Nevada Travel Guide

Nevada is an arid state of the USA, lying between California and Utah. Most of the state is within the Great Basin, while the southern portion is within the Mohave desert and the Colorado river drainage.

Cities

• Black Rock City

• Carson City

• Las Vegas

• Reno

• Winnemucca

Hotel - Flight - Car Rental

• Nevada Discount Hotels Directory

• Click here for discount air fares.

• Click here for rental cars.

Understand

Nevada achieved statehood in 1864, becoming the 36th state, despite its tiny population. The primary purpose of this early grant of statehood was to pack congress with two more Senators and thus help preserve Northern/Republican dominance in the post-civil war era. At the time, Nevada's economy was dominated by the mining industry, thus tying the state to the industrialized North. Nevada was also seen as a counter-balance to the more agrarian and confederate-sympathizing California.

Over the years, Nevada's economy has diversified somewhat into agriculture, light industry, distribution, and gaming. However, over 87% of the land in Nevada is still owned by the Federal Government.

There are fairly large cultural differences between Urban and Rural areas, and therefore they are treated separately here.

Urban

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. Recent immigrants from California are widely complained about (especially by the less recent immigrants from California), but that's about the extent of it.

Rural

Rural folk in Nevada are about like rural folk in the rest of the US, except more so. Although they are mostly conservative and highly individualistic, you'll be surprised by their helpful, easy going nature and tolerance of people that they don't feel threatened by. As the entire rural economy of Nevada is dependent on access to Federal lands for mining and grazing, environmental activists, and BLM and US Forest Service employees may be viewed as a threat. Young and hip people, especially from the north-eastern US, may be assumed to belong to one of those groups.

See

Great Basin National Park is one of the few things outside of Las Vegas that deserves a visit. It is the newest national park in the system, and so not crowded or over-developed. It also is somewhat small, but has some lovely campgrounds and some nice hiking trails. Beware the altitude as the upper campground is around 10K feet. The aspens in autumn make this park SPECTACULAR!! Truly breathtaking! http://www.nps.gov/grba/

Do

Gambling

Gambling is the major industry in Nevada, directly responsible for about 20% of total employment. Gambling establishments range from huge casinos boasting slot machines, table games and sports books to small bars and convenience stores with a few video poker games apiece.

Local towns depending on visitors from neighboring states have seen a significant decrease in traffic in recent years, much of which is blamed on the rise of Indian Casinos. Las Vegas, despite a downturn following September 11 2001, continues to thrive due to its destination status.

Brothels

Brothels warrant mention here as Nevada is the only state in the US where prostitution is legal. Prostitution is legal on a county-by-county basis in licensed brothels only. Prostitution is illegal in the counties containing Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City.

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. Here's some tips for traveling to the more remote desert areas of Nevada:

What to Drive: Vehicle breakdown is the easiest way to get into a survival situation 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 necessary for traveling unpaved mountain roads in the winter. It is best to travel in a convoy of multiple vehicles, so that one breakdown will not strand you. Gas stations are few, 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 - Odds are that someone will come by in a day or two.

Roads: Nevada is criss-crossed with unpaved roads, some of which are maintained, most of which are not. Due to the slow growth rate of vegetation, once a road is established it can remain passable for decades with no maintenance and little traffic. Few roads have culverts, so be on the look-out for washed out areas. These generally aren't a problem if traversed slowly, but can cause serious damage if you don't slow down in time.

Fences: The boundaries between grazing allotments are fenced as are the boundaries between public and private land. On higher volume roads there will be a "cattle-guard" on the road which is passable by vehicles but not by cattle. Lower volume roads will have a gate across the road. Always leave the gate in the same condition as you found it - if open leave it open, if closed make sure you close it behind you. Gates leading into private land will sometimes be locked or marked with a "No Trespassing" sign, in which case you should respect the property owner's wishes and find another way to get where you want to go.

Livestock: In open rangeland (just about everywhere in Nevada), cattle have the right-of-way. It is not uncommon for ranchers to leave hay and water for their stock close to a road, and thus it is not uncommon to encounter herds of cattle on or near the road. You should always slow way down for these herds, as the calves especially have a nasty habit of running out in front of cars. You break it, you buy it.

