Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
Nevada is a state with many interesting attractions. Most people think of Las Vegas, or the desert, when they think of Nevada, but there are also mountains, lakes, festivals, cultural events, and much more. Here are some of my favorite places to visit in Nevada.
Hoover Dam, near Las Vegas, was built on the Colorado River in the 1930s, and the dam created Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in North America. Take the Discovery Tour of the dam; theres a 25-minute film that shows how the dam was constructed, a museum with lots of interesting photographs, and you can ride an elevator down to the bottom observation deck. Youll get to see the huge generators that make electricity, and learn interesting facts about the massive dam. Helicopter and plane tours of the dam are also available and leave from Las Vegas.
Lake Mead has many resorts that offer water sports such as swimming, boating, sailing, fishing, diving, rafting and also hiking, camping, horseback riding, bird watching and picnicking. The Desert Princess, a sightseeing cruiser, will take you around the lake; brunch, dinner and dancing cruises are offered. There are several marinas on Lake Mead that offer general merchandise, fuel, food, and boat rentals, from small fishing boats to houseboats. Reservations are required for the most popular rentals.
Las Vegas is, of course, the most popular tourist attraction in Nevada, and it attracts millions of visitors annually. Gambling has always been the main draw in Las Vegas, but a number of family-oriented entertainment venues have recently been added. Some attractions that would interest families include Siegfried & Roys Secret Garden, showcasing their white tigers and other large cats, and the Dolphin Habitat nearby, the 50-story Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas, the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas, the dancing Fountains at the Bellagio, the 3D IMAX theater at the Luxor, King Arthurs Tournament at Excalibur, the Lion Habitat at MGM Grand, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Theaters of Sensation at the Venetian, Mandalay Bays Shark Reef, the Manhattan Express roller coaster at New York-New York, the Star Trek ride at the Las Vegas Hilton, the thrill rides at Stratosphere, the pirate show outside Treasure Island, and the erupting volcano at Mirage.
Las Vegas also has many musical shows and other types of theater-based entertainment. Celine Dion has her own $95 million theater at Caesars Palace; Elton John performs in the theater when Celines away. Cirque dSoleil has shows in several different hotels, including the popular aquatic O, performed at the Bellagio in a large pool. Blue Man Group performs an unusual show at the Luxor, Wayne Newton has been performing for many years at the Stardust, and classic Las Vegas productions with showgirls in full costume are performed at Ballys Las Vegas and the Tropicana. Short-term superstar musical acts perform regularly in many different venues, and boxing matches and other sports events, comedy acts, and conventions are staples of Las Vegas hotels. Check Las Vegas websites for entertainment dates, locations, and ticket prices.
Nevada has miles and miles of uninhabited territory in which you can engage in sports that require some extra space. Riding off-road vehicles such as 4-wheelers, dirt bikes and dune buggies, sandboarding at Sand Mountain or Amargosa Valley, rock and ice climbing, snowmobiling, backcountry hiking, and mountain biking are some of the adventure sports you can pursue in Nevada. Skiing is popular at Lake Tahoe, on the California border, and kayaking, canoeing and rafting are possible on the rivers.
The Burning Man Festival, which has been described as an experiment in temporary community, is held in the Black Rock Desert in northernwestern Nevada for the week before Labor Day. Thought up by a San Francisco artist in 1986 to honor Summer Solstice, the festival is part creative art show, part team building, and part self-expression outlet; this hard-to-describe festival requires participants to bring everything needed to survive for a week and has no trash dumpsters or vendors. Only coffee and ice are allowed to be sold, and the created city completely disappears after the week ends, as participants pack away whatever they brought to the site. Almost any type of behavior is tolerated, as long as no one is harmed, as crowds of up to 30,000 live in theme camps. Check out the Burning Man website for details and photos of past festivals.
Elko, in the northeastern part of Nevada, also has some interesting annual festivals. The Cowboy Poetry Gathering is held each year in January, and is sponsored by the Western Folklife Center. Over 8,000 cowboys gather to read their poems, tell stories, yodel, play music and party, and the public is welcome to attend the events. The National Basque Festival is held in Elko in July, and is the largest of this type of festival in the nation. Events such as a costume parade, dancing, and music are enjoyed, and good food is in abundance. The Elko Te-Moak PowWow is held in October, and features Native American drumming, singing and dancing, arts and crafts, and games.
Nevada is a state with many more attractions. Whether you like the bright lights and energy of Las Vegas, or the solitude and unspoiled nature of the backcountry, Nevada has something to offer every visitor. Check websites for additional information on Nevada attractions.
Print article ||
Send to friend ||
Publish this Article ||
Author feedback ||
Add new Comment ||
Article Comments
