Nevada Tours an Vacation
There are so many exciting things to do in Nevada, that when planning your vacation, you may consider taking one of the many Nevada tours. How do you decide what type of tour to take? What’s your pleasure? There are Nevada tours for all tastes and all budgets.
If you are an independent traveler, you might choose one of the self guided Nevada tours. However, if you want the guidance of an expert on the area, you may want to consider one of the guided group Nevada tours. Another thing to consider is the type of vehicle you want to use when touring Nevada. You can explore by car, horseback, and bicycle or even by foot. If you want to travel back in time, some companies offer horse and buggy Nevada tours.
What is it about Nevada that you find interesting? Many people come for the landscape and unique desert geology. Others are drawn to the lure of the casinos. However, if you have always harbored a fascination for nuclear energy, you may want to check out the Nevada test site tour. The Nevada test site is a United States Department of Energy reservation. When it was established on January 11, 1951, it was known as the Nevada Proving Grounds. Located in Nye County, Nevada the Nevada test site is composed of close to 1,350 square miles of desert and mountains. Between the years 1951 and 1992, there were a total of 925 tests that were conducted at the Nevada test site. Throughout the 1950s, the mushroom clouds that occurred because of these tests could be seen for 100 miles in either direction of the test site. Ironically, the clouds themselves became major tourist attractions.
Today, it is possible to take a Nevada test site tour. If you are interested in the history of nuclear testing, this can well be the highlight of your Nevada vacation. The Nevada test site tour usually begins at the Atomic Testing Museum. The tour is conducted on a rest room equipped chartered bus. Keep in mind that you entering a restricted access government reservation. So you will need to apply in advance for your Nevada test site tour. You will need to supply your social security number, date and place of birth, hone address, employer and citizenship. Cell phones, cameras, firearms and laptops are not permitted during the Nevada test site tour.
If the Nevada test site tour sounds a bit too intellectual for a Nevada vacation, you may want to consider one of the exciting Las Vegas tours. Why would anyone be interested in Las Vegas tours? There are so many clubs, hotels and shows in Las Vegas, that it’s sometimes difficult to figure out which ones are worth visiting. Perhaps you are excited about the Vegas club life, but not too excited about the lines at the clubs. There are some Las Vegas tours that feature VIP hosts who will walk you past the lines!
Since you are close enough to Arizona, you should think about taking an exciting Las Vegas Grand Canyon tour. Some of these tours even include the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. You can take a Las Vegas Grand Canyon tour by helicopter, hummer or bus.
Queen City of the Northern Hills
Nevada City was originally called Deer Creek Dry Diggins when it was just a mining camp. In the fall of 1849 Dr. A.B. Caldwell opened a general store and the mining camp started resembling a town. The town became Caldwell’s Upper Store. In 1850, the town was looking more like a city, with a cities’ problems. The citizens, under Mexican law, elected a mayor, or “Alcalde,” to establish and keep order.
The new city needed an official name, so, in a canvas hotel at Main and Commercial streets, ballots were taken. The choice of “Nevada” which is Spanish for “Snow Covered” seemed appropriate to the crowd. On September 9, 1850 California was the 31st state to join the Union. In 1851, Nevada City became the County Seat when Nevada County was formed from a section of Yuba County. By 1856, 2081 votes were cast in the City of Nevada, only Sacramento and San Francisco polled more. In 1859, Silver was discovered in the Utah Territory. The first samples were assayed (weighed and assessed for value) at Ott’s Assay Office in Nevada (City). Many of Nevada’s residents headed over the Sierra to search for silver in what became known as the Comstock Silver Rush. Later, in 1864, that part of the Utah Territory was formed into the State of Nevada. In that year, the word “City” was added to Nevada, to distinguish the two for the benifit of all (particularly the Postal Service.)
After the initial gold rush, merchants, bankers and the like came to Nevada City and built homes in the style of the day. This was during the reign of Queen Victoria, and that style of architecture became known as “Victorian”. Colonial, Greek Revival, and “California Gothic” styles of architecture are well represented here as well.
Most of Nevada City burned to the ground on several occasions. Two of the most interesting buildings in the downtown area are fire houses that were built with more than utilitarian style. This also accounts for the prevalance of brick buildings featuring iron shutters.
What accounts for the preservation of Nevada City is the economic downturn it faced when the gold started petering out. By World War II, when the mines in Grass Valley closed, there was not much reason for building or refurbishing of old buildings, and the architecture of the period was spared urban renewal.
WPA projects in the post-war period gave Nevada City the art deco facades of the city hall and court house. In the late 1960s the residents and visitors of the area started recognizing the remarkable charm of the town. City ordinances were revised to disallow the historically inaccurate and downright tacky new storefronts and signage, and the city buried all the power lines littering the downtown area. Gas lights made from original 1800s molds were placed along Broad Street, and the Nevada Theatre was restored. Private restorations followed, and the result is the beautiful little city of Nevada City.
Nevada City is not a museum, it is a hub of activity. Business, arts, sports, and entertainment of every variety occur on and around the streets of the town. There are lots of places to stay, first rate restaurants, and events that draw visitors from far and near. Whether it is for a weekend getaway or a two week vacation, Nevada City is a destination of choice.
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