Snow Days Done Right: River Street Inn & 1882 Bar & Grill
When Mother Nature decides to flex in the Sierra Nevada, you roll with it. January 3rd and 4th found me on the microphone at Sugar Bowl for the Tahoe Jr. Freeride event—young rippers charging hard while the snow kept stacking. Meanwhile, the roads had other plans.
I-80? Open. Closed. Open. Closed. SR267? Same story. SR89 over Emerald Bay? Locked down. Getting back to South Shore after a full day on the mountain wasn't just inconvenient—it was borderline impossible. I needed a place to hunker down, reset, and get ready to do it all over again the next morning.
Enter the River Street Inn—and what a find it was.
Historic Charm on the Truckee River: Built in 1882, the River Street Inn sits right on the Truckee River in the heart of Old Town Truckee. This isn't your cookie-cutter chain hotel. This is authentic Sierra lodging with character—the kind of place that reminds you why you fell in love with this region in the first place. The inn's central location puts you minutes from all the major ski resorts, making it the perfect base camp when storm cycles keep the roads unpredictable.
The Rooms: Exactly What You Need: After a long day on the mountain—voice hoarse from calling out runs, boots finally off, adrenaline fading—all I wanted was somewhere warm, comfortable, and manageable. The River Street Inn delivered. The rooms are quaint without feeling cramped, newly remodeled with flat screen TVs, private bathrooms, comfortable queen beds, and down comforters that made the cold Sierra nights feel like a distant memory.
Morning came with fresh-brewed cup’o’joe and complimentary pastries—exactly the fuel I needed before heading back up to Sugar Bowl for day two. No fuss, no complications, just solid hospitality done right.
1882 Bar & Grill: The Real Star: Now let me tell you about dinner. The 1882 Bar & Grill, named after the year the building was constructed, operates right out of the inn. They're running a custom Gator Pit of Texas smoker, and the BBQ-style menu is absolutely legit. Meats smoked daily, authentic Texas-style preparation—this isn't an afterthought attached to a hotel. This is a destination.
The Tri-Tip Sandwich? Highly, highly recommend. Tender, smoky, perfectly seasoned—the kind of sandwich you think about days later. Pair it with something cold from their solid selection of adult libations, and you've got yourself a perfect post-mountain evening.
The bar atmosphere hits that sweet spot—casual enough to walk in wearing your base layers, classy enough that you don't feel out of place lingering over a good drink. The conversations flow easily, the staff is engaged, and the pricing? Fair. More than fair. In a resort town where a burger can run you $25 without blinking, 1882 keeps it real.
Oh, and they're the only riverfront dining in Truckee. That patio in summer? I'll be back.
Pro tip: They serve beignets daily—the only spot in Truckee doing so. If you've got a sweet tooth, don't skip them.
The Bottom Line: The River Street Inn turned what could have been a stressful situation - stuck on the North Shore with highways shutting down left and right - into a genuinely enjoyable experience. The combination of comfortable, no-nonsense lodging and exceptional food and drink at 1882 Bar & Grill made for the perfect two-night stay while working the Tahoe Jr. Freeride Series at Sugar Bowl...
Whether you're in Truckee for skiing, working an event, or just need a place to ride out a Sierra storm, this historic inn delivers. Book it. Eat the tri-tip. Thank me later.
River Street Inn
10009 E River St, Truckee, CA 96161
Inn: (530) 550-9290 | 1882 Bar & Grill: (530) 550-9222
