From magnificent Lake Tahoe ñ which Mark Twain once called ìthe fairest picture the whole earth affords" ñ to historic Virginia City, site of one of the Westís greatest mining booms, the Reno-Tahoe Territory contains many of Nevadaís most scenic and historic recreation areas, as well as many excellent Nevada Vacation Rentals. At the north end of the territory is the Black Rock Desert. Black Rock was the site of the first breaking of the sound barrier by a vehicle on land, accomplished in 1997 when the rocket-powered Thrust SSC car traveled 763.035 miles per hour. South of Black Rock is Pyramid Lake, a remnant of a prehistoric inland sea that once covered much of Nevada. The lake is ringed by intriguing tufa rock formations and offers fishing and boating. South of Pyramid Lake are Northern Nevadaís largest cities, Reno and Sparks. Visitors can enjoy a visit to Renoís National Automobile Museum and the Nevada Museum of Art, or stroll the shaded grounds of the University of Nevada, Reno, the stateís oldest college. A Nevada Vacation Rental is a great alternative to a hotel or motel.
Since the mid-19th century, the Humboldt River has defined Northern Nevadaís Cowboy Country. The river stretches more than 300 miles across the upper third of the state, paralleling Interstate 80. Natural, historic and recreational opportunities abound in Cowboy Country. Visitors may catch a mild case of cowboy fever while touring this land of independent spirit and rugged integrity. Check out a Nevada Vacation Rental for a place to stay while visting Cowboy Country.
Ghost towns and historic mining towns, where gold and silver fortunes were won and lost during Nevadaís famous era of boom and bust a century ago, dot the wide-open spaces of Nevadaís Pioneer Territory. Traces of the legendary Old West are plentiful in this south-central Nevada region of vast scenic vistas, geologic wonderlands, and the stateís ever-present mountains. Nestled in amongst these vistas are many Nevada Vacation Rentals.
Adventure beckons from a landscape made for outdoor play. Mountain biking is popular in the Toiyabe and Toquima ranges, where one can watch wild horses, burros, antelope, deer and elk roam freely while pedaling over summits or coasting into valleys. Sandboarding and paragliding are the latest adventure trends at Amargosa Dunes, where dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles scoot over the amazing mounds of natural sand.
Open range, endless vistas, sagebrush-carpeted valleys, and picturesque mining towns ñ few places capture the Nevada experience as well as the Pony Express Territory. The territory spans the center of Nevada, straddling U.S. Hwy. 50. Its name reflects the fact that U.S. Hwy. 50 parallels the historic Pony Express route, which stretched from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, in the early 1860s. Itís a region with one foot firmly planted in the 19th century and the other in the 21st. Only a handful of small towns are strung along the highway, which was designated by Life Magazine as ìThe Loneliest Road in America. îAnd perhaps it is. Motorists who get pangs of loneliness when theyíre not surrounded by buildings and traffic may feel isolated. But the rest will find tranquility in the splendid solitude.Pony Express Territory is a land of untrampled natural wonders and charming mining towns that still look much as they did more than a century ago.
Thereís no place on earth like Las Vegas. The city thrives on superlatives ñ biggest, brightest, longest, tallest ñ so itís no surprise that the ìEntertainment Capital of the Worldî is home to 18 of the 20 largest hotels in the country. Visitors will find an unlimited variety of entertainment, sightseeing, special events, shopping and dining, among many other activities. Las Vegas boasts more neon and lights than any other city, and themed megaresorts that conjure nearly any fantasy imaginable. On the famed Las Vegas Strip, visitors can view a spirited pirate ship battle, an exploding volcano, or a spectacular laser light water show. They can visit resorts that capture the essence of ancient Egypt, an Arthurian kingdom, Rome, Venice, New York, Monte Carlo, Paris, and a host of various tropical paradises. They can enjoy the excitement of 24-hour gaming, gourmet restaurants operated by the worldís most famous chefs, and star studded entertainment.