Our pilot Stefan told us about the amazing flights that people took in the area, including some record-breaking flights in the US. As we planned for our trip, we quickly learned that Carson Valley is rated as the best place in the US to fly gliders. We didn’t know anything about glider planes or how they worked. Until recently, flying on a glider wasn’t on our bucket list. Fly High on a Glider Ride with Roaring NV It’s only 30 minutes away from Lake Tahoe, less than an hour away from Reno, and only 2-3 hours away from Yosemite National Park, Mono Lake, and Bishop.ġ. On top of all of that, Carson Valley makes an amazing home base for other destinations. It’s a beautiful area known for water sports and is also a great spot for camping. Topaz Lake was the one area we didn’t explore much (we’ll just save it for a future trip). They also hold different festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Everyone smiled and waved and Sue’s name was on every plaque in town. When we met up with local Sue Knight, it felt as if we were walking through the town of Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls.

Genoa, the first non-native settlement in Nevada, felt like the quintessential small town. These two towns are the heart of the area with delicious food spots, shops and boutiques, and all the convenient big box stores.Īs you explore, you’ll notice the historic buildings, which I highly recommend asking about, and hear stories of their pasts while enjoying what they’ve become. Some of the locals even call it Mindenville. Gardnerville and Minden blend into each other. It’s a hidden gem for sure.Ĭarson Valley is made up of four communities: Gardnerville, Genoa, Minden, and Topaz Lake. After visiting, we can see why so many people fell in love with the area and never left. It even includes the first established town.

After doing some research, we learned that although it’s close to Carson City, Carson Valley is the oldest region in Nevada. When Visit Carson Valley reached out to us about visiting, we weren’t able to point it out on a map.

1450 Airport Rd, Carson City, NV