Nevada isn't really well known for it's amazing sights, but there are a few that people should see on a trip to or through Nevada.
1. 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.
Vegas is a great place to take a vacation. The casinos offer a destraction from life for adults, and kids will enjoy the array of aquariums, live shows, celebrity impersonators and fountain shows. It is a good place for all types of people to enjoy themselves.
You can read more about making a Las Vegas vacation fun for everyone here.
2. Ghost Towns
This one is a little more ambiguous then the others on this list. I can't pinpoint any specific ghost towns that a person should visit for sure because all of them hold their own attractions, historical educational experiences and moving stories.
Two of the most noteworthy are Metropolis, just outside of Wells, Nevada on Interstate 80 and Rhyolite, just outside of Beatty, Nevada on US Route 95.
Metropolis is a small town, with a few buildings still standing. The main attractions are the old schoolhouse, of which a huge arch and the basement are all that remains, and the hotel/bank, of which the vault and the basement still stand. It is a unique sight, especially the cemetary, which was restored by some boy scouts. You can read more about Metropolis here.
Rhyolite is a larger town, with many buildings still standing. The buildings at this ghost town are not the only attractions that it holds, however. It is home to the Goldwell Open Air Museum. This museum holds attractions such as an art mosaic couch, a ghost version of the Last Supper, another ghost statue standing next to a bicycle, a metal prospector and a metal penguin, and various other interesting and incredibly unique peices. It doesn't cost anything to enjoy all that the museum and the town have to offer.
3. 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 travelers.
With a weather system all it's own, ensuring that the weather will be good for your trip to the lake can sometimes be difficult; but it is well worth the trip.
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.
4. Reno, Nevada
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 has more of just gambling and enjoying all the casinos have to offer.
Reno offers the typical Nevada gambling experience without all the hype and the people that Vegas has. It is close to the California border and not too far of Nevada's capital, Carson City. It has huge shopping malls and quaint restaurants.
If you are looking for a Vegas feel without the huge crowds and pricey hotels, then Reno is for you.
5. Hidden lakes
Nevada has a surprising amount of hidden lakes not far from the road and well worth stopping to see. While there are many, I will highlight two.
Pyramid Lake lies just 15 miles from Interstate 80 between Lovelock and Reno, Nevada. 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.
The lake offers many of the same watersports features that Tahoe offers, but is a uniquely different visual experience. It has beautiful, low mountains and a huge expanse of pure blue sky for boaters to enjoy. It's trademark features are the pyramid-shaped limestone formations in the middle of the lake.
Both beautiful and eerie, Pyramid Lake is a sight to be seen.
Angel Lake, only 5 miles from Interstate 80 just outside of Wells, Nevada, is a unique mountain lake. Surrounded on all sides by massive mountains, it is sheilded well from the outside world. Great for fishing, camping, and canoeing, the lake is small but majestic. Not many people know about the lake, so it has remained clean and pure.
There is a campground a small way down the road that offers places for trailers and tents to stay to enjoy the lake.
You can read more about Angel Lake here.
6. Lamoille Canyon
Lamoille Canyon, located near Elko and Spring Creek, Nevada, offers a unique and beautiful hiking experience for hiking enthusiasts, as well as a beautiful, peaceful drive for anyone that wants to enjoy the small waterfalls and intriguing mountain vistas that line the canyon. A few degrees cooler than the towns near it, the canyon can be a refreshing break from the summer heat.
Miles of trails branch out at the end of the canyon, and one of them leads to a small mountain lake. People take dogs and go hiking for a small distance, or the entire trail length. It offers opportunities for beginning and more experienced hikers.
7. Extraterrestrial Highway
State Route 375 is also known as the Extraterrestrial Highway for many reasons. The first of which is it's proximity to the famous Area 51. The second is that people report seeing UFOs and other unexplainable sights that have led to the road becoming famous.
Along the road lies the small town of Rachel, which caters to the alien-searching croud with alien-themed billboards, hotels, and restaurants.
Even though the road is famous in Nevada, it is still not widely travelled, but for any UFO enthusiast, a trip down the Extraterrestrial Highway is a must.
8. 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 also is known for the Lehman Caves, which are full of animal life, and beautiful formations called the Sunken Gardens.
Other notable formations at the park include Lexington Arch, a large limestone arch similar to the arches found in Arches National Park in Utah, and Wheeler Peak, a large mountain peak.
9. Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead offers an interesting vacation destination. With tours of Hoover Dam available, plus the usual boating and typical water sports. It was the first National Recreation Area created by Congress.
It is surrounded by expanses of wilderness, and not far from Grand Canyon National Park and Las Vegas, it is a sight to see when travelling in the Las Vegas area.
10. Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is only partially in Nevada, the majority of the park is in California. Not far from Las Vegas, the park offers a unique travel experience.
Some of the most interesting things to see in Death Valley 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 concensus 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 hexigonal basalt columns. This area is accessable only during certain months, so plan your trip accordingly.
While this is in no way a complete list of the things to do and see in Nevada, these are a few of the sights that I found the most interesting and entertaining. Always do your research before you plan a trip to anywhere. And always make sure to leave these places as clean if not cleaner then they were when you arrived.
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