This is an absolute must see for anybody visiting Virginia City. The architecture is simply incredible and the man working at the information counter is a wealth of information. Going inside the classrooms is like a time capsule back to the 1800s.

The best place in VC for a great history lesson. Covers everything from the school itself, Mark Twain & printing, mining & minerals, Comstock history, 110 years of local school alumni, and a changing exhibit that always features something very interesting. If there's only time to visit 1 place in V C for your history lesson from knowledgeable & friendly folks this is it! Not to mention the museum is housed inside an authentic historic school from 1876. The beauty of the building itself is enough reason to stop for a visit.

The Fourth Ward School probably does a better job than most tourist attractions in the area of actually helping you understand what life was like in Virginia City for an average person who wasn't Mark Twain or a guy who hit it rich buying a mine. While things could still be done to help visitors understand even more (for instance, I never was able to figure out why it's called the "Fourth Ward" school), this is definitely one of the more historical and less "tourist trap"-y places to visit in Virginia City.

This school in Virginia City could school 3,000 kids from 1st grade to high school. Architecturally it is a fascinating and beautiful structure fully restored to its former glory. There are many historical timelines and displays for history buffs but the best part is your imagination and thinking about how generations past built a structure like this and educated thousands of kids with a good old fashion "get 'er done" attitude. They don't make folks like that anymore. Worth the visit.

A cultural landmark! Many original artifacts such as desk, geographic maps, chalkboards and more. There was a friendly staff member that was very knowledgeable of the history of the school. The visit cost $7 for adults and slightly less for children. The museum is quite large. Parking is next to the building. Parking is slightly on the small end so get there early. Great views of the valley from the parking lot.

Wonderful museum! The docent was incredibly informative, and we really enjoyed both the building and its rich history. One thing we especially loved was seeing all the actual photos of people who attended over the years, along with personal touches like the scuff marks left by children who once slid down the bannister. You can tell the place has been lovingly maintained and truly cherished.

We went for a small electronic music festival and were blown away by the amount of history packed into the exhibits here. What a pleasant experience we had and will have to go back again to get the full tour.

One of my favorite places in Northern Nevada is Virginia City. One of my favorite places in Virginia City is Pipers Opera House. Although I've been to Pipers Opera House on several occasions, I've never been asked to draw my Event Caricatures there, until this last visit. The event was AMAZING!! Imagine exchanging vows in all the glory of the late 1800's! If you're looking for a unique site for your upcoming nuptials or even an upcoming event, be sure to check out Pipers Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada! Oh, and to make your event even more memorable, invite Michael Hopkins Event Caricatures to your event!

We went to A donation dinner and it was awesome. BBQ served was great, entertainment (Lady and the Tramps) were great and a lot of fun. Building was clean and very historic (spooky). Great place to have a get together

The history of the building and the town are really cool, to learn that rolling out the red carpet comes from this place is amazing. If you can check out the old building.

Very cool place to see, lots of history.

History! History! History! Wonderful tour, and so unique. Will see again 😊

Beautiful historic building. Take the tour and get a great sense of Virginia City history.

We toured the opera house and it was very interesting 🤔. We highly recommend it. Our tour guide was great 👍.

The host of our tour was very knowledgeable and clearly has taken a lot of time and care with not only this house and the history it contains, but also in teaching and sharing about it. The tour was a great value, and our host was a delight! Thank you for making this experience possible!

What an amazing tour! Our tour guide was exciting and animated. He told the stories so well and they were interactive and fun! Its amazing how much history is still in this building! Its a must-see for Virginia City!!!

We had a fantastic tour of the Mackay Mansion with Dawn, and it was one of the highlights of our time in Virginia City. Dawn was incredibly knowledgeable and made the tour feel personal—she tailored it to our interests and shared so many fascinating details about John Mackay, Virginia City’s history, the strong connections to San Francisco, Hearst Castle, and much more. The mansion itself is stunning, filled with original furniture and artifacts, each with its own story connected to important figures in history. Dawn also wove in some of the spookier tales of the house, which made the experience even more memorable. We came away learning so much, and it truly felt like stepping back in time. We loved every minute of it and would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Virginia City.

