We recently spent three and a half days exploring Minden, Nevada and the surrounding Carson Valley. Minden sits at about 4,700 feet at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It has a high desert feel, but the mountains dominate the landscape.
Why the Minden area:
Well, Annie and Sam did some research on different spots to visit and this area turned out to be one near the top of their list. Also, turns out Annie has a couple of friends with family in the area that love it there. And, in all honesty, I am looking to possibly get out of California. I love being in the mountains. Sitting at 4,700 feet you are looking up at mountains that range from 9,152 to 10,856 feet. The views are absolutely amazing. While there, we spent time in Minden, Genoa, Gardnerville, and we drove through Mottsville.
Where we stayed:
Rather than get an AirBnB like we might typically do, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express where the 88 and 395 highways meet. The best part of this place was one of the ladies that worked the front desk. She had a wealth of knowledge about the area and gave us some good ideas on places to check out and where to fish.
Where we fished:
Sam and I fished two mornings at a section of the East Fork Carson River. He had never fished a river before and had not fished for Rainbow Trout. He can now cross both of those off his list. We both caught some trout and had a great time doing it. One morning we got sprinkled on while we were fishing and heard a little thunder off in the distance. I loved it. Standing by the river. Fishing with my boy. Surrounded by mountains. It’s hard to ask for much more than that. The third morning we fished a pond that Sam found but we got skunked. We did see some nice sized trout in there but they apparently didn’t like our offerings, so it goes.
Places we went:
Overland Resaturant in Gardnerville: This place has an easy going vibe to it with great service, if you’re into that sort of thing. It was so good we ate there twice. That’s a pretty good sign.
The Corner Bar in Minden: It’s located in the downtown area about a block or so from a beautiful downtown park that had some reminders of the downtown Paso Robles Park as well as the Templeton Park. This building was originally a bank built in 1909. We enjoyed the drinks and we shared a pepperoni pizza, which was good. The lady that took care of us the three times (don’t judge) we went there was super friendly and helpful with places to go and gave us some general information about the vibe in the town.
Schat’s Bakery & Restaurant in Minden: We only went here once, but I would easily go back in, the food was great. If you go, don’t forget to grab some cookies to go. We did and they did not make it back to the hotel. This place is located kitty corner to The Corner Bar in Minden.
Big Daddy’s Bike & Brew in Gardnerville (apparently some call it G-Ville): This was a unique spot because it’s literally a bike shop where they sell and work on all kinds of bikes and it’s also a brewery. The owner was super cool and the vibe, again, was just easy going.
Shoe Tree Brewing Company in Minden: This spot was not on our radar but we decided to go last minute one afternoon and I’m glad we did. The guy working the corner (he may have been the owner) was super chill and we talked about baseball (I saw he was a Twins fan and I had a story about them). The beer was great and I dug their logo.
Genoa Bar (Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor – Since 1853) in, you guessed it, Genoa: Genoa is a tiny town right at the foothills of the big mountains and I can’t find the words to describe how beautiful it is. The Oldest Thirst Parlor was great. There’s a lot of cool stuff hanging inside, be sure to check it out (and buy a t-shirt, the three of us did).
CV Steak at Carson Valley Inn Casino in Minden: Okay, I have to start with this; I do not like being in casinos. They are dark and with all the bright neon lights and noise of the slot machines, it’s a bit too much for me. That said, the food was so good that I think I would endure the casino aspect again. The food was really that good.
Things we noticed:
Everywhere we went, with the exception of one spot I did not mention above, was super clean and everyone was very nice. The vibe in the places we went, and of the area in general, was so mellow and easy going. During the three and a half days we were there, I think I heard one car honk and saw what appeared to be one homeless guy. All the roads we drove on were pothole free, something I am not used to in California. Once you head away from the 88 and 395 it just seems and feels like another world.
Would we go back:
In short, absolutely. If we decided to move there, obviously I would be going back, but there is more homework to do on that front. If we did not move there I could still see us going back. Sam and I love to fish and there are many spots along the way there. There are also a lot of snowboarding opportunities around the area, which Sam would love and he’s been bugging me to try it too. So, in the end, we’ll see. For now, it was simply another fun adventure.
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