Who Virginia City suits
Virginia City suits history travelers, Mark Twain readers (he worked at the Territorial Enterprise here in the 1860s), fans of the paranormal (the town is aggressively haunted-themed), and anyone driving between Reno and Carson City who wants an unusual overnight. Options are limited: the Silverland Inn & Suites at $110 to $170, the historic Gold Hill Hotel a mile south (opened 1859, oldest hotel in Nevada) at $130 to $200, and a handful of B&Bs like the Silver Queen at $120 to $180.
It does not suit anyone seeking modern amenities, nightlife past 9pm, or more than two days of activity. Once you have walked C Street, toured a mine and eaten at the Delta Saloon, you have essentially done Virginia City.
What is walkable
The entire town is walkable — C Street is about six blocks of wooden boardwalks, 1870s brick buildings and roughly 30 shops, saloons and small museums. The Chollar Mine and Ponderosa Mine both offer underground tours from C Street. The Fourth Ward School Museum sits at the south end. The Virginia & Truckee Railroad runs steam trains 35 minutes down to Gold Hill and back from May through October, $12 to $15 a ticket. Elevation is 6,200 feet so summer evenings are 20°F cooler than Reno.
Good to know
One night or two?+
One is plenty for most people. Two only makes sense if you want to ride the V&T Railroad and do a mine tour without rushing.
Is it really the oldest hotel in Nevada?+
The Gold Hill Hotel claims 1859 and has documentation to support at least parts of the current structure dating to the early Comstock era.