N Carson StOld Mint 0.7 mi · Capitol 0.9 mi from our door
Things to do in Carson City: an antiques-and-history day, 10 to 6
Start in the booths when our doors open at 10, walk south on Carson Street to the old Mint and the State Capitol, then come back for a second look before 6. The walking loop stays within a mile of our door.
- Open every day, 10–6
- Old Mint: 0.7 mi walk
- Capitol: 0.9 mi walk
One day, 10 to 6, mostly on foot
Most lists of things to do in Carson City stop at the list. This one is a schedule. Start in our booths when the doors open at 10, walk south on Carson Street to the old Mint and the State Capitol, walk back for a second look before we close at 6, and finish with a soak.
Carson Street is the spine of this Carson City day trip. From our door it runs straight south through downtown to the Capitol, and the Children's Museum, the old Mint and the Capitol all sit on it. Every distance below is from our front door at 1831 N Carson St.
The times are suggestions, not tickets. Stay longer where you're having fun.
The day, stop by stop
Six stops, one street, one short drive at the end.
10:00
Antique shopping on North Carson Street
Start with us, because we open at 10 every day and the booths are the part of the day you can't rush. We're over 21,000 square feet of numbered vendor booths on two floors, stocked by different vendors, so every aisle is a different hunt.
Do a fast lap first, upstairs included, then go back and slow down. When something stops you, write down the booth number so you can find it again at 4 o'clock (no promises it's still there; that's antiquing). The Treasure Map shows the main floor booth by booth — look at it before you come.
Two booths make a good warm-up for this particular day. The Currency booths keep coins in labeled holders in a lit case marked "Coins", and by early afternoon you'll be standing where the "CC" coins were struck. The Collectibles booths had a railroad lantern on our last look, which pairs well with the Railroad Museum if you add it later.
Give it two hours. One Google reviewer, Suzy C., said it plainly: "We spent a couple of hours just exploring and buying a few treasures we found here!"
Noon
Walk south on Carson Street
Fit lunch in wherever it suits you. With kids, the Children's Museum comes first, with hands-on exhibits. Trade them an hour of theirs for the two hours of booths.
1:00
The old Carson City Mint
The Nevada State Museum sits inside the old Carson City Mint. The Mint struck coins between 1870 and 1893, many of them from Comstock Lode silver, and they carry the "CC" mint mark: 50 silver issues and 57 gold. The CC Morgan dollars are the famous ones, collectors pay a premium for them, and the museum has a complete set on display.
Abraham Curry, remembered as the "Father of Carson City," supervised the Mint's construction and was its first superintendent. The building has housed the state museum since 1941. Coin Press No. 1 is still inside, and on set days it strikes commemorative medallions with the CC mark, so check the museum's calendar if you want to see it run. For kids, there's a Columbian mammoth found in Nevada's Black Rock Desert and an underground mine to tour.
Our Currency booths, on our last look: coins in labeled holders in a lit case. New to coins? Read how to start a coin collection before or after.
2:30
The Capitol and the Kit Carson Trail
The Capitol went up between 1869 and 1871, built from sandstone the state got free from the Nevada State Prison quarry. Look up for the octagonal dome and its cupola. The second floor has historical exhibits, and every Nevada governor except the first has kept an office here.
The city has been Nevada's capital since 1861, when Nevada was still a territory. Its name traces back to Kit Carson: John C. Frémont named the Carson River after him, and in 1858 Abraham Curry bought Eagle Station and renamed the settlement Carson City.
Visit Carson City's Kit Carson Trail is the town's walking tour: 2.5 miles through the historic district, with 48 stops. Two of them are the Governor's Mansion and the Orion Clemens House. Orion was Mark Twain's older brother and the first and only Secretary of the Nevada Territory. Download the trail map or play the audio guide on your phone, and start wherever you like. Take a handful of stops, not all 2.5 miles, if you want time for the second look.
4:00
Back up Carson Street for a second look
It's the same 0.9 miles back. We're open until 6, so you get a solid hour and a half.
Go straight to the booth numbers you wrote down this morning. This is the slot for the thing you couldn't stop thinking about at the Mint. Then hit whatever you skipped. Upstairs, maybe?
6:00
Soak it off
You've spent the day on your feet in the aisles and on the sidewalks, so finish with a soak. Check their hours first.
Swap in a short drive, or add a second day
Some of the best things to do in Carson City need a car. For much of its history the city was a hub of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, which hauled Comstock ore down to the mills on the Carson River, and two of these stops still tell that story.
Nevada State Railroad Museum
Virginia & Truckee locomotives and cars, including the Dayton, built in 1873. Train rides run on select weekends, holidays and special events, with tickets sold at the old Wabuska depot on the grounds.
Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum
An American Indian boarding school from 1890 to 1980, built of colored local stone by student apprentices. The cultural center opened on the campus in 2020, and a walking tour covers the old grounds.
V&T Railway to Virginia City
The railway lists Carson City–Virginia City excursions May through October, with a long stop up on the Comstock. Make it day two, and check the railway's schedule for this year's dates.
Live here? The booths change, so come back
Locals can run this day too. Booths change as vendors sell and restock, so the aisles you walked last month aren't the aisles open today. We're open every day, 10 to 6, Sundays included.
When family visits, this itinerary works as the houseguest day: history in the middle, booths at both ends. If they're driving in, send them the guide for their route: from Reno and Sparks, from Lake Tahoe or from Minden and Gardnerville.
Coming from out of town?
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From Reno & Sparks
Antique mall near Reno
I-580 south, over the Galena Creek Bridge and through Washoe Valley: about 40 minutes.
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From Lake Tahoe
Antiques near Lake Tahoe
US-50 over Spooner Summit, or NV-28 from Incline, then lamps, china and hutches for the cabin.
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From Carson Valley
Worth the drive up 395
16–18 miles from Minden and Gardnerville, with a scenic way home through Genoa.
Questions about a day in Carson City
- Is Carson City worth visiting for a day?
- For history and antiques, yes. One walkable stretch of Carson Street holds the old US Mint that struck the "CC" coins, a sandstone Capitol finished in 1871 and Northern Nevada's largest antique mall, plus the 2.5-mile Kit Carson Trail through the historic district.
- Can you walk from the antique mall to the old Mint and the Capitol?
- Yes. From 1831 N Carson St it's 0.7 miles south to the Nevada State Museum in the old Mint, about a 15-minute walk, and 0.9 miles to the State Capitol, about 20 minutes. The Children's Museum is on the way at 0.6 miles.
- Where can I see Carson City "CC" coins?
- At the Nevada State Museum, inside the old Mint at 600 N Carson St, which displays a complete set of Carson City Morgan dollars and runs Coin Press No. 1 on set days. Our Currency booths are worth a look too, but what's in the case changes as vendors sell and restock.
- What are the best things to do in Carson City with kids?
- The Children's Museum of Northern Nevada has hands-on exhibits 0.6 miles from our door, the State Museum has a Columbian mammoth and an underground mine, and the Railroad Museum runs train rides on select weekends and holidays. Check each one's hours before you go.
- Does the V&T train still run from Carson City?
- The V&T Railway lists Carson City–Virginia City excursions from its Eastgate Depot, May through October, plus holiday trains in November and December. Check the railway's site for this year's dates.