The guided tour of the historic Mackay Mansion was nothing short of amazing! Our tour guide made the entire experience unforgettable—he was knowledgeable, funny, and brought the rich (and spooky!) history of the mansion to life. You can tell he loves what he does, and that energy is contagious. The mansion itself is breathtaking, from its well-preserved rooms to the beautifully kept grounds that make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Between the fascinating stories, the hints of haunted history, and the gorgeous setting, this tour had the perfect mix of charm and chills. Highly recommend this tour if you’re in Virginia City—it’s a must-do!

This was such a great experience. My whole family was amazed by the caretaker's storeys and by the atmosphere. She does an amazing job. I recommend it 100% and we will be back. Thank you for an amazing day.

The Spooky Candlelight tour was very informative and super interesting. Shout out Dawn and Halen for being the best guides anyone could ask for. Don't forget to get a photo of Veronica!

Did the day tour, it was fantastic!! Dawn is really an amazing guide, she shares so much of the interesting history surrounding the mansion. Some of the most famous people in American history have had a hand in making this place what it is today. Dawns explanation of priceless artifacts was very detailed and spot. Learned a lot. He have done the night ghost hunt tour as well. I highly recommend doing both.

Informative and quaint museum of the Comstock Gold rush mining in Virginia City. They have numerous original pieces, tons of literature, and descriptive signage (not just a non-descript, moronic blurb found in many newer museums). Staff was also very friendly.

Absolutely loved the museum! I adore anything old and it was full of authentic old relics and knick knacks and more! My kids even loved it! Also the gift shop area had great things and they were all actually affordable! I spent $50 in the gift shop and $12 to get in and it was well worth! The staff was also very friendly!

This tiny historic town is so very interesting. I enjoyed visiting the Way It Was Museum where I learned more about the mining history and was able to see so much original equipment and relics and fun facts about the time period. I very much suggest taking a walk around

They have a LOT of Everyday items from the city of Virginia from the eart seems Like they just went through these houses 150 years ago and picked up all the items and turned in the museum. The biggest gold Load was found here and all of the Mining equipment was developed here, Because this is the first place where the mines went down 2000 feet underground. Obviously the working conditions 2000 feet in the ground were crazy and they have a photos and videos about all that, which is really interesting. The admission is $5 so definitely Check out the inside of the museum

What an absolutely amazing place. Great to take photos. Great fun for the whole family, perfect little gift shop.

This is the best place IMO in Nevada that you must visit when in Reno. Virginia city Town is still so kept up and still runs like it did in the historical cowboy days 🤠it's so fun and everyone so friendly ! So many historical sights to visit ! P. S you might run in to a few friendly ghost if you pay close attention 😉either way you will enjoy this place if you love seeing history face to face as it was

A small museum packed with awesome artifacts from Virginia City's history. Fascinating relics from the late 1880s with good descriptions that piece together a journey through time. Worth the stop!

Great experience in the train ride. It's a short ride of around 40 mins with a guide explaining the history and the significance. Lots to hear and see and learn. Fun experience.

Nice train ride where some stories about Virginia are told. We took the 35 minute tour which runs daily every hour. It was a little bit short and you’ll have to take the same way back (no round tour).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Ride the V&T Railroad tour was shorter than I expected, and honestly felt a bit pricey for the length. That said, the experience was saved (and then some!) by our conductor. His vibrant personality, comforting voice, and deep knowledge of the history along the route made the ride engaging and memorable. If you’re looking for a quick trip through some beautiful scenery with an extra dose of charm thanks to the crew, it’s worth checking out. Just know going in that the ride itself is on the shorter side.

absolutely disgusted by this tour guide. when stopped half way I asked my four year old child if she wanted a picture. the tour guide proceeded to go on the microphone and asked who I'm talking to because "he was talking". I said I'm asking my daughter if she wanted a picture. he publicly shamed me saying he "doesn't care who I'm talking to everyone can hear me" and to be quiet. he also spent a good 5 min degrading Chinese people. my 4 year old whispered when she wanted to talk to me after this. would never go again and never recommending it

We had so much fun. It was a short trip, but the tour guide was amazing. We will be doing that agian when family comes out.

