Virginia City is a quick 15-mile drive from Carson City. This unique small town is forever stuck in the 1800’s and exudes an old western vibe throughout the town. Most of the buildings are in its original state, the walkways are made with old wooden boards, and people are casually walking around in cowboy hats and boots. Virginia City is also chock full of history as it was the first discovery site of silver ore in the United States. Here are a few places you won’t want to miss during your day trip to Virginia City, Nevada.

Day Trip to Virginia City, Nevada

1. Go on a trolley tour

The trolley tour of Virginia City is arguably one of the first things you have to do once you get into town. This 20-30 minute tour takes you all around Virginia City where you’ll pass by historical buildings, churches, the Chollar mine, and so much more. It’s a great introduction to the city, especially if you’ve never been here before.

[Pro tip: the trolley boarding stop is a bit hidden, but it is located in the parking lot next to The Bucket of Blood Saloon. You pay the driver once you board the trolley. This tour is cash-only]

2. Witness a live gun fight

While walking through Virginia City, you’ll quickly notice that there are a ton of people wearing old-fashioned western clothing. At first I thought that this was the actual threads that people wore here, but I found out that they are actually cast members of the Virginia City Outlaws, a comedy show with gun fights and crazy stunts.

The show takes place at The Ole Virginny Theater and they only have 2-3 showtimes per day! The production is only 30 minutes long and is worth every minute. After the show, you may take photos with the sets which makes for great photo backgrounds.

3. Indulge in some good BBQ for lunch

Barbecue joints are all over the streets in Virginia City, however, my favorite place for some good ol’ fashioned barbecue was the Virginia City Jerky Co. & Smokehouse BBQ. I ordered the Tri tip sandwich with potato salad and a sweet tea, and it was perfection. All their food is made in-house and all of the spices and meats were fresh and made to order.

Once you finish your meal, I highly recommend grabbing a bag or two of their homemade beef jerky to snack on throughout the day.

4. Go souvenir shopping

There are a ton of great places to go shopping in Virginia City. I loved that a lot of the shops are local business and have a beautiful mess of knick knacks, clothing, antiques, and art work. A few of my favorite shops are Things and Things and Things, Virginia City Antique Mall, and the Comstock Rock Shop.

During my trip, I picked up a few enamel pins, a tree of life macrame piece, and a few native crystals for my collection.

5. Enjoy a cold drink at the Bucket of Blood

One thing that I really love about Virginia City is that there are a ton of saloons and bars. Out of all of them, the Bucket of Blood Saloon really stood out to me. The building has been around since the 1800’s and the decor still emulates the simple, old western times where people would come to the saloon to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work. It was definitely my favorite pit stop to get away from the crowds and enjoy a nice, cold beer in a cozy bar with AC.

6. Grab some ice cream at Grandma’s Fudge Factory

If your sweet tooth is kicking in during your trip, Ice cream is the only way to go. Located in the heart of Virginia City, Grandma’s Fudge Factory sells not only the best fudge in town, but also some darn good ice cream.

I ordered the Maui Sherbet which tasted like frozen POG juice, and the generous servings really blew me away! You’ll definitely want to stick to a small size or even share with a friend.

This guide only covers a small fraction of the activities you could do in Virginia City. There is so much to explore and learn about the rich silver mining history of Virginia City. You may want to consider extending your day trip to a weekend.

Have you ever been to Virginia City, Nevada? How was your experience? What activities did you do? What are your recommendations for first-timers? Comment them down below!

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