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THINGS TO DO IN SPARKS–
Sparks is a city in Washoe county located just east of Reno in Nevada, United States. It is a part of the Reno-Sparks Metropolitan Area. Because it’s famous for its extravagant casinos and entertainment venues, favorite activities of people visiting or living in Sparks is gambling, watching shows, and indulging themselves in food and drink.
Sparks, Nevada is an excellent location to go visit and explore because apart from the casino, there are many other outdoor and indoor happening places in Sparks that makes it travel worthy. You can spend days here by enjoying the sun and water in the summer while testing your luck at a casino. Sparks, NV is a great destination for experiencing the Midwest of the United States.
Here are few fun and popular attractions in Sparks, NV that’ll make you want to visit the city next.
SPARKS MARINA PARK-
A great place to have some fun in the water, the Sparks Marina Park is a lake retreat park that provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities to the visitors. The park features a 77 acre lake, Helms Lake, which is swimmable by people of all skill levels. It was established on a naturally occurring aquifer in Sparks, Nevada.
The lake has a 1.9 miles heavily trafficked loop trail that offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round like bird watching, fishing, diving, boating, kayaking, windsurfing, paddling and canoeing. Other activities and facilities provided by the parks include volleyball courts, showers, a walking path, dog park & picnic area, relaxing beaches.
The Sparks Marina park also has a lineup of special programs such as kids free fishing day in June etc. Sparks Marina is an awesome place for all types and ages of travelers. End your day by enjoying locally brewed coffee from Lighthouse Coffee Shop which overlooks Sparks Marina and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Check more facts about the park at the website of the city.
WILD ISLAND FAMILY ADVENTURE PARK-
If you happen to be in the area in summers and want to cool off, head over to the Wild Island Family Adventure Park to get some relief. This adventure water park has activities like water slip and slide, go karting, bowling etc.
This park is an excellent option for people on a family vacation to enjoy a day filled with fun at a family oriented location in Sparks, Nevada. Make sure to pack a bathing suit before making your plans.
SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM-
Experience the rich art, history and culture of Nevada at the Sparks Heritage Museum. Visitors will get to see artifacts highlighting the history and heritage of the city of Sparks and Truckee Meadows area throughout the years and learn about the beginnings of this town here.
Located in Victorian Square, the museum offers an outdoor train exhibit, as well as the historic Glendale Schoolhouse which was built in 1864. Right around the corner, make sure to see a photo worthy 32-foot figure which was erected in 1857 called Last Chance Joe.
THE GENERATOR-
One of artists’ favorite things to do is to visit The Generator. Just a drive away in Reno, the Generator is a community art and maker space in Sparks, NV that boasts a 34,000 square feet of workspace, industrial equipment and 3-phase power.
The community is filled with a lot of ongoing Burning Man projects as well as numerous installations. The Generator offers tours, workshops, programs and shows year-round.
GOLDEN EAGLE REGIONAL PARK-
Golden Eagle Regional Park is one of the favorite places of sports lovers. If you’re looking for a place to play a game yourself or to watch a few innings of baseball or softball or a game of lacrosse and football, guide yourself to the Sports Complex of Golden Eagle Regional Park.
It has hosted numerous regional events in Nevada and national events for organizations such as USA Softball, Senior Softball USA, Triple Crown Sports and even the filming of a movie!
TRY YOUR LUCK AT A CASINO-
It would not be Nevada if we won’t mention at least one casino. True to its slogan “It’s Happening Here.”, Sparks, NV also has exciting casinos.
The Nugget Casino Resort is the first, most famous and only high-rise casino Sparks. With a 29 storied gambling complex, the Nugget offers a lot of attractions. The hotel hosts popular events like the iconic Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off . It also hosts the July 4th star-Spangled Sparks celebration, as well as the largest fireworks show in Northern Nevada after New Year’s Eve.
You can also test your luck at the Rail City Casino. It owns all of the slots, and billiards you can imagine. Another famous spot is Baldini’s Sports Casino and Restaurant.
Each day of the week has something new and exciting going on at these great spots in Sparks! In case you’re wondering about the deals and events that the casinos offer today, check out the websites.
VICTORIAN SQUARE-
The Victorian Square is a pedestrian-friendly plaza that hosts many open-air events. Cultural events include the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off and Hot August Nights.
The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off over Labor Day weekend that attracts people from all of Nevada. It not only has the best barbeque in the city but also live music, craft fair, numerous and family things. Another popular event of the city is Hot August Nights. Taking place each year during the first week of August, it is a must-attend event for car and music enthusiasts.
Thousands visit the Reno Tahoe area of NV to learn about vintage cars and for free live headline entertainment, show-n-shine competitions, nightly cruises, drag races, loads of vendors and the popular Hot August Nights car auction. The City of Sparks Hometowne Christmas Celebration is also a much talked about event of Sparks, Nevada.
A lot of locals have made a home for themselves around this place. The neighborhood around the plaza also has a lot of hotels for visitors to stay.
GOLFING RETREAT-
Sparks is home to two golf courses, Wildcreek, and Red Hawk.
The Red Hawk Golf and Resort offers a round of nine or eighteen, with a well kept course that guides through beautiful views of Sparks, Nevada.
Located in Sullivan Lane, Wildcreek is also a public golf course in Sparks, Nevada. It made an addition of a new family-friendly Executive 9 and the Creek Six golf courses where you can learn and play golf.
SHOPPING AND DINING IN SPARKS, NEVADA-
Shopping fanatics can find their way to The Outlets at Legends and the Sparks Galleria. The Sparks Galleria hosts big box stores for some outlet shopping. Legends offers shopping experience largest all-sports store with additional retailers include Nike, Banana Republic, Gap and more. Artwork, fountains and landscaping inspired by Nevada are sprinkled throughout the place. Website of Sparks Galleria is here.
The Scheels is the World’s Largest All-Sports Store that sells apparel, shoes & gear for sports & outdoor recreation, plus merchandise with team logos in Sparks, NV. It also features multiple indoor displays and exhibits, including an indoor Ferris wheel, two giant aquariums one can walk through/under, and a gun library. Website of the Scheels is here.
Sparks offers great dining experience. Start off with popular West Nugget Rib Cook-off winner, BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company. It is a popular BBQ joint with a menu that has famous Kick-ass fries, beef brisket, smoked chicken etc.
The casinos in Sparks are also packed with great restaurants. Where you can try their specials before and after you gamble some money. For example try the Steakhouse at Western Village, or the Ale House at Rail City, or the Oyster Bar at Nugget for seafood experience!
For 21 years old and above visitors who appreciate the fine art of craft beers, Sparks is the place for you. It has a lot of breweries. The iconic Great Basin Brewery offers many beer-infused delicacies such as beer-battered fish and chips and artisan beer bread. Locals recommend their Ichthyosaur IPA (“Icky”) named after Nevada’s state fossil. The Revision Brewing Company is also a great place to buy cold beer like the award-winning Blonde NV. The Seven Troughs Distilling Company is another popular brewery to learn about the Nevada tradition of distilling whiskey.
The website for all the places mentioned in this section has been linked to the place name.
GETAWAYS-
The twin city of Sparks, Reno is just a few minutes of drive away from Sparks. When in the area, visitors can also look up for things in Reno.
Explore similar things in Reno like art and culture, museums, gaming, family entertainment, parks, outdoor activities, festivals, events, fantastic cuisine, shows for everyone etc. Another popular getaway from Sparks is Las Vegas, which is just a 6 hour drive away from sparks.
Please also read about things to do in Phoenix
