Rolling Out the Red Carpet in Reno

Reno Tahoe offers a fresh experience—with a new territory to discover and authentic adventures to try—for attendees of ABA’s Marketplace, Jan. 10–13, 2026.

“As a gateway to the historic American West and the great outdoors, Reno Tahoe is the perfect destination for group travel,” says Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Mike Larragueta. “We are thrilled to welcome ABA Marketplace to Northern Nevada for the first time ever, and we cannot wait to roll out the red carpet for the American Bus Association’s 100th anniversary celebration.” 

As one of the best places to live in America, Reno Tahoe is a geographically and economically diverse destination, built on natural beauty, epic annual events, luxury, grit, excitement, and relaxation. In 2024, visitors described Reno Tahoe as “vibrant,” “spirited,” “outdoorsy,” and “family friendly.” Northern Nevada is “a place to live life to its fullest,” they said. 

From the largest alpine lake in North America to one of the largest wild horse populations in the country, Reno Tahoe is wild. Desolate hot springs hide (or are hidden) throughout the desert and mountainous landscapes. Sheer slopes and rocky ravines are now tame and manicured, providing a diverse and challenging assortment of golf courses sprinkled throughout the region. And the rushing Truckee River, as it runs 114 miles from the mouth of Lake Tahoe to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, has been reimagined as a place of gathering and commerce in the heart of downtown Reno.

From Jan. 10–13, Reno Tahoe will be rolling out the red carpet for ABA’s 2026 Marketplace. Attendees will find picture-perfect views and new adventures at this four-season resort destination.

The Great Reno Balloon Race will be held Sept. 5–7 and is the world’s largest free hot-air balloon event.

The iconic Reno Rodeo held each June has something for groups of all ages, including the rodeo competition, a carnival, kick-off concert, and Western marketplace.

Whether you’re hiking, biking, or simply enjoying a sunset, Lake Tahoe offers beautiful views.

Every August, the streets of Reno-Sparks get loud with the sounds of classic cars during Hot August Nights.

When Marketplace attendees fly into the Reno-Tahoe International Airport in January 2026, they’ll get to see firsthand the renovations that are transforming the travel experience.

Each of Reno Tahoe’s three Marketplace host hotels has its own unique amenities and convenient location, such as the award-winning spa at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.

Step back in time to an 1800s mining town when you visit Virginia City. Take a tour of a mine, ride the scenic Virginia & Truckee Railroad, explore the museums, and dine in an authentic Old West saloon.

Reno Events

Hundreds of events line the Reno Tahoe calendar, inviting groups to join in the celebration of traditions, old and new.

For more than 100 years, the Reno Rodeo has embodied the Western spirit of perseverance and excitement. The 10-day event is held each June at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. The “Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West” hosts 140,000 spectators each year, featuring roping, riding, bucking and, a local favorite, Mutton Bustin’ (an event similar to bull riding in which children ride sheep). 

The Great Reno Balloon Race in September is the largest free hot-air balloon festival in the world. Nearly 100 balloons ascend for more than 100,000 spectators over the course of the three-day event. Dawn Patrol kick off the event before sun-up with the famous Super Glow Show, before the morning light makes it possible for the safe Mass Ascension Launch of the remaining balloons.

Along with the various fare found in Reno Tahoe, more than two-dozen cooks from around the country haul their smokers to Victorian Square in Sparks each August for the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off. The entire downtown Sparks area, near The Nugget Casino Resort, is completely closed off during a week-long event that includes live music, candy apples, funnel cake, and more than 100 tons of ribs. The best ribs will be voted on by more than 100,000 attendees, and the smell of victory is just one of many in the air. 

More than 6,000 classic cars and specialty vehicles line the streets and casino parking lots during the nearly two-week event of Hot August Nights. A harkening to the golden era of U.S. car manufacturing, Hot August Nights is a celebration of classic rock ‘n’ roll and Americana. 

Reno Arts and Culture

In addition to the month-long Artown celebration each July (and the fact that Reno Tahoe is the literal gateway to the Burning Man festival), the arts have always been an element of life in Northern Nevada. The Nevada Museum of Art is the only accredited art museum in Nevada. Although the museum is currently undergoing a $60 million expansion, it still features nearly a dozen rotating exhibits. Through January 11, the museum is featuring a long-form exhibit spanning 250 million years. “Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada” features fossils from around the world, highlighting the impressive dominance of the ichthyosaur, a prehistoric marine predator which roamed the ancient seas. 

The National Automobile Museum is home to more than 200 historic vehicles. We’re not talking about “classics” so much as one-of-a-kind and industry-defining vehicles and educational experiences that are engaging for car enthusiasts as well as the uninitiated. The National Automobile Museum is regularly listed as a Top 5 auto museum anywhere in country. 

Reno Outdoors

Reno Tahoe is an active destination any time of year, boasting the highest concentration of world-class ski resorts in North America, offering more than 180 lifts and 500 unparalleled runs, many with views of stunning Lake Tahoe. Mt. Rose is the most urban-facing resort, just 25 minutes from downtown Reno, and has the highest base elevation of any Tahoe-area ski resort at 8,260 feet. Most ski resorts in the area are within an hour’s drive of Reno-Tahoe International Airport. With its unrivaled access to skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and sledding, it’s no surprise that Reno Tahoe was Outside Magazine’s “Ultimate Basecamp” for its “2025 Winter Ski Guide Gear Test.”