Navigation: Navigation in Nevada is fairly easy if you keep your wits about you. The poverty of vegetation gives astonishingly long sight distance, and mountain ranges are ubiquitous for reference. Large-scale topographic maps of the entire state are available in bound form at most bookstores and many gas stations. These should be sufficient for most purposes. Smaller scale topographic maps are published by the US Geologic Survey (USGS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and can be purchased at outdoors-oriented stores (such as the REI in Reno) or photocopied at the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) library. The BLM maps tend to be more up-to-date with regards to roads, but are more difficult to find. Due to the small scale of these maps, they are not practical for long-range vehicle travel, but can be very useful on hiking trips.

Weather: Most of Nevada is cold desert, except the Las Vegas area. Daily temperature swings can be drastic, and sub-freezing nighttime temperatures are the norm throughout the winter. Be prepared for winter conditions between October and April. Autumn and spring are especially dangerous, as winter storms can intrude on summer-like conditions with astonishing speed. Summer precipitation is rarer, but often more intense and can cause flash-floods. A hat, long shirt, long pants, sunblock and plenty of water is your best bet for avoiding heat stroke and sunburn in the summer.

Water: Water supplies are few, far between, and generally contaminated by livestock except in the higher elevations. Bring enough for your entire trip, plus a few days reserve, plus enough for your vehicle's cooling system in case it starts leaking. When hiking, seek local knowledge about water supplies when planning multi-day trips - don't rely on maps.

Las Vegas City Guide

See

Hoover Dam The Grand Canyon - numerous companies offer flights to and from the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. The casino-hotels along the strip. The volcano in front of the Mirage. The free pirate show in front of Treasure Island. (Get there early, as it is hard to get a good spot, hotel guests get first priority though.) The fountain show in front of the Bellagio. Fremont Street Experience Star Trek: The Experience in the Las Vegas Hilton - though frankly, unless you're a big Star Trek fan, it looks a little dated now. Guggenheim Las Vegas in The Venetian Red Rock Canyon Mount Charleston is the local ski resort.

Do

Cirque du Soleil - at Bellagio, TI, MGM Grand, and New York-New York. The Stratosphere has a lot of fun stuff to do in the top, you can see the whole city from there. Blue Man Group - at the Luxor Gamble Indoor sky diving at Fly-a-way Fire sub-machine guns at The Gun Store on East Tropicana Avenue (http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/ ) Learn to handle any firearm like a pro at Front Sight (http://www.frontsight.com/)

Buy

Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace Designer shops in The Venetian, including the tacky objets d'art shop featured in Martin Bashir's interview with Michael Jackson. More affordable (and arguably more tasteful) gift shops in the Aladdin. Fashion Show Mall which is on the strip Mandalay Place between Luxor and Mandalay Bay

Eat

Food in Las Vegas is good, but sometimes a little pricey.

Drink

In Las Vegas, you can generally drink inexpensively if you also gamble. At the blackjack table of when playing slots, you can lose your shirt while drinking beer for the cost of the tip. There are, of course, bars that will happily serve you wonderful signature drinks.