The Conductor/guide was very knowledgeable and amusing as well. We learned a lot about mining and some things about the history of the area. Definitely worth the $17 admission fee. The tour ran about 45 minutes and there's more to see around the train station. Plus, we saw a wild mustang near the conclusion of our trip, and, a mile deer just after. Beginners hint: best to sit on the West side of the train at the start and on the East on the way back as that's how the tour is mostly presented

This was the second time we have ridden this train. The first time was a great experience. The train host was knowledgeable regarding the mines and area we were riding through. This trip we were riding for the Halloween Light train. Honestly was disappointed in the experience. Thought there would be way more lights and decorations. Wish there had been more. We had a party of about 20.

The Red Dog Saloon is a lively and historic spot that perfectly captures the Old West charm of Virginia City. The atmosphere is fun and full of character, with live music, great drinks, and friendly service. It’s a place where you can relax, enjoy good food, and soak in the town’s vibrant spirit. The pizza and wings are popular favorites, and the rustic décor adds to the authentic experience. It can get a bit loud and crowded at times, but that’s part of the energy that makes it special. Overall, the Red Dog Saloon is a must-visit in Virginia City a great mix of history, music, and good times.

Apparently a seminal location for the San Francisco renaissance of the 1960's, with psychedelic-rock memorabilia galore adorning the walls. The pizza slice a friend shared with me was excellent. Unfortunately, my order of fish n chips was quite middling. Great, warm staff. Ordered at window, given a pager, tho food was brought to table. Sadly this 3 night visit to VC on business was exhausting, and I did not have the opportunity to return. Will def be back for that bussin pizza, and some merch next time in the area.

Beer was good allow dogs forgot to bring out ribs didnt refund people at the bar was great very fun. Life music

Definitely gets busy and can get loud. But super food and service. Waited a few for our pizza but was super slammed. Otherwise worth the wait. We always go there when we're in virginia city at least 2-3 times in couple days.

The food and atmosphere are great! The BBQ chicken pizza was especially tasty. They have multiple bathrooms, which is a plus, compared to other businesses in the area. The service is pretty typical of a fast casual dining experience - they’re friendly as they take your order, they deliver your food to your table, but other than that you’re on your own. Not that that’s a bad thing. The food is a little pricey, but you expect that in small, kitschy, tourist town restaurants. Our only complaint is that it takes a long time to get your food. To their credit, they have a disclaimer on their menu board that wait times will be long. Aside from that, it’s an all-around great place to eat!

Nice, friendly and has a family feel to it. Great servers with 10 beers on tap and a area to get a good selection of food from that smelled delicious. Bathrooms were clean and there was a live band playing that was pretty good as well. We've been to most of the bars in town and this one is still our favorite.

Really good service and great drinks. Band was playing and super cool too have live music

The three of us had a wonderful lunch here after riding the train to Virginia City and walking around town. I bet they have never had a client order cheesecake and a bowl of beans for lunch! 😆 Our server attended us quickly and kept our drinks topped off. I enjoyed the open window so I could watch the passersby. I think this is a place locals frequent judging by the number of families inside.

One of the nicest restaurants in Virginia City (NV). Been going here for many years. Theme of course is Mexican food, but the atmosphere is Old Virginia City... Western mining ⛏️ town. Price range posted with wine.

UPDATE: Since my last review (about a year ago) the portions have gotten better so I don’t mind the $21 menu price. My husband and I went for my birthday brunch and it was excellent! I got the gospel chicken (see photo)! YUM!! OLD REVIEW: The portions keep getting smaller and the prices keep getting larger. Honestly the prices don’t make ANY sense. The new owners clearly do not know how to cost out a menu. Menu engineering 101. Google it.

