Kid Friendly Things to Do in Virginia City, Nevada

Virginia City, Nevada is only a short drive from both Carson City and Reno. This old west mining town is home to some of the most beautiful homes and buildings that were built during the 19th-century mining boom.

Virginia City, Nevada is not only full of Nevada history, but it is also full of fun experiences for the whole family and there are so many kid-friendly activities all around the city.

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Places to Visit in Virginia City, Nevada

If you and your family are looking to learn some local history you definitely want to plan a trip to Virginia City, Nevada! We are sharing our top places to visit during your trip.

Comstock Firemen’s Museum

This museum is great for any age to enjoy! The museum showcases many interesting artifacts that were once used in firehouses from the past, as well as photographs of the time period they are from.

The museum is free and open from May to December (weather permitting).

Mine Tours

Virginia city offers two mine tours, Chollar Mine Tours and Ponderosa Mine tour. The Chollar Mine Tour is open to all ages. This is a 30-minute guided walking tour of a once-functioning gold and silver mine.

This tour was also featured on the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” show! The Ponderosa Mine tour is located under the Ponderosa business off the main road. You can take a 25-minute guided tour of this once-functioning mine.

Be sure to remember to wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting some “blue” mud on and bring a jacket as these underground mines can get chilly.

The Way It Was Museum

Take a walk into the past with this historic museum! See different artifacts from the Old West. There are plenty of pictures to see, as well as interesting exhibits.

Plus, the entry fee is just $4! Open daily from 10am-4:30pm.

Fourth Ward School Museum

If your kids think school today is tough, wait until they see this school! The Fourth Ward School was built in 1876 and some of the classrooms are still the original classrooms from back when it was functioning!

Open daily from 10am-5pm. Adults 17 and older are $6, children 6-16 are $3, and children under 5 are free.

Hauntober

Virginia City is also known to be one of the most haunted places in Northern Nevada. Don’t let that stop you from going to visit during October! If you want to experience Hauntober in Virginia City, then you will want to check out:

Outhouse Races

This fun and free family activity date back to when outdoor plumbing was outlawed, and the townspeople took to the streets with their outhouses to protest.

You can come down and see all sorts of fun-crafted outhouses race down C Street to the toilet paper finish line. Before the races, you can see all the outhouses in a parade!

V&T Pumpkin Express and Halloween Trains

The Pumpkin Express train allows your family to pick a pumpkin while on a train ride from Virginia City to Gold Hill. The Halloween Express train offers an immersive Halloween experience for the whole family!

Ghost Tours of The Washoe Club and Mackay Mansion

The Old Washoe Club used to be one of the most popular places to visit during its heyday in the Comstock days. Now it is one of the most popular places to visit in hopes of seeing a ghost or two.

Take a 40-minute guided walking tour of the three-story club and learn not just about some of the people who used to visit, but also about some of the spirits who still linger on! The tour is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 16.

Mackay Mansion belonged to George Hurst who built the mansion back in 1859.

The Mansion still resembles what it looked like back when the Hurst family inhabited it. It is also known to be haunted by different spirits and can make for some exciting stories! Both tours were also featured on Travel Channels “Ghosts Adventures” as well!

Special Events

The town also offers some great special events such as and is always worth visiting during one of the scheduled events.

Camel races

Every September you and the family can come down and watch camels, ostriches, and even zebras race! The event started as a prank by two newspaper editors over 60 years ago and is now a yearly tradition for the town. You’ll want to make sure to come early and visit the vendors that will be at the event, as well as possibly get to take a picture with some of the animals! This event does require a ticket to enter so be sure to purchase those ahead of time.

Fourth of July Fireworks & Parade

The Fourth of July Fireworks is not one to miss down in Virginia City! Come down for dinner at Café Del Rio, or any other delicious eatery VC has to offer and then find your spot outside to watch the night sky light up as VC celebrates our nation’s birthday.

Hot August Nights

Every August you can see the best of classic cars, and Virginia City is the perfect place to see them! There is a cruise down the main road so be sure to arrive early to get the best spot to view them!

Parades

Virginia City has some of the best parades in town. Some of the parades you can see include St. Patrick’s Day parade, Memorial Day Celebration of Heroes parade, Fourth of July parade, Labor Day parade, Hauntober parade, and Parade of lights (December), just to name a few.

Make sure to arrive early to find a good place to park and an even better place to set you and the family up so you won’t miss a thing!

Father Daughter Dance

The Father-Daughter Dance is a great way for a dad and his daughter to enjoy a day out together. This event does require a ticket to be purchased ahead of time, as it normally does sell out.

The event has included admission to the dance, fudge, a corsage, old-time photos, lunch, and more. This event is sure to make a lasting memory for both father and daughter.

Grand Prix

The Virginia City Grand Prix hosts over 1,000 racers in 35 different classes over 2 days for one of the largest off-road races in the west. Admission to attend is free!

Virginia Truckee Railroad

The Virginia & Truckee Railroad offers train rides throughout different seasons.  Including their holiday and theme trains including pumpkin train, wine and murder, V&T Candy Cane Express, Electric Holiday Train O’ Lights, and more!

Enjoy Your Visit to Virginia City

Whether you decide to visit Virginia City for the day, the night, or both, there are plenty of kid-friendly things to do all over town. Remember to take plenty of pictures and make lots of memories while you’re in town!