Things to Do in Nevada
Ten stops that skip Las Vegas on purpose, since it's got its own dedicated page, and head instead toward red rock formations, a proper ghost town, and the state's actual Basque heritage.
Las Vegas already has its own page on this site, so this list heads elsewhere, Nevada's northern half runs cooler, quieter, and considerably less crowded, with a properly different character than the strip suggests about the state as a whole. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Great Basin National Park
One of the least visited national parks in the country, home to ancient bristlecone pines, some individual trees over 4,000 years old, among the oldest living organisms on Earth. Lehman Caves, a marble cave system beneath the park, runs guided tours through properly striking formations, considerably less crowded than more famous cave systems elsewhere on this site.
The park holds an official Dark Sky designation too, stay overnight specifically for stargazing if you're passing through, light pollution here runs about as low as anywhere in the continental US.
Best time June-September for full trail and cave access
Address Great Basin National Park, Baker, NV
Hoover Dam
One of the great engineering achievements of the 1930s, holding back the Colorado River to form Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country by volume. Guided tours run down into the dam's interior, covering both the power plant and the properly demanding construction process that killed well over 100 workers during the project's five-year build.
The visitor centre and bypass bridge both offer sweeping views over the dam and the canyon below, a good, free option if you'd rather skip the full interior tour.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-5pm
Address Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV
Valley of Fire State Park
Nevada's oldest and largest state park, red sandstone formations that turn a properly striking crimson colour, particularly dramatic at sunrise and sunset. Petroglyphs left by Indigenous peoples thousands of years ago remain visible on several rock faces throughout the park, seek out the more accessible panels near the visitor centre.
This runs hot even by Nevada standards through summer, an early morning or late afternoon visit beats the middle of the day if visiting May through September.
Best time Sunrise or sunset; October-April for cooler daytime temperatures
Address 29450 Valley of Fire Rd, Overton, NV
Reno's Basque Heritage
Nevada holds one of the largest Basque immigrant communities in the country, drawn originally by sheepherding work in the state's rural areas, and Reno still runs several family-style Basque restaurants serving large shared meals in the traditional style. The Basque Festival each summer celebrates this heritage directly with traditional dancing, weightlifting competitions, and, naturally, a proper feast.
Louis' Basque Corner, operating for decades, remains one of the more established, well-regarded spots for the full family-style experience, go hungry and prepared to share.
Best time Late July for the Basque Festival
Address Louis' Basque Corner, 301 E 4th St, Reno, NV
Rhyolite Ghost Town
A gold mining boomtown that grew to roughly 5,000 residents within a few years of an early 1900s gold strike, then emptied out almost entirely once the ore ran thin, leaving behind a properly striking set of ruins, including a still-standing bank building and railway depot. The nearby Goldwell Open Air Museum adds an unexpected layer, large-scale outdoor sculptures installed among the historic ruins.
This runs as one of the better-preserved ghost towns in the whole region, a good combination with a Death Valley visit given how close Rhyolite sits to the California border.
Address Rhyolite Ghost Town, Beatty, NV
The Extraterrestrial Highway
A 98-mile stretch of Nevada State Route 375, officially renamed by the state in 1996 to reflect decades of reported UFO sightings connected to the nearby classified Area 51 military facility. The Little A'Le'Inn, a small roadside diner and motel in the tiny town of Rachel, leans fully into the theme, alien-related decor and merchandise throughout.
This runs as a properly remote, empty stretch of desert highway, fuel up before setting out, services along this route run properly sparse.
Address Nevada State Route 375, NV
Nevada's Wild Mustangs
Nevada holds the largest wild horse population of any US state, descended from a mix of ranch horses and earlier Spanish stock, protected under a 1971 federal law after public advocacy campaigns highlighted their declining numbers. Several herds roam visibly along rural highways throughout the state, particularly around Virginia City and the areas north of Reno.
Keep a proper, respectful distance if you spot a herd, these remain properly wild animals despite how approachable they can sometimes appear along roadsides.
Address Rural areas statewide, particularly near Virginia City
Pyramid Lake
A large desert lake entirely within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, named for a distinctive pyramid-shaped tufa formation rising from the water, tufa being a calcium carbonate rock formed by mineral-rich springs beneath the lake's surface. This remains sacred and significant land to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, visit with real respect for that context alongside the natural scenery.
Fishing permits, purchased directly from the tribe, are required for anyone hoping to catch the lake's notably large Lahontan cutthroat trout, a species found almost nowhere else at this size.
Address Pyramid Lake, Nixon, NV
Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City
A museum covering Nevada's railroad history, centred on real steam locomotives and passenger cars once used to haul silver ore from the Comstock Lode mines during the state's 19th-century mining boom. Several of the trains still run seasonally, offering short excursion rides that let visitors experience the same route the original ore trains once travelled.
This works particularly well for kids interested in trains specifically, the hands-on scale and real, functioning locomotives hold attention considerably longer than a static museum display would.
Hours Daily, roughly 8.30am-4.30pm
Address 2180 S Carson St, Carson City, NV
Lake Tahoe's Nevada Shore
Lake Tahoe straddles the Nevada-California border, and the Nevada side, particularly around Incline Village and Sand Harbor, runs noticeably quieter and less developed than the busier California beaches further around the lake. Sand Harbor State Park holds some of the clearest water anywhere on the lake, arrive early during summer given how quickly the limited parking fills up.
This side also holds several of Tahoe's casino resorts, a proper mix of natural lake scenery and Nevada's gaming industry within the same short stretch of shoreline.
Best time June-August for swimming
Address Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, NV
Best time to visit Nevada
May through October covers the most comfortable window for the majority of this list, mild enough for the outdoor and desert stops without summer's most extreme heat in the lower-elevation areas.
The higher-elevation stops, Great Basin and Lake Tahoe specifically, stay considerably cooler through summer than the desert floor further south, a good reason to prioritise those months if travelling June through August.
Getting around Nevada
A car is essential for this list, the distances between Reno, Great Basin, and the southern desert stops run into several hours each, this is a state best covered with your own transport.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nevada worth visiting beyond Las Vegas?
- Yes, easily, Great Basin National Park and Lake Tahoe's Nevada shore both offer landscapes that feel completely distinct from the strip's neon and desert heat.
- How many days do you need in Nevada beyond Las Vegas?
- Five days gives a comfortable pace to cover Reno, Lake Tahoe's Nevada shore, and either Great Basin or the ghost towns further south.
- Is Nevada expensive to visit?
- No, generally affordable outside Las Vegas and Tahoe's resort areas specifically, the rest of the state runs well below the national average.
- What's the best Nevada trip for kids?
- The Nevada State Railroad Museum and Hoover Dam's visitor centre both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a state that runs considerably quieter than its most famous city suggests.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
