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Published: February 4th 2024
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From Travelzoo: Las Vegas will always have a few tricks up its sleeve — after all, every blockbuster magician on earth takes up residence there or passes through. Still, you’ve got a pretty solid idea of what the city’s got in store for visitors. The rest of the state, though? Not so much. Odds are, if you’ve never been to
Nevada (or you’ve only ever been to Vegas), everything else is a bit of a mystery. And actually, that’s not a bad take. Mystery defines a lot of the state’s top travel experiences in the best possible ways, whether you’re into ghost towns, aliens or just the mysteries of the universe (the local astro-tourism scene is, well, stellar). Then again, the wild beauty of the terrestrial landscapes is enough to make you wonder at the power of nature. And the adventures that these environments foster can be truly transformative. So by all means, spend some time on the Strip, but consider that just the starting point of an epic journey. The rest of Nevada beckons — and here’s how to heed that call.
Depending on how you measure and whom you ask, Nevada is the nation’s most mountainous state
— with more than 300 named ranges. “Among them are scores of summits exceeding 10,000 feet elevation, many from 11,000 to 12,000 feet, and two that top 13,000 feet,” according to the American Alpine Club. In fact, let’s start in “the Alps of Nevada,” the
Ruby Mountains.
Some of the state’s most beautiful landscapes involve no soaring peaks, but high drama of different kinds. Take
Valley of Fire State Park, for example. Just 45 minutes northeast of
Las Vegas, you'll find the famously swirling, stripey Fire Wave on a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike through 40,000 acres of bright red Aztec sandstone. And while that’s probably the most ‘grammed spot here, stick around to explore other rock formations, plus petrified trees and ancient petroglyphs.
I encourage you to explore beyond the Strip or Downtown. We often take the drive up to St. George, and on to the great National Parks of Utah. But Nevada offers many breathtaking sights as well. As a "starter" trip outside the Strip, try Red Rock Canyon State Park, just west of the city, easily reached by freeway.
From the BLM: Red Rock Canyon was designated as Nevada's first National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon is located 17 miles west
of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard/State Route 159. The area is visited by more than two million people each year. In marked contrast to a town geared to entertainment and gaming, Red Rock offers enticements of a different nature including a 13-mile scenic drive, miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, nature observing and visitor center with indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a book store.
Something else about Vegas: The
Heart Attack Grill restaurant challenges customers to try its Quadruple Bypass Burger, which clocks in at a staggering 9,982 calories. If you manage to eat the whole thing, and survive to tell the tale, then you will be escorted out in a wheelchair (presumably in case walking isn’t possible after the feast). However, if you fail, you’ll be faced with public humiliation – 'spanked' with a paddle by a waiter dressed as a nurse. I say NO thank you!!!
There's just one place to go for hot dogs in Nevada and it's
Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs in Las Vegas. The name is a play on the traditional Korean beef dish bulgogi and lots of the menu items are inspired by Korean and Vietnamese flavors, like the Banh Mi with bacon, banh mi slaw, herb blend and sriracha aioli. But the
customer favorite is Angry Kimchi with spicy pork bulgogi, Asian slaw, jalapeños and fiery aioli. Service is consistently outstanding too.
Just remember, Nevada has much more than Vegas and Reno. You just might enjoy it as much as I do.
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