“It must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords,” Mark Twain wrote of Lake Tahoe, dubbed the Jewel of the Sierra.

This testament holds true in winter and in summer, although summer temperatures and accessibility lend to far greater activity. About 40 minutes southwest of Reno, North Lake Tahoe and the surrounding majestic mountains invite visitors to hike the trails, relax on the dock, traverse the 12-mile-wide, 22-mile-long lake by paddle-wheeler, or simply sit along the shore on one of the many sandy beaches. North Lake Tahoe is a spectacular outdoor destination suited for visitors of all ages and offers endless recreational activities year-round.

Reno Takes Flight

One of the most impressive improvements to tour and travel in Northern Nevada is reflected in a $1 billion total renovation of the region’s premier access point, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Two years into the largest public infrastructure project in Reno history, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport has completed a total re-design of its terminal access road, as well as an expansion of its ticketing hall. The service area expansion added 10,000 square feet of space, enhancing operational efficiency, additionally redefining the passenger experience with a public art installation spanning 450 feet. 

“The MoreRNO program is transforming the airport travel experience by building critical infrastructure that will have a lasting impact on our region,” says Daren Griffin, president/CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. “A key project under this infrastructure program is the new Ground Transportation Center. This new facility will not only modernize our current ground transportation services and operations, but it will also enhance efficiency, convenience, and support future needs and advancements.”

Conrac Solutions is set to begin construction in 2026 on the highly anticipated Ground Transportation Center slated for completion in 2028. The largest and final piece of the MoreRNO project will eventually replace all aircraft gates and both terminals, which have been in operation since 1980.

The airport expansion is a crucial piece to the future of travel in Northern Nevada. Reno-Tahoe International Airport added more than 250,000 airline seats in 2024, compared to the prior year. Last year was the busiest in RTAA history, and the airport is projecting another 5 percent increase in 2025. Additional routes included Delta Air Lines’ nonstop service to Atlanta, seasonal upgrades from United Airlines to nonstop Chicago O’Hare service, and additional markets including Southwest’s expansion into Austin and plans for more nonstop service to Denver and Las Vegas with the return of Frontier Airlines. 

Reno Welcomes ABA

ABA’s 2026 Marketplace will be held at the 600,000-square-foot Reno-Sparks Convention Center, just 10 minutes from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The RSCC has earned the Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR accreditation and continues to make major investments in improving the customer experience. From Wi-Fi to energy-efficient LED lighting and from carpeting to locally commissioned murals, Reno Tahoe’s largest meetings and events venue is modern and inviting. 

Three host hotels for ABA Marketplace offer an array of accommodations, from a short 10-minute shuttle ride to a scenic walk across an enclosed sky bridge. Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is a Forbes Four-Star-Awarded resort and a AAA Four Diamond designee, with a world-class spa, top-rated restaurants and newly designed rooms and public spaces. Peppermill Resort Spa Casino completed tower room renovations last summer and is also home to a top-rated spa and multiple restaurants. The Peppermill is one of the only resorts in the country utilizing on-site geothermal energy to heat its water and public spaces, a remarkable demonstration of ingenuity in Reno Tahoe. The Nugget in nearby Sparks is one of the many local resorts which began as a small family business and flourished into a hub for tourism, entertainment, and gaming, the industry that makes Reno Tahoe a top destination for millions of visitors each year. 

Reno Community

Sustainability initiatives throughout Reno Tahoe focus on protecting the lake, education, and common-sense approaches to personal responsibility. Visitors are viewed as short-term residents who can easily take part in caring for the destination as they hike a few of the thousands of miles of trails, fly fish along the banks of the Truckee River, and eat local. Preserving this environment for residents and future visitors is just that easy. 

As each individual resident or visitor is connected through a shared human experience, communities throughout the Tahoe Basin are likewise not disparate. Connected by purpose and proximity, the Lake Tahoe regions of Incline Village and Crystal Bay reside in Washoe County, along with the urban areas of Reno and Sparks. The greater Reno Tahoe community provides access to historical group tour opportunities like the mining town of Virginia City, as well as agricultural and wine and spirits experiences from Carson City to Minden. More and more, these unique features have provided a culture that makes visitors feel at home and invested in Northern Nevada.

“Reno Tahoe is absolutely who we are,” says Larragueta. “It is our home. It is our playground. We are a broad but tight-knit community that aggressively enjoys the activities, events, and excitement of the city, while knowing that we can retreat to quiet seclusion by a lake or stream in the forest or the desert. We respect the connection we have with one another, but we’re also fiercely independent and proud of who we are and where we come from. Reno Tahoe is truly a microcosm of the freedoms and responsibilities associated with the greater promise of America.”

Reno Tahoe’s promise to today’s traveler is the same as ever: to welcome, to entertain, and to send you home reinvigorated (and a little tired) and thirsty for more. This is a tourism-driven economy with a tourism-minded community that thrives on accommodation, ease of doing business, and enjoying everything that life in Reno Tahoe has to offer. 

The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority has all the resources you need to get the most out of your group visit to Reno Tahoe. Visit visitrenotahoe.com to learn more.

Photo credits: VisitRenoTahoe.com; Gensler