Truckee

A top ten mountain town.

Truckee, CA, one of two incorporated cities in the Region, is an artsy mountain town of about 26,000 people. Just off I-80 and surrounded by miles of stunning Sierra Nevada landscape, residents enjoy an amazing lifestyle with year-round events, high quality restaurants, numerous parks, outdoor recreation everywhere you look and a charming, wild-west downtown. Truckee’s historic downtown district continues to evolve.

Commercial Row, with its unique array of shops and restaurants, is expected to extend into the new Rail Yard. Already, much-needed affordable housing has opened. The community hosts a number of festivals, but it’s most well-known for Truckee Thursdays, essentially a giant town party held weekly throughout the summer. There are so many things for families to do in Truckee. Let your kids run free at the KidZone Museum, visit the Train Museum downtown, take them to Donner Memorial State Park to learn about the Donner Party, walk the nature trail or explore the shoreline of lovely Donner Lake. Then take everyone downtown for an ice cream at Little Truckee’s Ice Cream Truck or Bud’s before perusing the oddities at the Truckee Variety Co., always a family favorite. There are plenty of ways to play for adults as well. Golfers can choose from a half dozen gorgeous courses in the area, with the 9-hole Ponderosa course a local’s favorite, mountain bikers have hundreds of miles of trails at their disposal, kayakers can paddle on the Truckee, and hedonists will enjoy shopping, dining and live music downtown. Near-by skiing is at Northstar, Palisades Tahoe and Sugar Bowl.