Reno Arch to Truckee River: Self-Guided Audio Tour

Walk Reno's contradictions on your own pace, from the Arch through a century of boom and bust.

A self-guided audio tour of downtown Reno starting at the Arch and following the Truckee River Walk, covering the city's history as a glitzy desert town, divorce capital, and the way trains and mining reshaped it. The tour runs 45 minutes to an hour and works on location or at home with offline audio and maps. You control the pace and can pause or skip stops as you go.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided walking tour of Reno downtown

• Start near the Reno Arch
• Walk along Truckee River Walk
• Pass Pioneer Center for Performing Arts
• Pass Old Reno Arch on Lake Street

The experience

How much of Reno's real story would you miss if you just walked past the landmarks? This self-guided audio tour starts at the Reno Arch and threads through downtown, stopping at the places where the city's identity actually formed. You'll hear about the 12-floor brick building that was demolished, the bridge where the whole town started, and the extinct species of huge fish that used to swim through what is now downtown Reno. The tour also covers Reno's unlikely fame as the divorce capital of America, and how trains, highways, and mining changed everything.

You download the VoiceMap app to your phone and follow the audio as you walk, with GPS triggering each stop as you reach it. The app includes offline access to the audio, maps, and geodata, so you don't need a data connection once you've downloaded the tour. If you'd rather stay home, VoiceMap's Continuous Play function lets you listen through the whole tour without GPS, so you can preview it or revisit it from your couch. The tour takes 45 minutes to an hour depending on how long you linger at each stop.

You'll pass the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts and the Old Reno Arch on Lake Street as the route follows a portion of the Truckee River Walk. The tour is lifetime access in English once you download it, so you can come back to it on future visits to Reno without paying again.

What’s included

• VoiceMap app access for Android and iOS.
• lifetime access to the tour in English.
• offline audio, maps, and geodata so you can walk without a data connection.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours

Is this one for you?The self-guided format means you walk at your own pace and stop whenever something catches your interest, so it works whether you have 45 minutes or want to spend an hour lingering at a few stops. English audio commentary guides you through each location, and you control when to move on.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can I do this tour if I don't have a smartphone or headphones?

No. The tour requires a smartphone with the VoiceMap app installed and headphones or a speaker to hear the audio commentary as you walk.

What happens if I run out of battery or lose my internet connection while I'm walking?

The tour works offline once you've downloaded it, so you won't lose the audio, maps, or GPS playback if your connection drops. You'll need enough battery to power your phone for the 45-minute to one-hour walk.

Does the tour include entry to museums or attractions along the way?

No. The tour is audio commentary and walking directions only. Any museums or attractions you want to enter along the route require separate admission tickets.

What's the extinct fish the tour mentions?

The tour covers the natural history of the area, including an extinct species of large fish that once inhabited what is now downtown Reno before the landscape changed with development and the river's course.

Can I do this tour with young children?

Yes. Infants need to sit on an adult's lap, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You set the pace and can stop whenever you need to.