Minden vs. Carson City (Reno, Gardnerville: apartment, renter, construction)

[Patrick Murtha]

I am being looked at for a nice job in Minden, and I'll be visiting for the first time next week. I would be relocating from a pleasant town of 75,000 in the upper Midwest that has some amenities I quite like having nearby -- a very good public library, a couple of bookstores, coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, and so on. Coming to this area of Nevada, would I be likely to find Minden/Gardnerville or Carson City more congenial for living purposes? My thinking is that on week-ends especially, I would probably find Carson City more stimulating (and that much closer to Reno).

The commute from Carson City to Minden looks quite do-able, but that's looking at a map. Is it a pleasant commute? Are there any signicant weather/driving issues in the winter?

I am single and a renter (with a nice cat). Currently I live in an unpretentious two-bedroom apartment. I don't need fancy, just pet-friendly.

Very open to hearing people's thoughts.

[humboldtrat]

I would go with Carson City. It's a bigger town and being the state capitol has libraries and museums worth visiting. Minden and Gardnerville are smaller towns.

The highway (Hwy 395) between Carson City and Minden is a flat, straight 4 lane divided highway and the commute should be fast and easy. You might have issues with snow in the winter however. A freeway (Hwy 395) is under construction through and around Carson City to connect with the existing freeway going north to Reno. And someday, the 395 freeway may be extended south to Minden.

[ShellzBellz]

If you like living in small towns you'll like Minden. Carson City is also very nice. The commute is a straight drive, its the wind that can become the headache, not the snow.
Good Luck

[lasvegasexpert]

Having previously lived at the lake for 9 years, I'd live in Minden over Carson City any day. Minden is quaint and homey, and a 20 minute drive to Carson City. Not as much snow in the valley as at the lake, but driving the part of Hwy 50 that borders Washoe Lake is challenging when its windy, which is often.