I had extremely high demands for a vacation: great restaurants and nightlife, relaxing by the pool, rejuvenating time outdoors, and I wanted world-class entertainment. Turns out Nevada offers more variety in summer and winter than just about any place on Earth.
Nevada Travel
Nevada has an incredible offering for the demanding traveler: mountains, deserts, crystal clear lakes, rivers, off-road excursions, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, sand dunes, casinos, performances, pools, water skiing, and fishing… Nevada’s activities are an infinite list. Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe are known throughout the world. Try the smaller resort towns like Laughlin and Mesquite.
Battle Born!
Nevada was one of the two states that submitted for statehood in 1864, but was the only one admitted during the Civil War. Hence Nevada’s nickname: “Battle Born.”
The People
At a ratio of one to five, Nevada has the lowest percentage of native-born residents out of any state. That means for every five people you meet in Nevada only one person was born there.
Practically everyone is some sort of tourist here – it may be they’re on a 20-year vacation!
More than 78% of the population lives in Reno, Carson City, and Las Vegas. If you eliminate these 3 cities, Nevada’s total population would only be around 200,000 people.
Nevada has one of the lowest population densities in America, with only 21 people per square mile.
Outdoors
For all the indoor entertainment Nevada is known for, it offers some of the remotest places in the Continental United States.
Nevada is the most mountainous state in America with 315 named mountain ranges and 43 named peaks exceeding an elevation of 10,000 feet.
It is practically impossible to go anywhere in Nevada without seeing mountains.
With a little bit of planning it is still entirely possible to travel the entire state of Nevada solely on dirt Roads. This is a distance of over 400 miles east to west and over 700 miles north to south.
Nevada has more than 44,000 acres of man-made reservoirs 2760 miles of streams and 23 designated wilderness areas. And 8,600,000 acres of national forest.
With more natural hot springs than any other state, Nevada leads the nation in geothermal power usage. Nevada has 208 million natural Hot Springs.
Despite its famed activities in arid environments, about 671 streams go through Nevada. Combine this with many natural lakes, Hot Springs, ponds, and artificial reservoirs, and approximately 30% of the state remains underwater.
Black Rock Desert
At 100 miles long the Black Rock Desert is the largest dry lake bed in America. Aside from being the setting for the annual Burning Man Festival, this desert location also set the stage for the world’s fastest land speed record of 602 miles per hour in 1999.
Wildlife
Nevada is home to 75% of the United States’ population of wild horses and burrows.
These wild horses are thought to be descended from horses that arrived with 19th-century settlers.
Nevada is home to the oldest living organism on earth, the Bristlecone Pine. These trees live only in elevations above 11,000 feet and have an average lifespan of 2,500 years.
The oldest of these trees was felled by accident. In the Snake Range of Eastern Nevada. Tree rings indicated its age to be 5,700 years.
Destination Cities
Reno
The Biggest Little City!
If you’re in Northern Nevada, you must visit Reno. This is the perfect place to spend a couple of days or a whole season.
Reno refers to itself as the Biggest Little City in the World. It has a lot of economic activity going on among its 246,500 residents.
Due to the shape of California’s coastline Reno is surprisingly located slightly west of Los Angeles.
Travelers enjoy the nearby mountain recreation and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National forest which is a part of Yosemite National Park.
Reno is no stranger to the wedding scene. The Biggest Little City hosts an average of 6000 weddings a year. Most of these weddings occur in April and September.
In Reno, you can enjoy activities such as hiking and backpacking.
If you’re in Reno, visit the Nevada Museum of Art, the National Automobile Museum, the Wilbur D. May Center, and the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park.
Kingsbury Travel
Kingsbury is one of the smallest towns in Nevada with a population of about 2,200. It’s situated in Douglas county and provides a homey setting in the wilderness to its visitors.
Kingsbury is a very safe destination.
Henderson & Westgate Nevada
Many young professionals flock to this location to both live and travel. It is an access point for various lifestyles. Families visit to soak up the sun in various outdoor pools.
