Perhaps you’re in Nevada purely for a good time, to take a little time off from your regular life and to play tourist in a naturally exquisite state. Perhaps you’re in Nevada on business or visiting one of the big cities, like Carson City or Reno, and want to get away from the grind of the city for a weekend. Either way, Nevada is full to overflowing with places that are just perfect for a little weekend getaway that will restore or revive according to the needs and preferences of everyone in your party.
1. Valley of Fire State Park
Quick overview:
- Fees: $10 per vehicle (Nevada Residents) / $15 per vehicle (Non-NV Residents)
- Campgrounds: Atlatl Campground and Arch Rock Campground
- The park is open daily year-round but the best months to visit are October to March, as they are the coolest.
Firstly, it is important to say that, although there are a number of excellent hotels and lovely boutique bed and breakfasts in the area, one doesn’t make their way all the way out into the wilderness to not entirely embrace it! Camping at the Valley of Fire State Park is the only accommodation you should even consider, as it offers visitors a more complete park experience than only visiting during the day. There are two campgrounds located inside the park and combined, they offer up 72 full sites. These campgrounds do fill up quickly, so it is advisable to drive early (as they are first-come first-served) even on the weekdays to avoid disappointment. The best sites offer a backdrop of the park’s iconic red sandstone – a perfect spot to relax and appreciate the park.
The visitor’s entrance is a good place to stop off before you head out to explore the park, especially if you have never been before, as they can fill you in on all the details of the best-loved locations, which animals to look out for and be careful of, and where you’ll find the most perfect spots for beautiful souvenir photos. The Fire Wave Hiking Trail is one of the most beloved in the whole park, and it truly is a spectacular sight to lay eyes on. The strata and layers of color in the rocks are magnificent, especially when the morning or afternoon sun hits them, and the trail itself is a relatively easy one to handle, even for those who don’t hike a lot.
2. Las Vegas
Quick overview:
- An excellent choice to forget about real life for a while.
- Wonderful shopping, dining, and pampering options.
- A surprising number of outdoor experiences are available.
Las Vegas hardly needs any introduction as it is known all over the world for its collection of exciting stage productions, casinos, and entertaining nightlife. Sin City can be whatever the traveler wishes for it to be, since it’s well used to catering to different kinds of tourists from all over the world looking for different things.
For those who love the nightlife, the menu of options seems almost endless. To begin with, almost every hotel has a casino attached to it, not to mention a nightclub or two and a selection of restaurants, all the way from classic fast food to celebrity chef-helmed fine dining. The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, the Bellagio, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino can each offer gambling, exquisite meals, and cocktails, and have nightclubs either on or very close to the premises. If a pamper session seems more your thing, why not try some of the best Las Vegas spas? The above-mentioned hotels each have dedicated spas, and there’s a wonderful selection of day spa options across and just outside the city, including the Canyon Ranch Day Spa.
There’s plenty to do in and around Vegas that takes a person off the bustling city streets and out of clubs and casinos, too. A sunset or night flight over Vegas in a private helicopter offers truly breathtaking views. If you want to get up close and personal with nature, you could try a half-day Emerald Cave kayaking experience to beat the heat and really allow Nevada to show off her beauty. Amp up the energy with a 4-wheeler experience in the desert if you feel the need for speed.
3. Lake Tahoe
Quick overview:
- The lake straddles the California/ Nevada border.
- You’ll be surrounded by the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains on your trip.
- Lake Tahoe is rated the 5th best adventure vacation destination in the US.
Whether it’s freezing cold and blanketed in fresh white snow or it’s blue skies and sunshine as far as the eye can see, Lake Tahoe is an incredible destination that is perfect for a little weekend trip. The natural beauty at the lake and in the town surrounding it is incredible, so you can be sure of spending a lot of time outdoors exploring. That said, the accommodations and restaurants in the area provide plenty to enjoy and experience when you’re too hot or too cold to stay outdoors any longer.
In the cold months, there’s plenty of snowy fun to keep oneself entertained. Snowshoe around the shore, go cross-country skiing with a view of the stunning Mt Tallac, ski and snowboard at Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, and enjoy delicious apres ski to round the experience off. During the summer months, there is every lake activity you could dream of: boating, parasailing, watching the salmon as they end their journey at Taylor Creek, taking a trip on the ME Dixie, or diving at Emerald Bay. Take a gondola trip with incredible views, watch the leaves change when fall comes around in Hope Valley, hike and take in the wildflowers, go golfing, try paddleboard yoga…the options are almost endless.
Your Weekend Trip Awaits
Nevada has so many different landscapes to offer the discerning traveler and each of the landscapes has a plethora of experiences just waiting to be enjoyed. Town or country, hot or cold, Nevada has it all.