"The Biggest Little City in the World" has grown from the days in the 1920s and 1930s when it was the destination for hundreds of ladies looking for Reno-vation, a "quickie" divorce that required only 6 weeks of residence before "freedom." As a result, a goodly number of small Western "dude" ranches made a specialty of the 6-week stay, providing outdoor activities such as horseback riding, hiking, and swimming, and the nighttime excitement of rustic casinos. The town remained pretty much the same, even after the divorce boom petered out, until the late 1970s, when large casino-hotel resorts were built and the city grew to its present population of 207,000, with the adjacent town of Sparks adding another 90,000. The gambling may have arrived in force, but don't mistake this area for Las Vegas; if you're looking for a fantasy world of exotic casino-hotels you're in the wrong end of the state. In Reno the gaming action is only a part of the experience. Sure, you can have a great time gambling here 24 hours a day year-round, but it's the heady combination of hotel bargains, great restaurants, outdoor activities, and close proximity to Lake Tahoe that make Reno a fun and affordable tourist destination.
