Reno is the Biggest Little City in the World!
Reno, Nevada, often referred to as the “Biggest Little City in the World,” is a vibrant and bustling city located in Northwest Nevada. Reno offers a stunning natural backdrop, surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains and close to the beautiful Lake Tahoe, making it a hub of outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Reno is a destination for winter recreation. There are eight ski resorts within an hours drive of Reno. The closest resort is Mt. Rose about 30 minutes from downtown.
For in depth information about Reno please visit the Travel Nevada website.
Weather
Winter temperature in Reno typically will be in the high 20’s (-2-3C) at night with highs in the 50’s (10-15C) during the day. Although, it is not uncommon to get into the teens or single digits at night. Snow is not uncommon and a typical snowstorm will coat the city with several inches of snow. In the heart of winter, the snow can stick around, although the roads usually melt off during the day. We will send out a weather forecast to everyone registered for the training within 5-8 days before the training. If there is snow on any of the days of the training, we will evaluate the need to delay the start time to accommodate safe travel. Information on possible delay will be posted by 0600hrs on the day of training on the SWAITReno homepage.
Training Venue
The training will be held at the Regional Public Safety Training Complex 5190 Spectrum Blvd Reno, NV 89506.
The training complex is about a 15 min drive from downtown Reno.
Hotels for SWAIT2025
There are a variety of hotels throughout Reno. Finding rooms at government per diem rate (Fed Rate: $138/night) can be difficult. Booking early is highly encouraged.
The official hotel for SWAIT 2025 is the Reno Element.
The Element opened in 2023 and is less than a mile from Reno’s Midtown. Midtown has many restaurant and bar options. The hotel is about 15 minutes away from the training venue.
Other Hotels Options in Reno
The closets place to stay near the training venue is downtown Reno. Downtown offers several hotels, restaurants and a river walk along the Truckee River. The training venue is about 15 min drive from downtown. The closest places to stay to the training venue are in downtown. Downton has several casino and non-casino hotels. There are restaurants easy walking access within the downtown area. Reno is not large and there are two freeways splitting Reno, I80 and I580. Do not limit yourself if downtown is not your scene.
Downtown Recommendations:
If your preference is to stay at a casino, there are several in the downtown area.
The Eldorado Resort Casino
345 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501 (775) 786-5700
Eldorado website
Silver Legacy Resort Casino
407 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501 (775) 329-4777
Silver Legacy website
For those that prefer not to stay at a casino, there are two Marriott properties in the downtown area.
Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel
One Lake St, Reno, NV 89501 (775) 682-3900
Renaissance webiste
Courtyard by Marriott Reno Downtown/Riverfront
One Ballpark Ln, Reno, NV 89501 (775) 324-0400
Courtyard website
Sparks Marina
The Sparks Marina is another popular area to stay. There are a variety of restaurants and outlet mall within the district. Sparks Marina has easy freeway access and is also within about 15 min of the training venue. Although, you may encounter more traffic getting to the training venue.
Hampton Inn & Suites Reno/Sparks
200 Legends Bay Drive, Sparks, NV 89434 (775) 351-2220
Hampton Inn website
Residence Inn by Marriott Reno Sparks
300 Legends Bay Drive, Sparks, NV 89434 (775) 331-3342
Residence Inn website
Air Travel
Reno has a small international airport. The airport is serviced by Alaskan, American, Delta, Jet Blue and Southwest. The airport is easy to navigate and if you checked luggage, your luggage wait times are generally small.
When departing if you are checking baggage, you must have your bags checked in with at least 45 minutes till your flight. Outside of holidays, the security wait times are generally short. If you have a boarding pass and are going directly to the gate, plan on being at the airport at least one hour 20 min before your flight. If you need to check a bag or go to the ticket counter give yourself more time.
Vehicle
For those traveling to Reno by vehicle, please watch the weather before you travel. We do get snow on Reno. Typically, it snows only a few inches and usually causes small travel delays. If snow if forecast during the training dates, please allow for extra time to drive to the venue. For those traveling over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, all three nearby highway passes (88, 50, I80) experience delays and/or closures during winter snow events. If there is snow forecast, Hwy 88 should be avoided as it closes regularly during big snow events. Reno is less than 15 miles from the California border. Please check road conditions in both California and Nevada before you travel and give yourself extra time to travel if snow is forecast.
