Nevada Travel Guide

Las Vegas

Set in the middle of the vast Mojave Desert, Las Vegas was created entirely to entertain and has been described as the world's largest theme park. This psychedelic city of sin is home to over a million people and welcomes 35 million more each year to its lavish hotels and casinos. Visitors today are amazed that only 70 years ago this thriving metropolis was a backwater with less than a thousand inhabitants whose only guests were railway passengers stopping off to stretch their legs on the long journey between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.

Things started to change in March 1931 when the State of Nevada legalized gambling; one month later the City issued six licenses. Then in 1946, Mafia don Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel opened the sensationally lavish Flamingo Hilton on Highway 91. Las Vegas Boulevard was born and the city would never be the same again.

Soon stars like Elvis, Liberace and Sinatra were making the pilgrimage to what was fast becoming America's premier entertainment Mecca. In the early days the Mafia dominated the gambling industry but in the 1960s their influence waned and soon all the large hotels and casinos were controlled by big business.

Las Vegas has 18 out of 21 of the largest hotels in the world and walking down 'The Strip' visitors will see the skylines of New York and Paris, discover the canals of Venice and the Pyramids of Egypt and, at Treasure Island, see a full on-sea battle between a Pirate ship and a British Galleon. Despite these excesses, room rates and restaurant bills are the lowest in the western world - all subsidised by gamblers intent on a free holiday.

Although the principal draw card is still gambling, Las Vegas is now marketed as a family destination and there is no shortage of theme parks, shopping malls or golf courses. However, the vast majority of visitors come to gamble and the incredible displays are mostly designed to lure passers-by into the casinos, and once there it's hard to leave; the exits are discreetly hidden.

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Reno

Priding itself as 'the Biggest Little City in the World', Reno packs a powerful punch, giving visitors something to think about the next time they assume Las Vegas is the only place worth visiting in Nevada. Well, at least that's what the famous arch over Virginia Street where the city's nickname is scrawled implies. Nestled alongside the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, Reno began as a toll bridge for gold rush migrants and prospectors and has since become a gateway for adventure-seeking travelers en route to the great outdoors. Key natural attractions nearby include Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe, two of the United States' most popular ski resorts, the latter to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Reno is also the starting point for travelers heading to the annual Burning Man festival and many 'burners' pass through on their way to the Black Rock Desert, site of this iconic event. Other passersby may be heading to the eastern gates of the Yosemite National Park which are located just under two hours from Reno. With Nevada's liberal gaming laws, Reno had a good casino business for over 50 years, but due to the tough competition from Las Vegas, this has slowed down in recent years. However, the city still has a bustling nightlife fraught with bright neon lights, bars, clubs, shows, slot machines and plenty of debauchery, especially with the resident students that attend the University of Nevada, which is, coincidentally, a great place for visitors to take an afternoon stroll. One can also visit the National Automobile Museum where John Wayne's 1953 Corvette #51 can be seen, visit the Nevada Museum of Art to view local works, while culture vultures can enjoy performances by the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra between the months of September and April. Spring and Autumn are the best times of year to visit when the summer heat has not yet kicked in, the winter frost is still at bay, the weather is warm and mild, and the days are cooled off by the infamous Washoe Zephyr, Nevada's distinctive wind.