Hiking
Hiking — near Vegas and beyond
Calico Tanks at Red Rock, Fire Wave at Valley of Fire, and the alpine trails of Great Basin. Best months: Oct–Apr in the south, Jun–Sep in the mountains.
Things to Do in Nevada
Hike red canyons, count stars, chase ghosts, eat like royalty — Nevada's to-do list runs from the Strip to the summit.
Category 01
Outdoor Adventures
60+ million acres of public land means Nevada's real headline act is outside. Pick your altitude.
Stargazing
Dark-sky stargazing
Two International Dark Sky Parks (Great Basin, Death Valley) plus Tonopah's near-zero light pollution. New-moon weeks are magic.
Water
Paddling & lakes
Tahoe's coves, Lake Mead's wide water, the Truckee's downtown rapids — SUP, kayak and rafting across every region.
Public-land rules to know
Most Nevada outdoors is on BLM or USFS land: free, open and lightly managed. Leave No Trace (pack out everything), camp only where allowed, and be aware that fire restrictions are common in summer. No drones in national parks; many wilderness areas ban motors entirely.
Category 02
History & Culture
Ghost Towns
Ghost towns
Hundreds of faded boomtowns, most free and quiet: Belmont, Rhyolite, Goldfield, and the living museums at Virginia City. Pack a flashlight and respect the ruins.
Mining
Mines & silver
Walk original diggings at Tonopah's Mining Park, tour Virginia City's Comstock tunnels, or ride the historic Nevada Northern Railway in Ely.
Culture
Basque, Native & cowboy heritage
Basque family dinners in Elko and Winnemucca, Paiute and Washoe cultural sites around Pyramid Lake and Tahoe, and Nevada's rodeo calendar in the north.
Category 03
Entertainment & Shows
The Strip and Downtown still own the night — here's how to do it without blowing the budget.
Las Vegas
Spectacles on the Strip
Cirque du Soleil's water stage, the Sphere's immersive screens, magic residencies and the always-free Bellagio fountains. Book midweek for the best prices.
Vegas + Reno
Neon nights, vintage vibes
Fremont Street's canopy show, the Neon Museum's Boneyard of retired signs, and Reno's glowing arch — free glitz with real character.
Category 04
Food & Drink
Fine Dining
The Strip's culinary crown
More Michelin stars than Miami — tasting menus from é by José Andrés to Bazaar Meat, plus hotel buffets worth a splurge at the top end.
Local Eats
Beyond the tourists
Basque chorizo in Elko, Chinatown's dumpling sprawl, Reno's food halls and the state's two great beer towns — locals' tables, not Instagram bait.
Category 05
Unique Nevada Experiences
Road Legend
Drive the Extraterrestrial Highway
98 miles of open road past Area 51's doorstep, alien cafes and skies so dark the highway crews turn off some lights at night.
Soak
Hot springs, wild & developed
From developed pools in the north to undeveloped desert soaks — check local access rules, respect closure signs and pack out everything.
Art
Desert art & installations
Seven Magic Mountains' painted boulders, the Goldwell Open Air Museum's ghostly sculptures near Rhyolite, and Burning Man's permanent playa art.
Turn activities into an itinerary
Our trip planner chains the best of each category into realistic day-by-day routes.