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Walking Tours

In normal years, HRPS' Walking Tours would begin on the first Saturday in May. As you are aware, 2020 has been an usual year and HRPS is concerned with everyone's safety during this COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason, we cancelled 2020 Walking Tours. Your good health is our utmost concern. Check back to see the status of 2021 future walks.

During July 2020, our tour guides, in cooperation with Artown, produced virtual walking tours which we were able to record. You will find links to the recordings under "Archives," "Stories" in the menu above.

Below is the list of our 27 current tours. Click on the arrows or the dots to the right to see descriptions of all the tours.

Beyond the Arches

Beyond the Arches Witness downtown Reno as it has reinvented itself for over 150 years. This tour links the downtown Reno arches with stories of the forces that shaped the town: railroad and mining, immigrants, the notorious divorce and gambling mecca — and now as a livable cultural hub. Walk in the footsteps of Bill Harrah, Myron Lake, Baby Face Nelson, Frederic DeLongchamps and others.

Bricks and Stones

Bricks and Stones Take a walk through the Humboldt and Lander Streets Neighborhood. Discover the architectural treasures of this area, a mix of bungalows, Tudor, mission revivals, and cottage styles.

Cemetery Tour

Cemetery Tour Join HRPS for an early evening visit to four of Reno's most historic cemeteries: Pythians, Hillside, The Grand Army of the Republic and the Hebrew Cemetery and "become acquainted" with some of their most notable residents.

Country Club Acres

Country Club Acres Take a stroll through an area of southwest Reno steeped in history from the 1920s and 30s. Hear about the original Reno Golf Club, Reno's first airfield and the luxurious, ill-fated Country Club. With the growing popularity of the Washoe Golf Course and the newly-created Virginia Lake, the early 1940s saw the rise of a new neighborhood created for suburban living. The sale of lots rather than homes ensured an eclectic mix of architectural styles and homes of all sizes.

Cultural Crossroads, East Side

Cultural Crossroads East Side Some call Lake Street "Paradise Lost" but we will recreate the vibrant neighborhoods of Chinatown, Little Italy and Basque life.

Cultural Crossroads, West Side

Cultural Crossroads, West Side Chinese herbal shops, Judaism's early days and a rich African-American heritage come alive on this tour. Includes an inside visit to the Lear Theater and the historic Bethel AME Church.

DeLongchamps Residential Architecture

DeLongchamps Residential Architecture This walk takes you on a neighborhood tour of homes, large and small, designed by Reno's notable architect, Frederic DeLongchamps. Hear about his life and what made him so unique to this area.

Downtown Church Tour

Downtown Church Tour Visit three of Reno's oldest and most architecturally significant downtown churches, Trinity Episcopal, First United Methodist Church and Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral.

Downtown Sparks

Downtown Sparks Learn about the history of the rail city with a guided walking tour of Victorian Square and Downtown Sparks. This interactive tour is designed to show how this area has transformed itself from a railroad hub, to a vibrant commercial district, to a rundown urban area and finally to a successful redevelopment area that has changed the image and future of the city.

El Reno Apartment Homes

El Reno Apartment Homes Visit the original site of these charming and unique homes and view seven of them at their new locations. Other examples of the Sierra Vista Addition architecture will be seen.

Inside DeLongchamps Downtown

Inside DeLongchamps Downtown Go behind the scenes in some of downtown's most notable buildings designed by Reno's most celebrated architect, Frederic DeLongchamps. Visit the interiors of the historic courthouse, the Downtown Post Office and the Vacchina Apartments on California Avenue, along with several artist lofts at the Riverside.

The Lake Addition

The Lake Addition Meander through one of Reno's earliest additions, past divorce-trade dwellings, Victorian and ultra-modern architecture. Nowhere in Reno is the contrast between old and new more evident. Includes a stop at the Historic Lake Mansion.

