Nevada

Striking desert vistas in multiple hues of brown, gray, red, and black dotted with sagebrush, cacti, yucca, and Joshua Trees. Sun that shines 300-plus days of each year, marvels of engineering, a happening 24-7 place with unlimited opportunities to strike it rich (or at least fantasize about doing so). Secret government bases and UFO rumors. I love Nevada!

Well, let's get the most internationally-famous in the state mentioned: Las Vegas. Rising like a beacon in the high-desert valley – love it or hate it – Vegas is a must-see. The glittering neon of the massive hotel-casinos along the famous Strip leave you in no doubt that you are in one of the world's best (brightest and loudest) adult playgrounds. With a near-endless combination of free and not free (shows, spas, golfing, gambling, tours, etc.) entertainment available, how could someone not have a good time?

What powers this incandescent Xanadu? First, gambling, which was legalized in the 1930s. Second, built also in the 1930s, the electricity-generating Hoover Dam, which stands at 726-feet high (221-meters) and stretches 1,444-feet across (440-meters). The dam was made with enough concrete to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York and holds back the waters of the Colorado River and forming Lake Mead, which is the world's largest man-made reservoir. Lake Mead has a capacity of more than 28 million acre-feet (an acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons.) Thanks to Lake Mead and Lake Tahoe, desert, landlocked Nevada has more than 620 miles (997 kilometers) of shoreline for the boating enthusiast.

Being a desert, Nevada is hot. In July and August, temperatures spend several weeks above 90F (32C) in the north, and above 100F (37C) in the south. But, as is typical in desert environments, even after very hot days, nights can be cool (e.g., low 50F-range or around 11C).

Nevada has more public land than the 48 states below it, and the state boasts 314 mountain ranges. The area is a great place for hiking, having short- and long-trek trails available. In the heat, one good place to trek is Mount Charleston. Located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Las Vegas, the 11,918-foot (3632-meter) peak is also a ski area. Other hiking areas are in Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire State Park, and the Great Basin National Park. The Grand Canyon, in Arizona, is an easy day trip from Las Vegas as is Death Valley in California (if Nevada is too cold for you).

Not related to gambling winnings or the piles of quarters being fed into the slots is the fact that Nevada is known as the Silver State, ranking first in the US in silver and gold production.

And, for the ardent conspiracy theorist, Nevada is the site of Nellis Air Force Base and the mysterious Area 51 – where top secret planes are tested (and some folks with too much time on their hands say UFOs are looked at, too). In addition, Nevada is home to the Nevada Test Site, a Department of Energy installation, which manages of all the nation's nuclear detonation programs. The armed forces continue to maintain a strong presence in Nevada with huge portions of the state being devoted to military use and, therefore, off limits to civilians.

So set your sights on the beautiful vistas of Nevada, whether from city or town!

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