Genoa, the Silver State’s first town — older than Nevada itself — is a cozy relic steeped in history that may as well double as a Hallmark movie set this time of year.
Just 30 minutes from South Lake Tahoe, Genoa is a place where visitors can escape from the hustle and bustle, trading crowds for peaceful snow fall on the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range as Main Street comes alive with a twinkle of sparkling lights and a slight winter chill.
Historic doesn’t mean dated here, however. The tiny town (population 786) has a robust dining scene, offering gourmet fare unexpected in a village made up mostly of restored Victorian buildings and cattle ranches.
Daytime activities
On Main Street, a collection of mid-1800s storefronts house a collection of mom-and-pop establishments, including boutique shops and homey restaurants.
Here, you can start with breakfast at Flutter & Buzz Café. Open at 8 a.m. daily, it’s the perfect first stop off for an anti-inflammatory cardamom and cinnamon latte or a flavorful mimosa. The menu specializes in fresh breakfast and lunch fare and pastries baked in-house. There is an obvious affinity for local honey — hence the name — which appears as a main ingredient in several beverages and plates.
Once you’re fueled, you can begin Christmas shopping. The tree-lined streets boast adorable gift shops including Dancing Deer and Antiques Plus, which is so stuffed you’ll have to squeeze in and out of it.
When weather allows, consider getting into the great outdoors. The silent serenity of Genoa is inescapable as you walk the 2-mile path along River Fork Ranch Preserve, an 800-acre natural preserve and cattle ranch less than 2 miles from the center of town. The trail is dirt, so when it is wet, it can get fairly muddy, but on a dry day, the views of the snow-capped mountains can’t be beat.
Of course, snowshoeing is always an option (although the area isn’t exactly robust with tour operators, so you’ll need to pack your own snowshoes). When snow is falling in the Sierra Nevada foothills, both the Genoa Loop Trail and Sierra Canyon Trail make excellent destinations.
Nearby Mormon Station State Historic Park is an adorable place to stroll and let little kids get their wiggles out. There are restored covered wagons, lush lawns and an artifacts museum at the historic site that marks the town’s modest beginnings as a trading post founded by Mormon pioneers in 1851, before being renamed Genoa (after the Italian city) in 1855.
For lunch, the square offers several options, including the casual Foothill Market serving chili cheese dogs and turkey club sandwiches at the counter. There’s also beer and wine on the menu, and it’s a good stop for edible souvenirs — everything from local goods such as Tahoe Toffee to specialty items shipped in from around the world. During the holiday season, the market even offers curated gift baskets that take the guesswork out of your holiday shopping.
Another worthy lunch option is The Pink House, which enjoys a modern pop of neon lights in an 1855-built home painted in a delicate hue that inspired the name. A smattering of pink Christmas trees decorate the lawn, which hosts live-music events year-round.
For after-lunch drinks, take a stroll across the street to the Genoa Bar & Saloon — the oldest bar in Nevada — where the walls are covered with dusty old bras slung over antlers and other relics of the past, plus cocktails that allow you to catch a buzz for about $20 (drinks are $5-$12 each).
At night
We’ve saved the best for last: dinner. Behind The Pink House, Daniel’s is a fine dining restaurant with a robust menu that pairs rustic French cuisine with Old Nevada hospitality. Its drool-worthy dishes include grilled duck breast topped with foie gras ($44) and scallops over a bed of wild rice risotto ($48).
Before or after your meal, stop into The Ice House, a standalone bar adjacent to the main dining room. Its name comes from its original purpose as a place to store ice before refrigeration. While much of the building has been redone, the large-stone walls are original. With less than 20 guests allowed in Daniel’s at any given time, it’s an intimate setting open only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The menu boasts more than 20 craft cocktails, 10 tap handles and more than 100 bottles of wine.
On select evenings, Main Street businesses host specialty evening activities for locals and visitors, sometimes staying open late to do so.
When you’re ready to tuck in for the night, the White House Inn, a remodeled mid-1800s home featuring modern amenities in a historic setting, is a great pick. The property’s original carriage house is now the inn’s best room, outfitted with a king-size bed and walk-in shower.
Another option is David Walley’s Resort, offering both overnight accommodations and day passes to one of Nevada’s best outputs — natural hot springs. The rustic lodge houses five hot springs once enjoyed by the pioneers and set among the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as a restaurant, the 1862 Restaurant & Saloon Bar.
If You Go
Flutter & Buzz Café: Open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, 2285 Main St., Genoa, (775) 215-0245; flutter-buzz-cafe.square.site
Dancing Deer: Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, 2299 Main St., Genoa, (775) 782-5777; genoadancingdeer.com
Antiques Plus: Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 2242 Main St., Genoa, (775) 782-4951
River Fork Ranch Preserve: Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, 381 Genoa Lane, Minden, (775) 322-4990
Mormon Station State Historic Park: Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 2295 Main St., Genoa, (775) 782-2590; parks.nv.gov/parks/mormon-station
Foothill Market: Open 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays, 2299 Main St., Genoa, (775) 392-0527; foothillmarket.com
The Pink House: Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 193 Genoa Lane, Genoa, (775) 392-4279; thepinkhousegenoa.com
Genoa Bar & Saloon: Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 10 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays, 2282 Main St., Genoa, (775) 782-3870; travelnevada.com/bars/genoa-bar-saloon
Daniel’s: Open 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 2291 Main St., Genoa, (775) 392-1822; danielsgenoanv.com
White House Inn: 195 Genoa Lane, Genoa, (775) 870-7203; whitehouseinngenoanv.com
David Walley’s Resort: 2001 Foothill Road, Genoa, (775) 782-8155; holidayinnclub.com/explore-resorts/david-walleys-resort