Nevada

Las Vegas - Of course, Vegas is the first place that comes to mind when someone mentions Nevada. Lights, nightlife, crazy sights, crazy people and wild gambling make Las Vegas a star attraction in the minds of most.

Ghost Towns - Two of the most noteworthy are Metropolis, just outside of Wells, Nevada on Interstate 80 and Rhyolite, just outside Beatty, Nevada on US Route 95.

Lake Tahoe - Lake Tahoe is half in Nevada and half in California. It is a gorgeous expanse of clear blue water. Surrounded by glorious mountain vistas and lush vegetation, Tahoe is a grand sight for even the most seasoned travellers. During the winter, there are various ski resorts open at the Lake that offer great skiing and snowboarding experiences. During the summer, there are plenty of attractions to do at the lake. From boating to water skiing to swimming in the water itself, to mountain biking and hiking on the extensive trails around the lake, there are endless summer activities to take part in.

Reno - Smaller than Vegas, Reno offers much the same nightlife and gambling opportunities. While Vegas offers more of the weird, off-the-wall entertainment opportunities, Reno provides the traditional Nevada gambling experience without all the hype and the people that Vegas has. It is close to the California border and not too far from Nevada's capital, Carson City, with huge shopping malls and quaint restaurants.

Hidden lakes - Nevada has a surprising amount of hidden lakes not far from the road and well worth stopping to see. Here are a couple:

Pyramid Lake lies just 15 miles from Interstate 80 between Lovelock and Reno, Nevada and is both beautiful and eerie. It is located on an Indian reservation and is a giant, beautiful sight. There is an urban legend that Pyramid Lake is connected to Lake Tahoe by underwater tunnels, but there is no proof of this. They are also said to share the same lake monster which supposedly travels via these underwater tunnels!

Along with the watersports on offer, it has beautiful, low mountains and a huge expanse of pure blue sky for boaters to enjoy. Its trademark features are the pyramid-shaped limestone formations in the middle of the lake.

Angel Lake, only 5 miles from Interstate 80 just outside Wells, is a unique mountain lake. Surrounded on all sides by massive mountains, it is shielded well from the outside world. Great for fishing, camping, and canoeing, the lake is small but majestic.

Lamoille Canyon, located near Elko and Spring Creek, Nevada, offers a unique and beautiful hiking experience for hiking enthusiasts as well as a peaceful, scenic drive for anyone that wants to enjoy the small waterfalls and intriguing mountain vistas that line the canyon. A few degrees cooler than the nearby towns, the canyon can be a refreshing break from the summer heat.

Extraterrestrial Highway, known as extraterrestrial for many reasons! The first of which is its proximity to the famous Area 51. The second is that people have reported seeing UFOs and other unexplainable sights which have led to the road becoming famous. Along the road lies the small town of Rachel, which caters to the alien-searching crowd with alien-themed billboards, hotels, and restaurants.

Great Basin National Park. This little-known National Park is full of bristlecone pine trees - ancient trees that cover the park in dense forests. It is also known for the Lehman Caves which are full of animal life and beautiful formations called the Sunken Gardens.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area. With tours of Hoover Dam available and several boating and water sports experiences on offer, Lake Mead is surrounded by expanses of wilderness and located relatively close to both the Grand Canyon National Park and Las Vegas. It really is a humbling sight to see when travelling to the Las Vegas area.

Death Valley National Park although in California, is not far from Las Vegas. Some of the most interesting sights to see include Racetrack Playa, an expanse of hard desert dirt covered in tracks left by large rocks. While there is some mystery surrounding the movement of the rocks, it is a scientific consensus that when the flat area floods, high winds move the rocks along the dirt. Another sight to see in Death Valley is the Devil's Postpile National Monument, characterized by huge, towering hexagonal basalt columns. This area is accessible only during certain months so plan your trip accordingly.

From sight-seeing in spectacular gorges, canyons and lake regions, to partying in the entertainment capital of the world, a holiday in Nevada has something on offer for everyone.

Browse our amazing range of holidays in Nevada

Popular Nevada holiday ideas

Whether it's winning in Las Vegas or keeping your cool in Death Valley, you want to know how to get the most out of your holiday to Nevada. Here are our recommendations for the best attractions in Nevada and tips for a top time.

Top tips for visiting Nevada

Top Tip 1

• The urban areas, consisting of the Reno and Las Vegas areas, are heavily dependent on tourism and thus very welcoming to outsiders. In addition, these areas have seen a huge influx of immigration in recent years from both inside and outside the USA and thus have a cosmopolitan feel. In a gambling town, everyone's your friend as long as you have money!

Top Tip 2

• Rural - Rural folk in Nevada have an easy going nature and a tolerance of people that they don't feel threatened by. Some rural areas have significant populations of Native American peoples, mainly Paiute and Shoshone. Visitors to Pyramid Lake should know that any recreational use of the Lake and the reservation land around it require permits. Tribal police spot-check vehicles and hikers for this paperwork and will issue tickets bearing significant fines if proof of payment cannot be produced.

Top Tip 3

• Language - English is the official language of Nevada but Spanish is also widely spoken. Like much of the southwest, Nevada was heavily influenced by the language, Hispanic culture and history under Spanish and Mexican rule. Tagalog is also spoken among Filipino populations

Top Tip 4

• Desert travel - There's an awful lot of desert to explore in Nevada and it's very easy to leave civilization behind. While that is a worthy goal, common sense is necessary to avoid life-threatening situations.

Top Tip 5

What to Drive: Vehicle breakdown and getting stuck are the easiest ways to get into serious trouble in the desert. Don't travel far from the pavement in a low-clearance vehicle. Four-wheel drive is strongly recommended for the winter months and is advised for unpaved mountain roads anytime. It is best to travel in a convoy of multiple vehicles, so that one breakdown will not strand you. Gas stations are few and far between, and often not open around the clock, so it is a good idea to carry extra fuel. If you do break down or run out of fuel, your best bet is to stay with the vehicle - unless you're within 10 miles or so of civilization – and wait for someone to come by.

Top Tip 6

• Weather: Most of Nevada is cold desert above 4,000'/1,300m elevation with summer daytime temperatures around 85F/30C and nights cooling sharply to 50°F/10°C. Winter temperatures are more variable and can drop far below zero. Lower elevations in the Las Vegas area create hot desert with summer daytime temperatures consistently above 100°F/40°C and little night time relief, but pleasant winters.

Top Tip 7

• Carry extra clothing, sleeping bags and tyre chains between October and April and remember that occasional snowstorms are possible above 4,000 feet/1,300metres as late as June. Summer thunderstorms can be locally intense, causing flash-floods where roads cross normally-dry washes. Wear a hat, long shirt, long trousers, sunblock and drink plenty of water to avoid heat stroke and sunburn in the summer.

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