External links

• GORP - Nevada National Forests - Extensive national forest list for Nevada. Includes activities, history, wildlife, books and maps.
• Nevada Places To Go - Links to Nevada's desert National Parks, State Parks, recreation and wilderness areas, cities and towns, museums and points of interest.
• DesertUSA - Cathedral Gorge State Park - Guide features color photos, climate, history, hiking, links, and mileage guides to nearby attractions.
• Valley of Fire State Park - Information on Valley of Fire State Park from the State of Nevada. Includes information on park facilities and activities.
• Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada - Dedicated in 1935, Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest State Park. It is located only 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest - Largest National Forest outside Alaska. Maps, information, and visitor data for this 6.3 million acre forest sprawling over from the eastern California border to the northeastern boundary of Nevada and to the southernmost tip of Nevada.
• Valley of Fire - Information about Valley of Fire State Park. The focus is on digital photos and the petroglyphs found in Valley of Fire.
• Great Basin National Park - Official site of the National Park Service, with information on travel basics, camping, lodging, activities, facilities, fees, and permits.
• Great Basin National Park - Extensive collection links to Great Basin National Park. Includes information on Great Basin, Redrock Canyon, and Valley of Fire.
• Great Basin Park - Complete resource for the Great Basin National Park and Baker, Nevada including the surrounding area.
• Untraveled Road: Great Basin Park - Virtual walking tour of Great Basin National Park.
• Lake Mead Information, Photos and Links - Information about Lake Mead, its marinas, photos, weather, fishing and links to more information.
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Official National Parks Service website with information on travel basics, camping, lodging, activities, facilities, fees and permits.
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Guide features photos, facilities information, maps, history, and things to do.
• Red Rock Canyon - Reviews written by consumers at Epinions.com.
• Red Rock Canyon - DesertUSA - Information for visitors to Red Rock Canyon, which is less than an hour's drive west of Las Vegas and has many significant geologic features.
• AccessVegas.com - Las Vegas tourist information including hotels rooms, shows, insider tips, free newsletter, and exclusive pictures and videos.
• All Las Vegas Guide - Reviews, maps and other information about shows, hotels, casinos, limo service, restaurants and entertainment destinations.
• Avagant's Las Vegas Guide - Lists resorts, restaurants, maps, tours, and offers a trip planning resource with e-mail money saving coupons.
• Best in Las Vegas - Rates the best hotels, casinos, golf courses, restaurants, stores and other businesses, includes user polls.
• BritVegas: Las Vegas with a British accent - An interactive guide to Las Vegas from a British perspective. Listings of hotels, restaurants and nightspots with visitor reports and ratings.
• Cheapo Vegas - Hotel and casinos reviews by Casino Boy. Information and humor.
• Crazy 4 Vegas - Offers information and reviews for resorts, hotels, and restaurants, as well as an entertainment and gaming guide.
• Ezlasvegas.net - Hotel directory and travel guide featuring attractions, dining, night life and tourist information.
• FYI: Las Vegas - From accommodations and entertainment to recreation and weddings. Also provides visitors with tips to make their stay more enjoyable.
• Getatrip.com - Information on Las Vegas travel packages, hotel reservations, shows, tours, guides, weddings and discount coupons.
• Glenn's Las Vegas Region - Local hotels, motels, sports, attractions, weddings, restaurants and other topics. Special emphasis on side trips and nearby attractions.
• The Reno Tahoe Visitor - Comprehensive guide to the Reno Tahoe area.
• Reno.com - E-zine featuring entertainment, gaming, lodging, conventions, travel, recreation, dining, nightlife, special events, arts and culture.
• Reno's Back Stage Pass - Comprehensive entertainment listings, and detailed links to all area hotels.
• RenoDiners.com - Comprehensive dining guide for the Reno/Sparks restaurants; provides online menus, restaurant coupons, detailed maps and driving directions.
• Silver Peak Restaurant & Brewery - Great food and beer set in an historic building.
• Silver State Liquor and Wine, Inc. - Offers event and promotions in the area. Includes specials, promotions, mixing and contact information.
• Tronix - Video music club offers dozens of screens, thousands of videos, live entertainment and drinks.
• Chef Moz Dining Guide - Detailed restaurant listings with reviews submitted by the public, and links to outside reviews. Search by name, cuisine, rating or location.
• Las Vegas Buffets - Comprehensive list of local buffets with prices, times, reviews and editor's favorites.
• Las Vegas Restaurant Guide - Searchable guide of participating restaurants, including some menus.
• Taste of Vegas - Articles and news, and guide with detailed information, reviews and links to websites.
• ChefMoz Dining Guide: Nevada - Detailed restaurant listings with reviews submitted by the public, and links to outside reviews. Search by name, cuisine, rating or location.
• Sushi-and-Sake: Restaurants in Nevada - Guide to sushi restaurants in Nevada.

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