In Henderson, you’re welcome to try many outdoor activities. Visit the red rock canyon or Mount Charleston, as well as check out the Lion Habitat Ranch.
Boulder City
Closer to Lake Meade is Boulder city, a lively outdoor-focused community. This is the perfect destination for those who are thrilled by outdoor adventure.
One should know that Boulder City is also home to world-famous engineering in the Hoover Dam and the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
Boulder City, Nevada is the entry point to the resplendent Lake Mead Recreational Area. This area offers numerous trails, campsites, and eye-catching scenery.
Las Vegas
This is the section you’re probably here for. Why didn’t we put it at the top? Las Vegas is undeniably the most popular place in Nevada with its moniker, Sin City.
Las Vegas is home to hundreds of casinos and hotels. Las Vegas also offers clubs, exquisite restaurants, and other forms of nightlife entertainment.
A lot of the economy relies heavily on these businesses. This is evident as soon as you start driving in the town.
It will take 288 years for one person to spend one night in every hotel room in Las Vegas.
The ratio of bars to churches in Nevada is roughly 7 to 1. The statistic is reflective of a wild West Heritage.
In 2009, Las Vegas became the world’s number 1 wedding destination.
Las Vegas has 55 wedding chapels, including 2 drive-through chapels and over 250 ordained ministers- more than any city in the world.
About 150 couples get married in Las Vegas each day, which is about 119,000 yearly weddings.
Many residences in Las Vegas have been converted into vacation rentals, so check some of the home rental platforms when finding a place to stay.
The stratosphere in Las Vegas is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the US and the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River.
Las Vegas offers luxurious dining and high-quality living standards, and of course, has millions of visitors every year. This was especially true before COVID-19 but is largely true now as tourism has recovered well.
Despite the glitz and glamour that Vegas offers, it is quite surprising how affordable a vacation to Las Vegas can be.
Las Vegas isn’t just limited to being caught up in a wild party. Head outside of town and you’ll be able to experience some of Nevada’s finest outdoor adventures. You can explore Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area, have fun at Lake Mead, and wander around the trails at the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area.
Mesquite
Mesquite, Nevada is an interesting destination – sort of a mini Las Vegas. It is targeted at golfers from up north, but provides most the experiences Las Vegas is known for.
Elko Nevada Travel
Welcome back to the Wild West!
Those who are willing to experience the wild west of Nevada should visit and live in Elko. This area is situated in the northern portion of the state, and clings to authentic Cowboys and other related attractions.
- Wild horses roam here
- South Fork Reservoir State recreation area
- Cowboys and Rodeos
- Museums
- Iconic J.M. Capriola Bit and Spur Company
Outdoor adventure is also waiting for you here at several outdoor parks. You can camp, hike, or have a picnic with your family and friends.
Currently, Elko is about 21,000 residents who enjoy some of the best bars and restaurants available in a small town.
Keep in mind that Elko is the gateway to the Ruby Mountains, an untamed patch of wonders that showcases much of the different environments Nevada has to offer.
You should never miss the cowboy corridor.
Landmarks
Nevada is the only state that is discernible from space. The various bright lights of the casinos in border towns provide a thin, lighted outline of Nevada’s borders at night. In fact, night pilots have been known to navigate by casino lights when instrument problems have occurred.
Hoover Dam
Hoover dam contains 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete. This is enough to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.
Another spectacular engineering feat is the world’s highest arch bridge crossing the Colorado River just below the Hoover Dam.
The bridge was completed in 2010 at a length of 1900 feet and 900 feet above the Colorado River. It has since been named to honor Mike O’Callaghan and Pat Tillman.
Lake Tahoe
The waters of Lake Tahoe, or so clear that it’s possible to spot a dinner plate more than 75 feet beneath the water.
The deepest point of Lake Tahoe is right off the Nevada shoreline. 1650 feet of depth of more than a quarter mile.
