered, everyone enjoyed, we shared two delicious desserts the brownie sundae and the cheesecake. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and my husband the brisket grilled cheese, so yummy.
Our family loves to travel, I understand it takes a little more planning with kids but it is totally worth it. I did not get to travel a lot growing up as a kid, but some of the most memorable moments from my childhood are the adventures we did take. I encourage you to go on adventures with your kids, it is one of the best ways to learn not only history but about people, and our beautifully diverse country. If you are single don't let that keep you from traveling, go on adventures with friends. If your kids are grown and you are an empty nester, continue to go on adventures as a couple, I love traveling with my husband. There is so much beauty all around us, life is so short and each day truly is a gift, make memories, enjoy every single day. If you are near Nevada,, or happen to be driving through, plan a trip to visit Carson City you are sure to find many things to explore and enjoy.
We loved seeing families on the Polar Express making memories, we also loved seeing couples with no kids, and we saw single people having the time of their life taking selfies with Santa. You only get to live once, get out, and enjoy our beautiful country, there is so much to see! Traveling does not have to break the bank, you can travel on a budget, find places with FREE admission like the many museums in Carson City, Nevada. Going on hikes at Kings Canyon and enjoying the fresh air and nature at Carson River Park and Bowers Mansion Regional Park was all FREE.
Thank you to Visit Carson City for inviting our family to enjoy your beautiful city! We are extremely grateful to all our readers and social media followers who support our blog and family adventures. We love sharing our family fun with you and hope to inspire you to get out and explore with your family!
You can see videos of our recent visit on my Instagram stories, and I will be uploading more videos soon to our YouTube and TikTok! If you have family near Nevada, please share this blog post with them, I hope it helps them in planning a trip to Carson City, Nevada.