Needed backup food because Gold Hill was having a private event. Definitely made the right choice here - Virginia City is full of places where you can get some variation on "sandwich" for theme park prices. This one really provided good value for the dollar and wasn't trying to convince me that Mark Twain once arm wrestled Teddy Roosevelt at the same table where I was eating with the ghost of a jilted lover. I got the Santa Fe style enchilada, would definitely get this again. All the best parts of a tostada and an enchilada, with an egg on top - what's not to like?

This cute little Mexican restaurant is open later than a lot of places in Virginia City. It has a fun, charming and cute atmosphere. The food was delicious and the service exceptional! I found the prices reasonable. (especially for Virginia City.) I will definitely go back.

This Mexican food restaurant is awesome! Open later than a lot of places in in Virginia City. Great service and delicious food! The atmosphere was very pleasant. I would say the place was cute. The menu offered plenty of variety. Even the prices were good. Check it out!

Cafe del Rio in Virginia City. Never had a bad experience here, and it has been a while, so a brief review. It's Thursday, so the crowd here is all local, but there is still a pleasant buzz in the dining room. We got reservations just in case, and when we arrived, our table already had chips, salsa, and water waiting for us. Our server seated us, and took our order quickly after a brief chat. The atmosphere is pretty unique, as the restaurant is in an historic building in one of our more lively ghost towns, but my wife and kid both say it's too cold every time we come so I'd recommend a nice sweater or jacket. The gospel fried chicken is just a blast to get every time. My wife had enchiladas, and she was thrilled with the fresh mole sauce. My son had enchiladas from the kids menu, which is nothing to write home about I'm sure, but he is a happy camper, it was warm and melty. It's easy to tell everything is homemade, and with love. The chef came out to greet us and check on things, and everyone was just pleasant as can be. It felt like a fancy family holiday dinner with no drama.

We stopped in for lunch. The wait was over an hour after saying it would be only 30-40 minutes, but they gave us an electronic beeper and we had time to browse the shops. We came back to check our status and a table was still not ready, so several of us went to the bar to order a beer. Rachel was tending bar and she was great. I wanted a light beer, nothing too heavy. She gave me a sample of the Palace brand and it was perfect. Very refreshing, light on the hops, and easy going down. We were seated at a booth for six and lo and behold, Rachel ended up being our server. One of her favorite songs came on, and before we ordered, we were entertained with her singing to us. She did a great job as a singer and as our server. Everyone at the table ordered something different. Our table of 6 ordered a turkey sandwich, a couple different variations of Reuben's, a California Club, and the hubs and I had their fish n chips special. Everything was tasty n fresh. Portions were large and served with fries. Several to go boxes were needed and everyone was quite satisfied with their lunch. Prices are reasonable, too. We would make the drive from Reno to eat here again.

Virginia City! Yes, please! What a beautiful restaurant and saloon! Our server, Mike, was very personable and knowledgeable about the history of this establishment. We ordered the golden fried mushrooms, which were delicious. Fish and chips, the old fashioned way, with malt vinigar, also delicious. Cheddar beef dip, which was the best we have had in over 20 years!

The Good here is Genuine the hospitality was super good 10 Star 🌟 all day long. My experience was Great here. Had the Chicken Sando wit spicy deep fried pickles n house made Slaw. 🐔 an Brisket Sando an potato Salad. Service 100. FOOD 100 OVERALL 💯 😋

Had a good lunch. Food choices were similar to most bar and grill type restaurants.

The Fish and chips were great...my wife enjoyed the Veggie sandwich. Granddaughters ate from the kids men... grilled cheese and the chicken strips. The service could not have been better, Rachel is awesome...

The food was incredible! However the service was mixed. Our waitress wasn’t very willing to answer questions and her responses were clipped and unfriendly. However her demeanor improved later so perhaps she was just having a rough day. The sandwiches we ordered (elk burger and chicken pickle) were incredibly delicious and the fries were perfect. Very happy with the meal itself.

Stopped in for lunch and enjoyed the old west saloon atmosphere. I had the pastrami Reuben’s, they have a few choices in Reuben’s, and it was very good. The service was friendly and attentive even though the place was busy. Prices were not too bad for being a tourist area except for the extra 50 cents they unexpectedly charged my husband for mayonnaise on his burger which was a spoonful in a little cup….

