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Discovering the Ichthyosaur
Nevadans take great pride in things that might seem a bit odd to non-dwellers. For example, we celebrate the anniversary of our statehood—Nevada Day—as an official public holiday, complete with an old-fashioned parade in Carson City. We will brag about the unsinkable battleship USS Nevada, the only vessel to get under way during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mark Twain’s first byline was in a Nevada newspaper, and we have more named mountain ranges than any other state.
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Rural Wranglers: Beatty
Are you a fan of small-town vacations? Are you interested in soaking in the sights and sounds of a quiet desert community? Perhaps you just want to outrun winter weather for a few more weeks. If so, Beatty might just be your perfect autumn destination.
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Rural Wranglers: Virginia City
Silver, saloons, mining lore, the Comstock, and Mark Twain: It's likely some or all of these words come to mind at the mention of Virginia City. The history of this northern Nevada gem is as wild, deep, and important as they come, and it also makes for a seriously fun destination.
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A Wild Ride
Casino magnate Bill Harrah had a bit of an obsession. The man who launched the Harrah’s gaming empire in 1937 also had a penchant for collecting cars, which led to him eventually owning around 1,400 vehicles. During his lifetime, his collection—often referred to as the most significant assemblage of vintage and one-of-a-kind cars ever—was housed in Sparks and open to the public.
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Rural Wranglers: Tonopah
Located halfway between Las Vegas and Reno, Tonopah is a welcome stop for road-weary travelers. But this old mountain town is no mere rest stop. Tonopah is the perfect weekend getaway to wander Sahara-like dunes, dine in luxurious haunted hotels, and take in some of the darkest skies around.
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Rural Wranglers: Elko
Founded in 1868, Elko began life as a station on the Union Pacific line. Thanks to its prime location near the railroad and the Humboldt River, the northeastern Nevada town became a busy community surrounded by a sprawl of farms and ranches.
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Bet on Art
Las Vegas is in the middle of an urban cultural renaissance. A well-timed combination of affordable living, supportive city policies, and grassroots community planning has made the city a stronghold for creative expression. At the heart of this movement sits the Las Vegas Arts District and its 18-plus blocks of colorful shops, novel restaurants, and endless entertainment.
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Free-Range Art Highway
Ready to give your camera a workout? With the Free-Range Art Highway as your canvas, the photo-op stops are countless. Whether you’re a newbie photographer just learning the definition of aperture or a veteran documentarian seeking new stories, you’ll find plenty of odd and awesome vistas to ogle along this Reno-to-Vegas road trip.
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Historic Walking Tours
Self-guided walking tours are a free and fun way to explore a community at your own pace—and a good excuse to get your steps in. It’s as easy as picking up your map and brochure at the locations listed below, so get walking!
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Uncommon Overnighters: The Clown Motel
The Clown Motel in Tonopah boasts what’s got to be the largest collection of clown figurines and memorabilia under the sun. Some 3,200 clowns call the motel’s lobby home, with more pouring in weekly as donations from around the world. It’s a sight to behold and one that you won’t find anywhere else.
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Rural Wranglers: Boulder City
In late 1928, President Coolidge signed the Boulder Canyon Project Act. Its intent was simple: the US would build the world’s then-largest dam and tame the Colorado River.
The best locations for the dam were along the Nevada-Arizona border. Initially, the idea was to place it in Boulder Canyon—hence the name of the act—but surveyors later identified nearby Black Canyon as a superior site. Although the project was officially renamed Hoover Dam in 1931, people continued to call it Boulder Dam for at least another decade.
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The Great Silver State Way
Making a trip to see a Broadway play in a large city often comes with jaw-dropping sticker shock. First are the ticket prices themselves, the cost of which could rival the gross national product of a healthy micronation. Then you’ll need to factor in transportation, parking, dinner/drinks, and hotel stays. Bottom line: You might need to take out a small loan to enjoy “Hadestown” or “Hamilton” in New York City or San Francisco. And this is one of the many reasons Nevada is becoming an alternate—and sometimes, far more enticing—destination for a Broadway experience.
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Rural Wranglers: Mesquite
The Old Spanish Trail was—by 1800s standards—a superhighway for traders, settlers, and explorers. Rather than being one route, the trail was a network of roads stringing together far-flung communities of the American Southwest from Santa Fe to Los Angeles. However, no matter which direction folks traveled, all paths converged in the verdant Virgin River Valley through what is now Mesquite.
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The Need For Speed
While Nevada is home to serious outdoor splendor, not all recreation is found on hiking trails and mountain tops. For those looking for something with a little more gas, there are racetrack adventures waiting to be found.
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Ahhhh … It’s A Spa Day
Vacations can get easily crammed full of activities and things to see and do. While there’s a time for doing the mad dash, there’s also room for slowing things down and spending a little quality time with that most important person: you. There are as many spas in Nevada as there are colors in our sunsets, so consider these mentions as just a taste of what awaits.
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Set a Course for Adventure
Whether you’ve got the whole fam in tow or have your sights set on a romantic getaway for two, embark on a boating tour along some of the country’s most famous waterways.