Roam With The Wild Horses On A Weekend Escape To Reno

We can thank Velma Johnston, better known as "Wild Horse Annie," for the thousands of mustangs that roam the high desert of northern Nevada. In 1955 the Reno woman convinced state legislators to halt the roundup of wild horses on state lands for sale to pet-food makers. Federal lawmakers followed suit in 1971. Although some ranchers still consider them a nuisance, I found them a wondrous sight as they roamed freely, creating a no-cost experience for nature lovers.

The tab for two excluding airfare and car rental: $170 for one night at the non-gambling Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel and $60 for a dinner of shared plates at Kauboi Izakaya.

The bed

Oversize black-and-white photos of mustangs are scattered throughout the public areas of the new Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel (1 S. Lake St., Reno; [775] 321-5830). Given Nevada's strong ties to gambling, I was surprised to discover that the Renaissance eliminated the casino that anchored the hotel when it was called the Siena. 

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