A few years ago, a 23-year-old single guy posted in a Reno discussion forum seeking advice on where to meet people in town. He’d just moved to Reno, Nevada, for his job and knew no one outside of his office. “Do you have any suggestions of places to go, activities, etc. where I can meet some people around my age?” he asked.
Unfortunately, not many people stepped up with recommendations. “I guess that depends on what kind of people you are trying to meet,” wrote VerdeOjos5. Not very helpful.
Our dating experts decided to answer this question more thoroughly for singles like that 23-year-old who want to expand their horizons and meet new people in Reno, aka the Biggest Little City in the World. Over 248,000 people live in Reno, so finding friendships and date prospects is just a matter of knowing where to go and having luck on your side.
Reno Dating Sites
In the last few years, online dating has exploded in popularity, lost its stigma, and become the #1 way to meet a significant other. If you haven’t tried online dating yet, you’re missing out on a world of romantic opportunity. If you have tried online dating and things didn’t work out, maybe you should change things up and try one of the following popular dating sites.
Best Singles Site
We rank Match as the overall best dating site in the world because it has been around longer than any other dating platform, and it has an impressive track record when it comes to pairing compatible dates. You can join for free to see if this international dating network can meet your dating needs.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over 50 & Senior Sites
Around 36% of Reno residents are over 45 years old, and this demographic often has difficulty in the modern dating scene. It’s just more difficult to meet people the older you get. OurTime is on a mission to help mature daters find one another on a senior-friendly dating platform. The site welcomes singles of a certain age and gives them the search and matching tools to attract a date.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
For Black Men & Women Only
Reno is a predominately white city in a predominately white state. In fact, only 2.9% of Reno residents identified as African-American in the 2010 census. If you’re having trouble finding dates in the local black community, you can diversify your dating life by joining BlackPeopleMeet. Thousands of black and biracial singles use this dating site every day to mingle with people who share similar backgrounds and values.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Hookup & Sex Site
Adult Friend Finder is the go-to dating site for singles with a hit-it-and-quit-it mentality. This sexy platform facilitates hookups all around the world. With over 100 million profiles, Adult Friend Finder has enough sexually active members to satisfy any fantasy or fetish.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
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Popular Dating Apps
If you like dating sites, you’ll love dating apps. These mobile networks take online dating to another level by putting all the matching, messaging, and searching in the palm of your hand. You can cut to the chase more quickly using the pared-down features on a dating app. We recommend downloading the following dating apps to upgrade your love life within a few swipes.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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About the App:
Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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About the App:
Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Reno Singles Bars
Although online dating’s rise in popularity has shaken up the dating scene, some tried-and-true dating practices, like picking up dates at a bar, never seem to go out of style. Local singles can take a break from swiping and matching for an evening and create a romantic connection in person at a local watering hole. We’ve searched Reno’s downtown scene for the most singles-friendly bars and come up with this list of fun and affordable hangouts.
Chapel Tavern
We believe Chapel Tavern is one of the best bars for singles in Reno because of its thoughtful and quality-driven approach to serving drinks. The team lives by the motto "Drink is our religion" and seamlessly blends ancestral wisdom with modern mixology. If you don't know what to order, put your faith in the bartender and ask for a Dealer's Choice. The tavern's innovative craft cocktails have earned it a fervent following, and you'll find people of all backgrounds gathered together to revel in a heavenly atmosphere.
Sierra Tap House
Since it opened its doors in 2006, the Sierra Tap House has aimed to be "the best dang bar in Reno." Its convenient location in the River Walk District in downtown Reno makes it a go-to hangout for singles out on the town. You can sit on the patio with a cold one and enjoy a picturesque view of the Truckee River, or you can go inside and challenge someone to an arcade game. Daters on a budget can save themselves a few bucks by stopping by the Sierra Tap House on Mondays when the bar offers an all-day happy hour from 3 p.m. until midnight.
Death & Taxes Provisions & Spirits
The Death & Taxes Provisions & Spirits is an upscale speakeasy known for its imaginative artisanal cocktails with house-made syrups and natural ingredients. The bar offers a lengthy menu as well as a spirits bible to help newcomers interpret it all. You can also sign up for a two-hour instructive course about how to make flavorful cocktails at home so you can show off your drinking knowledge to a date. The beautifully eye-catching drinks at Death & Taxes make great conversation starters as you hunt for a date in Reno.
Ceol Irish Pub
Whether it's Whiskey Wednesdays or pub quizzes on Thursdays, the Ceol Irish Pub always has something fun on the calendar. You can drink whiskey from around the world at this classic Gaelic haunt. Patrons of all ages spend their evenings at the Ceol Irish Pub because they enjoy the lighthearted atmosphere and extensive selection of spirits. The bar even invites live bands and DJs to crank up the music on the weekends and get everyone on their feet doing an Irish jig.
