People come to Carson city because it is conveniently located. Half an hour from Lake Tahoe, Virginia City and Reno. It’s a small town with a lot of historic character. Plus, there are nine golf courses. For a good introduction, contact the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau (carson-city.org), or check out all the information at  visitcarsoncity.com.

A good spot for a meeting in Carson City is the Plaza Conference Center (775-882-5000). Other venues for events include the Brewery Arts Center (breweryarts.org), a Victorian building that used to serve as home to Tahoe Beer. Its Grand Ballroom (for up to 100 people) dates to 1864 and there’s also a performance hall for up to 300.

Groups of up to 170 can rent out the Nevada State Capitol (carson-city.org), the second oldest capitol building west of the Mississippi. The Supreme Court Chambers, complete with authentic 19th-century furnishings, can be used for meetings of up to 20 people. The legislative building can also be used for meetings, and is equipped with state-of-the-art conference technologies.

Carson City is located within striking distance of several dude ranches, which can put on western-style lunches and dinners. One such property is Seven Mile Canyon Guest Ranch (nevadaduderanch.com), which has about 500 sq. ft. of meeting space and has several lodge-style options.

Carson City is also home to the Nevada State Museum (dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/museums/cc/carson.htm), which has a life-size ghost town, silver mine and old coin-stamping equipment, as well as the Nevada State Railroad Museum (dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/DOCS/museums/rr/ccrr.htm)

Nearby Virginia City, a preserved 19th-century silver-mining town, takes the old-time theme even further, with gunfights and western-style saloons a regular part of daily life. Virginia City is the nation's largest National Historic Landmark, and attracts 2 million visitors a year; the little town has lots of fascinating, renovated spaces that could be used for meetings or events. Contact the Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority ( virginiacity-nv.com).

Getting There

Reno-Tahoe International Airport offers 180 daily flights from about two dozen destinations, and at Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport, the flights never seem to stop.