Stroke of good luck played a part in the Las Vegas
It is somehow fitting that a stroke of good luck played a part in the Las Vegas’ evolution from arid wasteland to international tourist mecca. In the early 19th century, a group of
Mexican traders deviated off-course from the Old Spanish Trail, a trade route established decades earlier by Spanish missionaries and nomadic Native tribes. The traders would have faced certain death in the blistering heat typical to the region, if not for the fortuitous discovery of an artesian spring and lush wetlands nearby.
That very discovery accelerated the settlement of the American West. The city would eventually be named for the life-saving oasis (“las vegas” means “the meadows” in Spanish). The advent of the railroad and the construction of the Hoover Dam kick-started Las Vegas’ rise to prominence in the West; the establishment of legalized gambling promoted it to the
status of “icon.”
Las Vegas hotels, casinos and other attractions are concentrated in two primary areas: Las Vegas Boulevard, commonly known as the “Strip” and Downtown, also known as “Fremont Street.” Millions of travelers from around the world visit Las Vegas annually. As a result, traffic tends to be congested 24 hours a day. Try to drive as little as possible once you get to your hotel.
The Las Vegas Strip is a fun place to walk. The interiors of the different hotels and casinos on the Strip will transport you from Paris to New York to Egypt to Monte Carlo to medieval England all in the space of a few miles. It’s even more spectacular at night when all the hotels light up their world-famous neon signs. Downtown, the Fremont Street Experience was also designed to be pedestrian-friendly, with hotels, casinos, shops and restaurants all enclosed by an overhead canopy that projects videos at night.
Public transportation can be easily obtained in Las Vegas. Taxis can be called from most hotels (if they’re not waiting out front already). Many hotels also offer shuttle service, especially those situated off-strip. The CAT (Citizens’ Area Transit) bus line covers the Las Vegas Metro area, with the double decker “Deuce” Bus serving the route from the Strip to Downtown. $2.00 per ride; day use passes are available for $5.00 each.
The Las Vegas Monorail is another quick and efficient way to get to many Strip attractions. Beginning at the MGM Grand, the Monorail goes to Bally’s, the Flamingo, Harrah’s, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Las Vegas Hilton and the Sahara. $5.00 for one ride, day passes $15.00, 3-day passes are $40.00.
Of course there’s more to Las Vegas than just Las Vegas. Outside of the city limits lies a whole different world. Scenic attractions like Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, Mt. Charleston, and Eldorado Canyon, just might make you forget that you’re in the other city that never sleeps!
Those with the time to spare should also take advantage of the opportunity to visit the many National Parks surrounding Las Vegas. Death Valley, Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell, the Grand Staircase, and more are all located mere hours from the lights of the city. And if you’ve come as far as Las Vegas, you’ve come too far not to see the grandest attraction of them all – the Grand Canyon.
Nevada Family Vacation
Nevada Family Vacation Ideas #1:For a family vacation idea in the true spirit of the Old West, head for Nevada Silver Trails, a large area of Utah between Las Vegas and Reno. It’s also called The Pioneer Territory but by either name, this is a landscape of small friendly western towns and wide open spaces; just right for an outdoors family vacation in.
This is the real Nevada, far away from the glitz and showboating of the famous gambling vacation spots to the north and south. It doesn’t matter how old (or young) you are, Nevada Silver Trails will serve up a Western-style adventure vacation for you. Here are 6 vacation ideas located in the Nevada Silver Trails Area.
Nevada Family Vacation Ideas #2:Walker Lake State Recreation Area, home of Walker Lake and its population of Lahontan cutthroat trout, is an oasis for visitors who enjoy fishing, boating, water skiing, canoeing and kayaking, as well as camping, hiking and bird watching. Located 11 miles north of Hawthorne on U.S. 95, the park is open all year.
Family Vacations in Nevada #3:Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park is home to nearly 40 preserved ichthyosaur fossils as well as the turn-of-the-century mining town of Berlin. An interpretive trail winds through the ghost town of Berlin and leads to the Fossil House where the fossils of the giant marine reptiles that swam in a warm ocean 225 million years ago are located. The 1,540-acre park has a visitors center, 14 well-spaced camp sites ideal for individuals or groups and numerous of hiking trails. It’s located in western Nevada, just 23 miles east of Gabbs via state Route 844
Nevada Family Vacation #4:Cathedral Gorge State Park is a long, narrow valley with cave-like formations and cathedral-like spires. Miller Point, a scenic overlook just north of the park entrance on U.S. 93, offers unsurpassed views of the scenic canyon. The tree-shaded campground area is open all year offering hiking, nature study and ranger programs. It’s located in eastern Nevada, just 20 miles west of the Utah border,
Nevada Family Vacation #5:Beaver Dam State Park is Eastern Nevada’s most remote park, and is a popular area for hikers and nature enthusiasts who enjoy its deep canyons, pinion and juniper forests, a flowing stream with fishable trout and numerous beaver dams. The park offers fishing, camping, picnicking, hiking, photography and nature study along with campgrounds, hiking and interpretive trails. Beaver Dam is open year-round, weather permitting, but travel is not advised during winter months.
Nevada Family Vacation Ideas #6:Echo Canyon State Park features a 65-acre reservoir with a campground, group use facilities and boat launch. Filled with abundant wildlife, a variety of native plans and unique rock formations provide a playground for camping, hiking and fishing for rainbow trout, largemouth bass and white crappie. Echo Canyon is located 12 miles east of Pioche via state Routes 322 and 323.
Nevada Family Vacation #7:The Tonopah Mining Park was named “Best Museum in Rural Nevada” by Nevada magazine. Here you can explore the rich history of an important turn-of-the-century Nevada silver mining with restored buildings and mining exhibits and a mining tour. Tonopah Mining Park is located in the city of Tonopah, once called the Queen of Silver Camps. The park features a variety of mining equipment and interesting displays but the most exciting part is the Underground Tour. Here visitors walk into the old mine and are able to gaze down a 160m / 500ft tunnel shaft.
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