Genoa

Genoa, Nevada's oldest permanent settlement, is a charming community steeped in history. The Genoa Historic District is home to beautiful Victorian buildings that house businesses selling unique gifts, tasty take-out meals ideal for picnics at Mormon Station State Historic Park, and—perhaps most famously—the Silver State's oldest saloon. This picturesque town is nestled against the spectacular Carson Range of the Sierra Nevada mountains, just 25 minutes over Kingsbury Grade from South Lake Tahoe and about an hour south of Reno, making it a popular après ski and beach bum destination. Genoa, Nevada exudes historic charm with its 1850s atmosphere, cute little shops, fascinating historical institutions, swanky accommodations, and top-notch food and beverage offerings.

Mormon traders established Genoa in 1851. After John Reese and his party established a permanent trading post on what became the Carson Route of the California Trail, providing critical supplies to exhausted travelers before they crossed the Sierra Nevada mountains, the settlement began to attract newcomers. The majority of Reese's men were Mormon, hence the original name "Mormon Station". Despite the fact that a devastating fire in 1910 destroyed some of the town's original structures, you can still drink in the town's rich history at the Genoa Courthouse Museum, which houses fascinating exhibits that tell the story of the town, region, and state, or at the 1853-established Genoa Bar & Saloon.