We had the BEST dining experience here. From the moment we walked through the door, we were impressed with every aspect of this establishment. As we were waiting to be seated, the General Manager/Chef took us on a little tour of the upstairs. He was friendly, knowledgeable and checked on us several times during our visit. The cocktails were fantastic, especially the lavender lemon drop. I had the elk chop and mac n cheese. Both were phenomenal. My boyfriend had the prime rib. They were out of mashed potatoes (we were there late) and due to gluten and dairy allergy, he passed on the other side options. Much to our surprise, the chef special made him fries. We both had a wedge salad, and I gobbled down the incredible bread that had amazing butter. Our server was also fantastic. It's a beautiful restaurant, with incredible food and top-notch service. We will definitely be back on our next visit to Virginia City.

Great stop over. Faith was amazing and kept us entertained for a few cold beers and some stories Beer were super cold. There is coop little mine tour as well Drfitnkwy stop in to say hi to Faith . We will be back .thanks ☘️🤙

Absolutely phenomenal! Not only do they give close to Michelin star service, the food meets every standard for a high quality steakhouse. We had heard good things but the actual experience blew us away! Steven, the GM, and everyone else (Christina was our server) was so attentive and generally wonderful to be around. We left so full from the table side caesar, crab cakes, ribeye with mushrooms and whipped potatoes, and bananas foster for desert.

Took our out-of-town parents to the sawdust last weekend and had a great experience! We made reservations the week before, definitely recommend doing so especially as tourist season kicks off. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, comfortable seating, and great lighting. There was no music in the Delta or restaurant that day so I’m unsure of those noise levels, but it was pleasant for us. The staff was very attentive, the food was excellent and the options were great for someone like me with dietary restrictions. we will definitely be back!

My group of four arrived at this restaurant without a reservation and were told we would be able to get a table within minutes. The hostess went above and beyond to ensure we were happy and taken care of. Our server, Haven, was very attentive, professional, and gave excellent recommendations and customer service. We were very impressed by the service here and will definitely return when we are in the area to try other menu items.

We hadn't intended to visit this place, but as soon as we got out of the cab, we noticed the saloon was open, so we decided to give it a try. The saloon has a lovely, spacious, old Western style. The women behind the bar were friendly, and we ordered a Bloody Mary which turned out to be amazing - the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, they don't serve food there yet, so we had to go to another place for a meal. But you should definitely check it out, and don't forget to look for the suicide table in the saloon.

Cool old time spot. Food was crap. Nobody waiting tables just employees standing around with their thumbs up their butts

Food was good,but took a while to get service. The server left to make a delivery. All of us got sick after we left. This is why I gave a 1. The cost was a lot for what we got and we won't be back

Wonderful service, great food. Steak salad was perfectly done and my mom really enjoyed the shrimp scampi. The owner was knowledgeable about VC and was a treat to talk with.

One of our favorite places in Virginia City Nv We ordered the Salmon piccata with lemon caper butter sauce and of course the House bread with homemade pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella both excellent choices thank you my friends Dustin and Mom chef owner

Really cool atmosphere and the food was amazing. The country fried steak and eggs is made with a Ribeye steak. The breakfast enchiladas was a great surprise and was sooo good too! We’ll be back every time we’re in Virginia City. Also, the prices are really good too.

Virginia city knows about this place and now it’s time for the world to get a glimpse of this place. I went for the breakfast and stayed for diner and a second breakfast on the next day. They had the best mashed potatoes that I’ve ever had. If that’s all you go and eat you will be a fan of this place. It’s so quaint and yet so elegant at the same time. But the food!!!!! Anything on the menu I want to say is delicious. Here’s what I had.

The food tasted home made like as if I were to go to someone's house. The breakfast was very delicious and the server was awesome. He was attentive and provided excellent service. Their restrooms are super clean!

A well hidden gem with a beautiful atmosphere. Garlic bread appetizer was delish! We had breakfast and came back for dinner. Disappointed that no alcohol served. Our server was great despite being short staffed and working all shifts that day.