Nevada
Discover Nevada
Nevada is an arid state of the US, lying between California and Utah. Most of the state is within the Great Basin, but parts of the northeast drain into the Snake River and the southern portion is within the Mohave Desert and the Colorado river drainage. While many outsiders pronounce the state's name as "ne-VAH-duh", the correct local pronunciation is [nəˈvædə], with a short "a" as in apple. Although the majority of tourists only visit Las Vegas, Reno and Tahoe to gamble, watch shows, and indulge themselves in food and drink, Nevada offers the more discerning traveler western frontier experiences verging on horse opera cliché, and landscapes utterly different from Europe, East Asia or more populated parts of North America. In this more primitive environment, gambling seems not so much a high-tech means of fleecing the overly optimistic as the direct descendant of the itinerant cardsharp. Legal brothels are another holdover from the "soiled doves" of frontier times.
Taste of Nevada...
Restaurants in and around casinos in Reno, Las Vegas and Tahoe especially cater to the dietary whims of urban California (Las Vegas is a weekend excursion for people from Los Angeles, and Tahoe is the same to people from San Francisco). Notable chefs have opened restaurants worth a detour from the usual tourist activities. Buffets in casinos are often heavily subsidized in hopes that those who come to eat will stay to gamble. The more upscale examples offer surprisingly good food and plenty of it. Outside of these tourist meccas, food takes on a western character. This is certainly the rule in small town cafes, but also in casinos along borders with Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Arizona drawing a western clientele with different dietary preferences from Californians. Nevada and other parts of the larger inter-mountain region export beef and lamb, but are no cornucopia when it comes to fruit and vegetables. These are produced in very finite quantities because water is scarce and elevations usually high enough to induce late and early frosts. Accordingly cafes and restaurants with local clienteles serve 'meat and potatoes' fare. Coffee can be a weak disappointment. Nevertheless the food can be interesting in a regional way, often making inventive use of a limited range of ingredients. Chinese immigration drawn by railroad-building and mining opportunities established Chinese-American cuisine even in remote towns.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Nevada.
Burning Man The Burning Man festival, held annually in northwestern Nevada at Black Rock City in late August is a festival of "radical self-expression". Black Rock City could be considered one of the most environmentally unpredictable cities in Nevada: travelers going there should be prepared for absolutely anything. Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) EDC is a 3-day electronic dance festival with its flagship event held in either May or June at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway annually. The event is themed as a carnival, with performers roaming the festival grounds, and amusement rides checkered throughout the venue. Multiple stages featuring the most popular electronic and dance music artists, coupled with hundreds of thousands of festival-goers in attendance make it one of the largest "raves" in the world. You must be 18 years or older to attend. Most of Nevada is federal land managed by the BLM (U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management) or by the Forest Service (U.S.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTwo interstates serve both the north & south part of the state. Interstate 15 runs through Las Vegas and has connections to Los Angeles in California and Salt Lake City in Utah. Interstate 80 traverses through Reno and has connections to San Francisco, and eventually Salt Lake City, Omaha, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York. Amtrak's California Zephyr services Reno, Winnemucca and Elko as it crosses northern Nevada (along I-80 corridor) between Sacramento and Salt Lake City on its way to/from Chicago on one end and Emeryville on the other. While Las Vegas does not have scheduled train service, there are Thruway buses that connect the city from the Southwest Chief in Kingman, Arizona, and Barstow, California, and from the Gold Runner in Bakersfield. Plans for an interstate high speed rail service are a perennial issue in state politics, possibly connecting to the Californian system that is under construction. 39.5056-119.77531 Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and 36.0904-115....
Regions
Explore AreasNevada 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 …...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
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: Frontier, Spirit and Southwest Airlines offer direct intrastate flights between Reno/Carson City and Las Vegas. Other airlines do offer flights between the two major Nevada cities but usually with connections in California (Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest and United); Salt Lake City, UT (nearest to Wendover)(Delta); and Phoenix, AZ (American Airlines). 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.
Language & Talk
English is the official language of Nevada. Spanish is also widely spoken in Nevada, and like much of the Southwest, Nevada is heavily influenced by the language, Hispanic culture, and history under Spanish and Mexican rule. Tagalog is also spoken among Filipino populations. You might also find a few Basque speakers among the state's Basque community. Two interstates serve both the north & south part of the state. Interstate 15 runs through Las Vegas and has connections to Los Angeles in California and Salt Lake City in Utah. Interstate 80 traverses through Reno and has connections to San Francisco, and eventually Salt Lake City, Omaha, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Being the driest state in the United States, the climate can be extremely harsh, especially during the summers. Recreational marijuana use is legal in Nevada. Adults aged 21 and over are allowed to purchase, possess, and use up to one ounce (28 g) of marijuana or up to one-eighth of an ounce of concentrated marijuana. Additionally, residents are allowed to cultivate small amounts of marijuana. Similarly to alcohol, marijuana is not allowed to be consumed in public and you should not drive after smoking it. Legal dispensaries have been established. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so do not carry marijuana past state lines - even to another state where it is legal - as this will be considered drug trafficking and subject to harsh punishment. Nevada is the only state in the U.S. where prostitution is not outlawed at the state level, except in the counties around Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City. Other counties are free to allow or outlaw prostitution in licensed brothels.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Nevada
Redrock Canyon in Nevada.
Fremont Experience at Old Vegas
city with lights turned on during night time
Welcome to Las Vegas Sign
Beautiful Valley of Fire State Park.
Windy Road
Red Rock Scenic Loop
(contact me for the full resoluton image)
a desert landscape with hills
a desert landscape with rocks and mountains in the background
Redrock Canyon in Nevada.
Fremont Experience at Old Vegas
city with lights turned on during night time