TRAVEL: Nevada's Ghosts, Legends, & Legacies Trip
Have you ever traveled to Las Vegas? I know I have, but in all my past experiences I have never taken the time to explore what's right outside of the city. Thanks to Travel Nevada, I had the opportunity to experience for myself the rich and quirky history of the Silver State.
Here's a quick summary of the sites and activities we did in 3 days while traveling in the Las Vegas area!
Day One: The OG Vegas
We all know about The Strip, but have you checked out downtown Las Vegas? The Fremont Street Experience is one you do not want to miss out on!
First off, there is a giant praying mantis that shoots 6-story high flames of liquid propane from its antennae. Need I say more? You do not want to miss this crazy art installation, and it's found at the front of the Downtown Container Park area. If you're lucky, you can even catch a drum circle!
While you're there, I recommend walking to the Smashed Pig for a delicious dinner followed by drinks at the Corduroy Bar. Their Lightbox room was perfect for some girl's night out photos. I think in this case, it is only accurate to say it was LIT.
Day Two: A 'Dam Good' Day of History, Raft Tours, and Mines
Time to step back in time to the good ole days of mining, the Hoover Dam, and the crazy photo opportunities and history at Techatticup Mine!
We started the day off by going on the Hoover Dam Postcard Tour with Black Canyon Adventures, and our guide made it a entertaining and educational experience. Did you know that the dam generates hydroelectric power for use in not only Nevada, but Arizona and California as well?
After pausing on the little island we came across in the canyon, we headed back to shore and packed up to head to Techatticup Mine.
Now, this is a goldmine - both literally and figuratively! There are tons of movie props that have been abandoned here! You can only imagine the "Instagrammable" content we came across. My favorite was hands down this crashed plane. How epic is that? The girls and I ran around the cacti snapping photos and having fun coming across the most random things.
Eventually they rounded us up and we got to find out more about the mine itself. As long as you're not claustrophobic, it's a cool experience to go underground and see firsthand what miners saw on the daily.
Day Three: Painted Rocks, Haunted Saloons, and ATV'ing the Mojave Desert
From iconic art installations to getting down and dirty in the desert, this was a fun day!
We started off by visiting Seven Magic Mountains, a public artwork by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. It features seven 30-to-35-foot high totems comprised of painted, locally-sourced boulders. You probably recognize it from big Instagram names shooting there (I know that's how I found out about it). Since this was a feature I'd been meaning to check out, I was thrilled this was a part of the itinerary!
After snapping our photos, we moved on to visit Goodsprings, a former mining town. There we got refreshments from the Pioneer Saloon, the oldest saloon in southern Nevada! In 1942, it was the base camp for a search-and-rescue operation launched after a plane carrying actress Carole Lombard crashed into nearby Mount Potosi. Her husband, actor Clark Gable, waited at the Pioneer Saloon for days as rescue efforts were conducted.
Oh, and did I mention it's haunted? The eerie feeling only adds to this incredibly well kept piece of history!
Finally, to top off the day, we went off roading in the Mojave desert with Vegas Off Road Tours! It was a dusty and bumpy ride, but so much fun! The best part? Coming across wild horses. Such a magical experience. From the views to the company, it was definitely the highlight of the day.
Day Four: Nevada Sunrises at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
This was departure day, but before we left, a few of us woke up extra early to enjoy one last feature. Trust me, this was so worth the 4 AM wake up call.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park is right by better known Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, so it carries a lot of the same features without all of the crowds. As the sun crept up over the rocks, it was absolutely breathtaking.
I couldn't imagine a better way to top off this trip. A huge thank you to Travel Nevada for putting this incredible experience together! I hope this itinerary encourages you to step foot out of the city and explore all that Nevada has to offer - because it's probably a lot more than you think!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@the_dragonfruit) to see my Nevada story highlight and get the full experience.
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