The lake contains enough water to cover the entire state of California in 1 foot of water.
Unique Nevada Attractions and Experiences
Nuke Town
Want to visit a town that experienced a nuclear blast? Bus tours of the restricted, Nevada test site are offered 3 times a year.
Don’t get your hopes up though, a thorough background check is required and there’s a 2-year wait list.
Even if you were granted the permission required, you have to take an 86-mile bus ride from Las Vegas on dirt roads to the crater. More information is scarce as everything is classified.
Even after all this, it might not be worth it. Any type of photography is strictly prohibited.
History
Nevada was admitted as a state to the Union on October 31, 1864, and is the only state born on Halloween. In some areas, the residents celebrate this birthday and show their Nevada Pride in elaborate Halloween costumes.
Nevada was nearly relinquished as a state in 1890 due to huge downward mining trends. Nevada Day is a state holiday that celebrates admittance into statehood along with Nevada’s triumphs over 155+ years.
The Comstock Lode was the largest silver strike in American history. The load was found in the late 1850s and produced an overall $96 billion in silver in its lifetime. President Abraham Lincoln granted Nevada statehood, partly due to its rich Comstock silver. It’s argued that Nevada silver helped fund the union victory in the Civil War.
There are 250 abandoned towns throughout the state and Nevada is well known for ghost towns. Nevada has more of these abandoned towns than anywhere else in the world.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas was founded by Mormon Pioneers. This city was originally a fort and farming community in 1855.
Reno
Reno was once known for “The Reno Cure,” because Nevada was the only state that granted a legal divorce.
Reno’s Virginia Street bridge would later become known as the wedding band bridge because new divorcees walked across the street from the courthouse and tossed their old rings into the river.
I’ve read in news articles that folks with metal detectors did not find many rings in the riverbed. More than likely, there’s a nearby pawnshop that quite a few of these rings have passed through.
While filming “The Misfits,” Marilyn Monroe even planted a kiss on the courthouse pillars. This was preserved until 2014 when the smooch was finally painted over.
2014 crazy! I haven’t been able to find a picture of what was painted over.
Gambling & Gaming
Prior to 1910, Nevada was the only state that allowed boxing. All states at the time banned boxing. The sport was surprisingly profitable at the time, and convenient for the media to center broadcast it from 1 location.
Before 1910 gambling was accepted, but in 1910 the state legislature officially made gambling illegal.
The state finally reinstated gambling in 1934 by a slim vote. Today Nevada remains the only state in America that allows legalized gambling. Approximately 45% of the state’s economy comes from gaming.
In 2014, Nevada had a total of 205,728 slot machines in case you’re wondering that’s one machine for every 10 residents.
Other Facts about Nevada
Nevada has a favorable tax structure and attracts movers and shakers of many kinds of business. They come to live here and they come to play here. The mere fact that this place doesn’t have income tax makes it an appealing choice for a permanent address.
About 45 million vehicles enter Nevada by way of Interstates, US routes, and State Highways every year.
At 18,159 square miles. Nye County is the third largest county in America. If it were possible you could grab the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New Jersey into the borders of Nye County and still have room left over.
The 500 square mile corner of the North West corner of Nevada has a combined population of only 150 people and no services of any kind. The U.S. Census claims Nevada’s northwest corner is the least populated area in the lower 48 states.
Government
Nevada was the first state to ratify the 15th amendment which allowed people the right to vote, regardless of race, color, gender, or servitude.
The race for governor solves a tie in a very Nevada style. If two candidates win by a tie, the election is settled by a game of High Card.
Oh, and the winner must buy the loser a round or two.
Is this true? Can we get this fact-checked?
Nevada’s state constitution contains a large number of spelling and grammatical errors to this day. The 160-page document remains mostly unaltered from the day it was written in 1864.
The longest Morse code telegram ever sent in US history was the Nevada state constitution sent in 1864 from Crowder Sin City to Washington DC in a hurry for a state of the states. The entire constitution was sent in a record 92 minutes.