Things to do in Nevada Travel Guide | USA Road Trip 2017

Join us as we visit Nevada state covering attractions outside of Las Vegas on a USA road trip of a lifetime focusing on outdoor adventures in our things to do in Nevada travel guide. As many know tourism in Nevada is often focused around a trip to Las Vegas; however, what many may not know is that the state of Nevada features a plethora of National Parks, fascinating highways and roadside attractions worth visiting. Come along as we hop in our Camaro rental car exploring as much of Nevada as we possibly can on a three day road trip adventure across the Silver State of America.
Things to do in Nevada Travel Itinerary:
Day 1
1) Picking up our rental car and breakfast in Las Vegas, Nevada
2) Visiting Lake Mead National Recreation Area for a short hike in Nevada
3) Visiting the Hoover Dam in Nevada
4) Black Canyon kayaking tour visiting the Emerald Cave
5) Drove to Mesquite, Nevada to stay overnight
Day 2
1) Visited the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada exploring Fire Arch Rock, White Domes, Rainbow Vista and Atlatl Rock
2) Road trip on Highway 93 to Alamo, NV
3) Checked in to the Windmill Lodge with a hotel tour of our room
4) Dinner at the Windmill Ridge restaurant eating barbecue ribs, mashed potatoes and peanut butter bar for dessert
Day 3
1) Pahranagat national wildlife refuge to spot birds and walk around in nature
2) ET Fresh Jerky for delicious Alien jerky and to buy alien sunglasses
3) Driving on the Extraterrestrial Highway on our USA road trip (aka Nevada State Route 375)
4) Alien Research Center Area 51 in Hiko, Nevada (unfortunately it was closed)
5) Alien Black Mailbox in Area 51 to communicate with Aliens
6) Visiting Little A'le'Inn in Rachel, Nevada on the Extraterrestrial Highway
7) Touring Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for sunset
This was a partnership with Travel Nevada and Expedia managed by iAmbassador.
Things to do in Nevada Travel Guide | USA Road Trip 2017 Video Transcript:
Our trip began in Las Vegas, but having already been there before, we wasted no time on the Strip. After a short night’s rest, we grabbed a hearty breakfast, hopped in our rental car, and hit the road for our first stop of the day: Lake Mead.
Hoover Dam is one of the most visited attractions in Nevada with as many as 1 million people taking the tour every year, and even more driving across the dam.
Fun fact: there is enough concrete in Hoover Dam to build a 4 foot wide sidewalk around the Earth at the Equator. That’s a whole lot of concrete!
Kayaking in Black Canyon was the highlight of the day. We lucked out with blue skies, calm waters, and the scenery was pretty spectacular - especially once we entered the canyon.
Halfway up stream we took a break from kayaking and went on a short hike.
We also stopped at the Emerald Cave, which gets it’s name from the bright emerald green colour reflected in the water.
We had an hour’s journey to reach the Valley of Fire that morning, and it was a very leisurely drive down some scenic stretches of road. We knew we were getting closer to the park when we noticed the landscape colours started becoming more saturated.
Once we entered Valley of Fire State Park, the fun began. This park is known for its rock formations, panoramic vistas, and hiking trails, so there was no shortage of things to see and do.
Back on the road, we hit our first stop on the ET Highway: ET Fresh Jerky! This is an alien-themed shop selling everything from martian soda to alien sunglasses, so we used this as an opportunity to load up on snacks.
After stopping for photos at the ET Highway marker which is covered in stickers, we journeyed on to the Alien Research Centre, which is pretty hard to miss considering they have a giant metal alien standing guard on a hill.
Out front, we spotted a UFO-towing pick-up truck and a green alien welcoming earthlings, while inside we were surrounded by Area 51 warning signs and all sorts of alien-themed souvenirs.
And then it was time to turn around, drive back to Vegas, and fly back home,.
A surprise addition to our Nevada travel guide was visiting Red Rock Canyon, which is just a 20-minute drive from the Vegas Strip.
Our final thoughts? There are way more things to do in Nevada than just Las Vegas and we’re glad we got to experience a mix of nature and quirky attractions on this mini USA road trip! If you have any other suggestions of cool things to see and do around the state, feel free to leave your recommendations in the comments below.
This is part of our Travel in the United States of America video series showcasing American food, American culture and American cuisine.
Music in this video courtesy of the following artists under creative commons license:
Beach by Andrew Applepie: |
Spring Light by Joakim Karud
Hurricane by Andrew Applepie: |