Things to Do in Nevada

One of the most anticipated Las Vegas attractions, the massive, 550-foot rotating observation tower known as the High Roller has arrived. Far from your normal carnival Ferris wheel, the High Roller is so big that it takes a full 30 minutes for the wheel to complete a 360-degree rotation and is known as the world’s largest observation wheel.

Each 44,000-pound, glass-enclosed pod can hold up to 40 people, includes music and video displays and has been decked out with thousands of LED lights. This big-time attraction serves as a sparkling focal point at the LINQ, one of Vegas’ newest shopping districts.

The mighty Colorado River runs from northwestern Mexico through California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. The river is a spectacular sight to see, meandering for 1,447 miles (2,330 km) with red rocks and canyons framing it on both sides, leading up to the Hoover Dam. The Colorado River is one of the major water sources for California and Nevada, and not surprisingly it's a major recreational destination: activities on the river include hiking, biking, rafting and boating.

One of the ways that travelers most often come to see the Colorado River is by visiting the Black Canyon, so-called because of the black volcanic rocks found in the area. The canyons are majestic, red land formations that lead from Colorado towards the Hoover Dam in Nevada. Boating and canoeing down the Colorado River are popular activities in the Black Canyon.

Red Rock Canyon is a network of impressive canyons and surreal rock formations inside the Red Rock National Conservation Area. If you're looking for opportunities to hike, bike or rock climb within easy striking distance of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is just what you're looking for.

One of the more popular destinations for climbers here is Keystone Thrust, made up of towering red sandstone peaks and walls that reach as high as 3,000 ft (910 meters). Then there’s La Madre Mountain (8,154 ft / 2,485 m), a moderate climb and an optimal spot for mountain biking.

Other highlights include Icebox Canyon (to get here, you start hiking an easy trail through the canyon and then boulder-hop and climb to reach the top) and the Pine Creek Canyon oasis (a running creek surrounded by pine trees).

Of the two major rims of the Grand Canyon, many visitors choose the South Rim, which boasts easy access, the bulk of services, and the panoramic vistas for which the park is famous. Every summer, visitors throng the park's most popular rim, mainly to ogle its easily accessible dramatic, sweeping canyon views.

But the Grand Canyon South Rim is more then those spectacular canyon views. The first stop for many is Grand Canyon Village, which is filled with many historic buildings. Other historic highlights in the South Rim is Desert View Watchtower, which has one of the few views of the bottom of the Canyon and the Colorado River; Grand Canyon Railway Depot, built in 1909; and Bright Angel Lodge, a rustic lodge built of logs and stones.

For hikers, the Grand Canyon South Rim is where you'll find Bright Angel Trail, Rim Trail, and South Kaibab Trail - all of which offer the most dazzling views of the Grand Canyon.

With its sharp craggy mountains, deep canyons and desert basins, you won't believe that Sin City is only a few hours away from the deserted, dramatic and often surreal scenery of Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

There are many activities to do around and on Lake Mead; it's a peaceful and beautiful place to bike, kayak, water ski, camp, fish and hike. You can also scuba dive or go for a swim in one of the surrounding lakes.

Lake Mead and Lake Mojave are the two main destinations in the Lake Mead Recreation Area. Lake Mead is 110 miles (177 km) long and Lake Mojave is 67 miles (107 km) long. Because of their size, both are major destinations for boaters. The surrounding beaches, marinas, and campgrounds make the surrounding area popular for boater and non-boaters.

Part gourmet chocolate factory and part desert cactus garden, the home of Ethel M Chocolates offers a glimpse into the chocolate making process. From the larger scale production machines to the pecan brittle made by hand, it’s a chance to see how one of the world’s favorite sweet treats comes to be. The Ethel M chocolates are special to the Mars family, inspired by their mother’s fresh and small-batch premium chocolates. There’s also a Tasting Room Experience with a bit of history about the chocolate company and a variety of their different chocolates to sample. After you’ve had your fill of chocolate, you can opt to take a stroll in the four acre cactus garden. It’s one of the largest desert gardens in the world, grounded in naturalistic design. The variety of cacti and succulents comes from all over the world, including plants native to the Southwestern United States. They’re particularly beautiful when in bloom.

The Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park. Covering over 34,880 acres with red-rock sandstone formations is the ultimate hiking destination.

Highlights of the Valley of Fire include Atlatl Rock and Fir Canyon. At Atlatl Rock, examine ancient petroglyphs, dating back thousands of years and created by the Moapa tribe. Then, take a 3-mile (4.8 km) hike through Fir Canyon, starting at Rainbow Vista, where you’ll see the lighting against the sandstone and understand why the park got its name, Valley of Fire.

Picnicking, hiking, and camping are all popular activities in the Valley of Fire. Not only is the landscape impressive and attract visitors world-wide, but the Valley of Fire houses some of the rarest vegetation and wildlife in the country.

Lined with cobblestone walkways and iron street lamps, the Paris Hotel and Casino offers a small taste of Paris in Las Vegas. With its Parisian-style shopping and restaurants, plus a 50-story tall Eiffel Tower out the front, a stay here might just be as good as the real thing.

For shopping, Paris offers a walk down the Bally's-Paris Promenade or Le Boulevard, housing French designs, small boutiques, and the latest fashions. Then there are the shows, featuring the talents of everyone from singer Barry Manilow to the hypnotist Anthony Cools.

Bryce Canyon is the culmination of a series of steplike uplifted rock layers known as the Grand Staircase, stretching north from the Grand Canyon. The park's Pink Cliffs formations are crammed full of wonderful pinnacles, steeples and spires, and weird geological creations called 'hoodoos' sculpted by wind, water and ice.

It may be called a canyon, but Bryce is actually more a series of natural amphitheaters formed by erosion over the millennia. The wind and rain have peeled back the sedimentary layers to reveal stripes of red, orange and white, at heights of around 9,000 feet (2,700 m).

Being more remote than the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park, a visit to this far-flung natural gem rewards you with a true sense of wilderness in its pristine glory.