Red Rock Bar
The Red Rock Bar offers an honest drink at a fair price and treats everyone at the bar like a good friend. The bar tends to fill up from 4 p.m. through 6 p.m. when happy hour prices tempt Reno's after-work crowd. Singles can challenge one another to a game of pool, shuffleboard, or darts and blow off steam in a friendly environment. The Red Rock Bar doesn't serve food, but it's bottled beers and domestic draughts can hit the spot.
1864 Tavern
The Victorian-inspired 1864 Tavern celebrates the year Nevada became the 36th state to join the Union. The old-fashioned decor makes guests feel as if they're going back in time to the 1800s. The historical bar has quaint leather seating, cozy couches, antique chandeliers, and portraits of President Abraham Lincoln and his contemporaries to set the mood. Its libations also hearken back to the past with fresh ingredients and high-quality liquors. The Gold Rush cocktail, made with whiskey, honey clover, and lemon, is a particular favorite. Patrons can also enjoy fresh fruit juices as well as beer and wine.
Reno Speed Dating
Speed dating events can save singles the time and frustration of sorting through a crowd of dates to find that special someone. These well-orchestrated events offer an evening of fun and flirtation where daters have just five minutes to establish chemistry and compatibility before moving on to the next date. Reno residents are in luck because Pre-Dating, a national speed dating company, is currently setting up its operation in Reno and preparing to launch events in the area. You can sign up with your name and email address to hear about its upcoming speed dating events.
Reno Singles Events
You don’t have to be a big partier or drinker to enjoy a singles event. These social gatherings come in all shapes and sizes. Some involve happy hours at popular bars, while others involve hiking through the mountains or brunching on the weekends. You can find a variety of singles-friendly meetups by looking around online. Some of these groups have hundreds of members and organize weekly events to encourage new people to get involved and build close relationships.
Reno Singles Clubs
Caesars Entertainment Corporation got its start in Reno, and the city is famous for its lively casinos and swanky hotels, so singles have plenty of dance clubs to entertain them all night long. Reno’s nightclubs offer a wild and carefree atmosphere where you can easily meet new people on the dance floor or at the bar. You can dance your way into someone’s heart by visiting EDGE Nightclub, LEX Nightclub, or another top-rated club in Reno.
Reno Chat Rooms
Thanks to modern technology, you don’t have to leave home to meet someone new in Reno. You could simply join a chat room and start conversing with folks who live in the area. Online chat rooms offer a low-key place to get to know someone and see if it’s worth pursuing an offline relationship. You don’t have to fill out a lengthy profile or questionnaire to meet people in a chat room. Just choose a username, and then get chatting.
Reno Personals
Looking for a fast date in Washoe County? Then you may want to consider trying a dating personals site. You can create a profile within seconds and use the platform’s basic search tools to find a local date ASAP. Dating personals don’t have any complex features or matching systems to stand in your way. All you need to do is state your name, age, location, and relationship goals on your profile, and then you’re good to go.
Enjoy Outdoor Activities & Community Services
Reno sees over 250 days of sunshine a year, and that’s something singles should take advantage of by visiting the city’s public parks and exploring its beautiful outdoor areas, including Lake Tahoe. You can meet a lot of outgoing people simply by going outside.
The City of Reno Parks, Recreation, and Community Services has a full calendar of events as well as an array of activities to engage locals of all ages. You can attend a free event or sign up for a recreational program to get active in Reno’s social scene. The athletics program is particularly helpful for adult singles hoping to meet people around town.
Whether you’re playing a game of pick-up soccer or making idle chitchat at a dog park, you can create fulfilling friendships and relationships by doing something you enjoy alongside other people. Just get out there and have fun.
Join a Club or Social Group
You can build tight bonds through group activities, and many social clubs innately act as good dating grounds for local singles. Friendships naturally form as people spend time doing things they enjoy together.
Social groups, like the Newcomers and Neighbors Club of Northern Nevada, help singles expand their social circles and meet new people in a casual setting. You can attend a luncheon, group outing, or community event to introduce yourself to the city’s socialites.
If you can find a group based around a hobby, that’s even better. For instance, the Reno Photo Club is a great opportunity for photography enthusiasts to get together and share photography tips. This group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of every month except July and December. The group’s meetings are held at the Five Star Premium Residence on Plumas Street.
Find a Hot Date in the Neon Babylon
Reno is a bustling city in Northern Nevada with a thriving entertainment industry. Thousands of tourists descend upon this large small town to gamble, ski, hike, and relax. If you live here all the time, though, it’s easy to take the sunshine, nightlife, and social atmosphere for granted and forget how lucky you are to call such a beautiful place home.
Sometimes people get lost in the shuffle of the city, and that’s usually when they seek advice and resources to bring the romance back into their lives.
Whether they’re new in town or have lived here their whole life, Reno singles can hit the dating jackpot by getting involved in the community and taking advantage of high-tech avenues to meet people. We hope our list of ways to meet people has given you a few ideas you can act on and use to make something happen. Let the games begin!
