Published October 26, 2026 08:13AM
Most places ask you to compromise. Do you want easy access to mountains or the conveniences of city life? The opportunity to turn your passions into a career, or the ability to easily escape to the outdoors? Urban energy or family-friendly living?
In Reno Tahoe, you can have it all.
Reno has long been known as the Biggest Little City, and the nickname fits. Here, public art, local businesses, bike paths, mountain trails, and ski slopes all feel surprisingly close together. And in a setting where the Sierra Nevada meets the high desert, with Lake Tahoe, the Truckee River, and public land all within reach, the region makes it remarkably easy to stay connected to nature while building a career, raising a family, or pursuing a creative life.
But if you really want to understand what makes Reno Tahoe special, you’ve got to ask someone who calls it home.
Building a Business Around Adventure
For Jordan Basile, adventure isn’t something that happens after work. It’s part of the creative process.
As the founder of Deso Supply Co., an outdoor apparel company, Basile spends as much time gathering ideas on the trail as he does from a desk. “It’s really hard to sit behind a computer and design when I haven’t moved my legs,” says Basile. “Creativity depends on outdoor activity and physical exertion.”
Getting outside is what shaped Deso from the beginning. Basile launched the company more than a decade ago because the clothing he wanted to wear didn’t exist. Living in the Reno Tahoe region and spending time outdoors gave the brand a clear point of view, one influenced by movement, adventure, and the landscapes that surround the area.
That connection to the outdoors also informed the company’s approach to sustainability. Basile is quick to point out that the apparel industry generates enormous amounts of waste, and he believes brands have a responsibility to create products that last. The goal isn’t simply to make clothing for outdoor adventures. It’s to make clothing that respects the places those adventures happen.
In Reno Tahoe, where outdoor recreation is part of everyday life, staying active often leads to something more: new ideas, deeper connections, and a greater appreciation for the landscapes that make it all possible.
Raising an Active Family
Kids have no shortage of energy. The Hammer family discovered an effective parenting hack: Live in a place that gives that energy somewhere to go.
The family of five moved to the Reno Tahoe area 10 years ago and found that the Biggest Little City offered more than easy access to the outdoors and city conveniences. For Amy and Max Hammer, it also made parenting a little easier.
“Being a dad of three kids is a lot. I’m fully signed up for it,” says Max. “But anything we can get to help is truly wonderful. And Reno itself is like our other parent.”
Blurring the line between recreation and life lessons, the Hammers prioritize growth in all its forms. The couple wants their children to grow up curious, capable, and connected to the world around them. In Reno, a bike ride transforms into a culinary detour. A backyard garden becomes a classroom.
Whether it’s climbing The Big Wall over the Reno Arch, riding bikes to get ice cream downtown, or floating the Truckee River, the opportunities to make every day a bit of an adventure are endless.
Finding Inspiration Between City and Summit
Cruising through Reno on two wheels, it’s not uncommon for artist Hannah Eddy to pass by murals she’s created for the city she loves.
“Art is everything to me,” says Eddy. “It’s how I see the world. It’s how I express myself. It’s my most authentic self when I’m painting.”
That perspective is shaped by more than a sketchbook. Eddy draws inspiration from the landscapes surrounding Reno Tahoe. The mountains, desert, and open spaces fuel her creativity, while the city itself has provided room to grow.
“It has all the big-city things, but it’s so small I can bike from one end of town to the other,” she says. “It feels accessible and approachable, and I like that.”
For Eddy, that balance has been invaluable. Reno’s creative community helped open doors in her career, creating opportunities to paint, experiment, and develop her voice as an artist in Nevada and all over the world.
Still, Reno remains central to her work. Its landscapes provide inspiration. Its community adopts her art as part of its culture, encouraging new ideas. And its scale makes it possible to move seamlessly between both.
Reno Tahoe is the ultimate destination for those who live life to its fullest and always say “yes” to a good time. Where epic outdoors meet the electric energy of The Biggest Little City in the World. It’s your place to do more and be more with No Limits.