Literary Reno

Literary Reno Take a Tour of Writing from the "Underbelly." There's more to Reno's literary history than "City of Trembling Leaves!" Reno continues to be a mythical magnet for 'outsider' writers and characters. The misfits, outcasts and seekers. Let your imagination roam as we travel downtown streets encountered by traditional writers like Will James, Robert Laxalt and Joanne de Longchamps, then walk the haunts of contemporary writers such as Bernie Schopen, Willy Vlautin and Susan Palwick.

Mansions on the Bluff

Mansions on the Bluff Walk past historical Reno homes located on Court, Ridge and upper California streets. Learn about the senators and merchants who made early Reno The Biggest Little City in the World.

Midtown Business District

Midtown Business District Take a walk through the emerging Midtown District and see how this area has changed over the past 100 years from a quiet country road lined with large homes to a bustling business district. The Midtown area has continually reinvented itself to adapt to the changing needs of our city. Learn about the exciting businesses and people that once occupied the familiar buildings you see today.

Midtown Residential

Midtown Residential Join us for a walk along shady streets in a quiet neighborhood comprising several early additions: the Litch Addition, part of the original 72-acre Litch Ranch, the McCarthy Addition and the Sierra Vista Addition. All of these were established around the turn of the 20th century. The homes are an eclectic mix of styles, most dating from the 1920s through the 1940s. A portion of this neighborhood could be considered yet another "Little Italy!"

Monroe Street

Monroe Street Stroll along Monroe and Joaquin Miller Streets, savoring the history and architecture of this lovely residential area south of the Newlands Neighborhood. You will see the Hart House, the Patrick Ranch House, Greystone Castle, and other homes.

Movie Footprints in Reno

Movie Footprints in Reno Walk in the footsteps of Marilyn Monroe, Kirk Douglas, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren and more. The tour covers downtown Reno's rich filming history inspired by divorce, gambling and the city's distinct look in such movies as "The Misfits," "Cobb," "Sister Act," and "Love Ranch."

Newlands Neighborhood

Newlands Neighborhood Enjoy an architectural walk through one of Reno's oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods. Newlands Heights Historic District has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Parsons & Mills Architecture

Parsons & Mills Architecture Stroll one of Reno's most unique neighborhoods to view some designs of Reno architects Edward Parsons and Russell Mills, who sometimes collaborated on designs. Hear about the families who first lived in these homes.

Prohibition in Reno

Prohibition in Reno We have turned back the clocks to the 1920s and 1930s. We will walk streets and alleys and visit significant buildings, recalling Reno's saloons and reformers (the WCTU and Anti-Saloon League). You might even get to see a dignitary from Reno's past.

Truckee River All the Time

Truckee River All the Time See Reno's relationship with the Truckee over time, learn of the great floods and of Reno's architectural heritage, hear the Voice of the City, observe how the HRPS Walks relate to the Truckee and the history of Reno.

Truckee River Walk

Truckee River Walk Stroll along the Truckee River from the McKinley Arts and Cultural Center to the Lear Theater and see eclectic architecture grounded by rich political histories and spiced with colorful anecdotes.

UNR Historic District

UNR Historic District Visit Morrill Hall, Mackay School of Mines and the Keck Museum to learn the history of this beautiful campus.

Upper Ralston/Northern Little Italy

Upper Ralston/Northern Little Italy Enjoy a walk in a residential neighborhood with a mix of architectural styles. Proximity to the University has traditionally determined the mix of residents, professors and students alike.

Wells Avenue Neighborhood

Wells Avenue Neighborhood Take a stroll through a working-class neighborhood along the path of the Wells Avenue streetcar, across the V&T tracks, and past the homes of the "Thoma Street Gang."

West of Wells

West of Wells Discover an often overlooked treasure trove of fascinating Reno history. Join us as we walk the neighborhood West of Wells Avenue, along the former path of the V&T railroad. Experience unusual architecture unique to this neighborhood and learn the history of the colorful characters who gave birth to Reno's neighborhood on the other side of the tracks.