Things To Do In Nevada
Given the vast variety of Nevada attractions, determining what to do on your Nevada vacation may be a challenge. While much of your vacation preferences will depend on your individual interests, there are a number of things to do in Nevada that should not be missed.
Ski Lake Tahoe
With blue skies, plenty of sunshine and modern chairlifts that carry six people simultaneously, Mount Rose, Lake Tahoe is a skier’s dream! Snowboarders will enjoy showing off their tricks in the parks and pipes. For snow-sliders, this is one of the best things to do in Nevada.
Drive Around Lake Tahoe
Even if you are not a skier or snowboarder, you will enjoy the 72-mile drive around Lake Tahoe, which is one of the most popular Nevada attractions. Mark Twain referred to the Lake Tahoe area as a place where the air is so pure that the angels breathe it.
Visit Las Vegas
Come on! You know you want to! Even if you are not a gambler, a visit to “Sin City” is one of the most essential things to do in Nevada. The bright lights are beckoning. Surrender to the call of the showgirls. Las Vegas awaits you. Visiting Las Vegas is one of those uniquely Nevada things to do.
Cruise Lake Mead Nevada
You will love the Lake Mead Desert Princess Cruises! This authentic, three-level Mississippi-style paddle wheeler will transport you back to the Old South. For an afternoon of romance, enjoy the Lake Mead Champaign Brunch Cruise! This is one of the most romantic Nevada attractions.
Splash Around Sparks Wild Island Water Park
In the summertime, you will enjoy the cool fun at Sparks Wild Island Water Park. The whole family will have a blast on the various water slides. Later, enjoy a game of miniature golf. Playing around in Sparks is definitely one of the coolest Nevada things to do.
Discover the Wild, Wild West in Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada
Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada is a replica of an 1880s mining town. For history buffs, this is one of the most popular Nevada attractions. The saloons, stagecoaches, cowboys and cowgirls help set the scene as you are transported back in time to the old west. Watch the street gunfights, participate in a hanging and visit the Boot Hill Cemetery. You can even get married in the Bonnie Springs Chapel. Kids and kids at heart will love the petting zoo!
Have an Adventure at the Wilbur D. May Center
A visit to the Wilbur D. May Center is a unique experience. Visitors can view rare and exotic artifacts at the center’s museum. The Arboretum at the Wilbur D. May Center is considered a living museum. Because of its location in a transitional zone between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert, it faces the challenge of a rugged climate. With an elevation of 4,600 feet and an average daily temperature of 50 degrees, the Arboretum is the perfect environment for conducting research about botanical life in a high desert environment.
At the Great Basin Adventure at the Wilbur D. May Center you can pet live animals, ride a pony or experience the thrill of the Great Flume Ride.
Relax at the Carson City Hot Springs Resort
Hot tub, schmot tub! At Carson City, natural mineral water flows from the ground at 121 degrees. The history of Carson Springs dates back to 1849, when Indians and settlers enjoyed their healing powers. This is one of the “hottest” Nevada attractions.
Ride the Heavenly Aerial Tram
A five minute tram ride ascends to an altitude of 8,250 feet while you enjoy spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. Hiking, nature walks and Top of the Tram dining are also available.
Visit Virginia City
In the 1860s, a large vein of silver was found in Virginia City. This discovery was known as the Comstock Lode. Today, the town is one major tourist attraction Nevada has. Fans of Mark Twain will enjoy visiting the town where he wrote Territorial Enterprise, which was a memoir of his journalism career in Nevada. A visit to Virginia City is yet another one of the distinctly Nevada things to do.
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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