Self-Guided Driving Tour from Lake Tahoe to Virginia City
Description
Explore the mineral-rich towns that were at the center of Nevada‘s Silver Rush at your own pace. On this self-guided driving tour from South Lake Tahoe to Virginia City, you’ll travel back in time to the second half of the 1800s to find out how silver changed these towns’ fortunes forever. Starting in California, a short drive from the state line, this tour crosses high over Kingsbury Grade, and drops down into Douglas County, Nevada. Dramatically framed by the Carson Range of the Sierra Nevada, this county is home to the quaint town of Genoa, one of Nevada‘s first permanent settlements. From Genoa, you‘ll drive through Carson City, the state‘s capital, and pass one of Nevada‘s oldest towns, Silver City, before finishing our tour in the charming silver rush town of Virginia City. By the end of this tour, you‘ll have gained an understanding of the historical moments that shaped this industry and Nevada’s Silver Rush while driving through the sparkling landscape of the Silver State.
Tour Options
Itinerary
As you start this driving tour, you'll begin in the picturesque surroundings of South Lake Tahoe, nestled amidst the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains.
Pass by the Carson Valley Monument, a landmark that commemorates the natural beauty and historical significance of the Carson Valley region.
Cruise through the charming Town of Genoa, one of Nevada's earliest settlements, and soak in its historic ambiance as you journey through.
See the Mormon Station State Historic Park from the road, a site that preserves the rich history of early Mormon settlers in the region.
Drive by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where vintage locomotives and railroad artifacts tell the story of Nevada's railway history.
Pass through Carson City, the vibrant state capital of Nevada, and catch glimpses of its historic landmarks and cultural attractions from the road.
Drive past the Nevada State Capitol Building, symbolising Nevada's governance and political heritage.
Admire the Sears-Ferris House, an architectural gem that reflects Carson City's Victorian-era elegance.
Pass by Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, a historic place of worship that adds to the cultural tapestry of Carson City.
Catch a glimpse of the Orion Clemens House, associated with the famous Clemens family, including Mark Twain.
Drive by the Krebs-Peterson Mansion, a stately home that embodies Carson City's affluent past.
Drive past the Nevada Governor's Mansion, a grand residence that has housed the state's governors throughout history.
See the Bliss Mansion Historic Marker, which commemorates the historical significance of the Bliss Mansion in Carson City.
Drive past the Nevada State Museum, where exhibits showcase the diverse cultural and natural history of Nevada.
Catch a glimpse of Donovan Mill, a historic industrial site that played a vital role in Nevada's mining heritage.
Drive through Silver City, a historic mining town that bears testimony to Nevada's silver mining legacy.
Pass by Devil's Gate, a geological formation that adds intrigue to the landscape along your driving route.
Drive through Gold Hill, another historic mining town that contributes to the rich tapestry of Nevada's mining history.
Drive through Virginia City, a charming silver rush town that transports you back in time to the heyday of the Comstock Lode.
Pass by Chollar Mansion, a historic residence that reflects the opulence of Virginia City's prosperous era.
Catch a glimpse of Chollar Mine, an iconic mining operation that played a significant role in Virginia City's mining industry.
Drive past the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum, a well-preserved schoolhouse that offers insights into Nevada's educational history.
Drive by the Mackay Mansion Museum, a historic landmark associated with one of Nevada's prominent mining magnates.
Pass by the Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company, a historic railroad that once connected Virginia City to the rest of Nevada.
See Saint Mary In the Mountains, a historic church that stands as a testament to Virginia City's religious heritage.
End your tour at the Virginia City Visitor Center, a hub of information and resources for visitors exploring the historic town.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This 50-mile driving tour can be completed in about 2 hours without any stops.
- You may stop where you want, when you want, and for as long as you want.
- You can take this tour at any time, but daytime hours are best for this tour.
Reviews(24)
Amazing how well this works. Great historical information. Easy to understand and follow. I would recommend.
My sister and I visited in the off season, late May. Museums were closed and we were unable to visit at that time, but honestly, even during season they seem to be open only on limited days per week, so it might be hit or miss. We enjoyed the historical narration throughout the self-guided tour. Consider having someone “navigate” while the other drives because there are a couple of points where the narration may not give enough time for lane changes, turns, etc if you’re solo. For us, Genoa was the best stop. Specifically the tour at Mormon park. Maybe we just hit it lucky, but the ranger there the day we went was super knowledgable and interesting! Admission is now $1, and well worth it. The museum in town was also nice. Carson City was mostly drive-by narration about historical locations. Virginia City was very interesting. Heads up, there is no longer a Starbucks at the starting point, but it is in the Target parking lot. Love that the narration is based on geolocation. This tour is easy, flexible - you stop where you want and pass by what you don’t — and affordable. Win, in my opinion.
We had problems with the tour due to detours and closed roads and parking lots in both Varson City and Virginia City. Viator was very good about making sure that we had the app and tour set up, so it surprised me that we weren’t notified that there would be detours and closed roads/parking lots on the route and what to do when we encountered these obstacles.
Very well organized and the historical facts and stories of the area are great. The narrative is clear and easy to understand.
The directions and narrative was very good. The sites were wonderful and amazing. All good. The app followed the route and updated the directions.
Curvy & steep but paved mountain roads in places. Ate in Genoa at "Flutter & Buzz" & found it a charming cafe.
Excellent experience listening while driving to better understand the history of this great area. Thank you
Good information but we had lots of problems with the directions. They played too late in many cases and we would miss our turn. Yes... we drove at or under the speed limit.
Hi there, Thanks for your honest feedback, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the tour content. I’m sorry to hear that you had difficulties with the tour’s navigation. We provide a map to the tour on your screen, which is especially helpful in case you end up getting a little lost. We are contactable by both telephone and email, so if you have technical difficulties, please reach out to us so we can identify what is going wrong. Best, Helene
When we tried to use the ap on my phone in the car it would not play sound. We did read some of the scripts and enjoyed some time in Genoa.
Hi there, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your experience. Given what you’ve explained, it seems like you had some technical difficulties. When you were having technical difficulties, did you contact VoiceMap support via email or telephone? We are contactable by both telephone and email, so if you have technical difficulties, please reach out to us so we can identify what is going wrong. Again, I'm sorry about the poor experience you had. Best, Helene
We started out well but once in Genoa we were instructed to park and start walking around. We did not wish to do so and right away we were out of sync with the speaker. We stopped the tour but could not figure out how to get it to resume along our drive. We finally did so at silver city but then had a detour due to construction at the T&V train depot in Virginia City and got out of sync again so we gave up and stopped the tour completely. If this tour was real time GPS we don’t think we would have had these problems. In the alternative if this was a drive by only tour with no stops it would have been exceptional. Jeff Hickox
