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Nevada Hotels Outside of Las Vegas
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Nevada is the seventh largest state in the United States, located near the West Coast. Nevada is best known for its relaxed legislation on gambling, its scenic landscape and 24 hour wedding chapels. A temperate climate and the country's most attractive gambling city, Las Vegas, makes Nevada a perfect holiday destination.
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Geography
Nevada is spread over an area of 110,567 square miles, at width of 322 miles and a length of 490 miles. The capital city is Carson City and the state's entire population stands around 2.4 million people. Nevada's area is quite mountainous and is naturally divided by a series of north-south mountain ranges which create stunning landscapes. The northern section of the state, taken up mostly by the Great Basin Desert, is hot in the summer and cold in the winter, with occasional summer thunderstorms. The Humboldt River is located in the northern section, running east to west, and the mountain ranges can reach as high as 12,000
feet.
The eastern section of Nevada is more summery and has gorgeous lush terrains which are any nature-lover's dream. The Las Vegas area is located in the southern sector of Nevada, and is part of the Mojave Desert. Just west of Las Vegas runs the Spring Mountains which is the state's longest mountain range. Several nature parks are spread around Nevada in order to protect the state's natural beauty.
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History
The area of Nevada was obviously inhabited for centuries by Native Americans, but the first "white" settlement is believed to have been established in 1851. A friendly dispute exists about the name of the first settlement. There are those that believe that Genoa, near Carson City, was the first settlement. Genoa was permanently settled by Mormons and was known as Mormon Station in Utah Territory. The other town to hold the claim as the first settlement is Dayton, which is also located near Carson City. Dayton was permanently settled by miners and traders and was known as Gold Canyon in Utah
Territory.
In 1854, Carson County was created as part of Utah Territory. In March, 1861 Nevada Territory separated from Utah Territory and took its current name. Only eight days before the presidential elections of 1864, Nevada was announced as the 36th state of the union. Political and economic considerations were great for pushing the statehood before the elections and these included the area's vast mining resources and expansive territory which would facilitate the expected population
boom.
On 5th May 1866, Nevada received its current boundaries, when it took over the section of Pah-Ute County in Arizona Territory, west of the Colorado River. One of the main reasons for this transfer was the discovery of gold in the area and it was felt that Nevada would be able to deal better with all the issues relating to this discovery. Mining sustained the Nevada economy until the turn of the century, but states like Colorado and Utah began making it hard for the state to compete. When silver was discovered in 1900 in Tonopah, followed by further discoveries a decade later, mining once again became a solid economic supporter of
Nevada.
The mining towns had a sub-culture of their own and illegal gambling had a strong presence. In 1909, however, after an anti-gambling clampdown, the practice became illegal. Following the decline of the mining industry, the near collapse of the agricultural sector during the Great Depression and subsequent economic hardships, the Nevada state re-legalized gambling in 1931, with the aim of rebooting the economy. This was a wise move as gambling has become Nevada's primary source of revenue today.
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Nevada - The Unofficial Five 'Territories'
1. Reno Tahoe Territory
This area is a sprawling terrain of high desert valleys and lush mountain tops. The territory is home to Nevada's capital, Carson City which is located at the base of the stunning Sierra Nevada mountain range, and which offers a wide range of museums, old mansions, casinos, golf courses and nature walks. Carson Valley is a further attraction in the territory for adventure holiday makers including fishing, pheasant hunting and water skiing. Lake Tahoe offers breathtaking scenery and water sports for every season. The famous Reno City is this territory's cherry on the top boasting big city night life and casino attractions with small town charm and hospitality.
2. Cowboy Country Territory
Cowboy Country allows a visitor to follow the trails of the early settlers that crossed Nevada in wagons. The area is full of diverse and captivating attractions that are rich in legends and customs of the Old West. Old mining towns, ranches, cattle ranges, and stunning nature routes are but a few of this area's attractions.
3. Pony Express Territory
The bulk of the Pony Express Territory straddles Highway 50, which has been named as the "Loneliest Road in America". For those looking for a tranquil drive through non-tampered nature, this area is calling. One of the territory's highlights is the Great Basin National Park which features ancient bristle cone pines - trees which grow as tall as 10,000 feet and can live up to 4,000 years. Lehman Caves is a further nature treat with unique stalactites and stalagmites on display.
4. Pioneer Territory
Named after the first pioneers to the territory, this area is rich with quaint ghost towns and historic mining towns which have retained most of their 19th century look. The region also provides nature lovers with a wide range of options - the Toiyabe mountain range spiraling 10,000 feet and the Basin for fishing and boating. The Death Valley Nature Park displays the beauty of a harsh desert and Scotty's Castle allows visitors to image a true desert ranch.
5. Las Vegas Territory
A city area illuminated by more neon lights than anywhere in the world, Las Vegas has definitely earned the title of the Entertainment Capital of the World. Home to 90% of the largest hotels in the country, Las Vegas Territory offers non-stop entertainment, gambling, clubbing, sight-seeing, shopping, extravaganzas, wining and dining.
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Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip located in Nevada is the first attraction that generally comes to mind when conjuring up an image of the area. The four mile long boulevard of Las Vegas Boulevard South houses some of the largest hotels and casino resorts in the world. The Strip itself is not actually situated in the Las Vegas city boundaries but still boasts the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign near the southern end of the
Strip.
The Strip is home to some of the world's most famous and impressive hotels and gambling resorts. The first casino built was on Highway 91 in 1931, called the Pair-O-Dice Club, while the first casino built on the actual Strip was the El Rancho Vegas in 1941. A second hotel was built a year later, named Hotel Last Frontier and the famed Flamingo opened in 1946.
From the 1960's to the 1980's a hotel and property boom facilitated expansive building on the Strip and many more top hotels and casino resorts were added to the area. Hotels such as the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and the Mirage set new levels to the Las Vegas experience. Many hotels in the surrounding areas, not located on the Strip itself, were suffering from the boom and popularity of the boulevard. In order to try and regenerate their business, they invested in super-fancy lights and bill boards to attract the crowds and create the same ambiance as the
Strip.
In the 1980's and 1990's many hotels were trying to veer away from the image that Las Vegas was only a gambling holiday destination. Hotels began adding facilities geared towards the whole family and promoting an all-inclusive family holiday city. It was clear that casinos and gambling would always play a major role the resorts' entertainment line-up, but many started targeting the family unit as a
whole.
Today, Las Vegas in general, and the Strip in particular, is by far the most popular vacation destination for anyone visiting Nevada. Conveniently accessed by major airports, highways, trains and bus lines, people from all over the country and all over the world find their way to Las Vegas for a gambler's dream holiday.
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Marriage Chapels and the Like
While Nevada is undoubtedly famous for its gambling, 24/7 marriage facilities are certainly a further attraction. With Nevada's minimal legal requirements, wedding chapels almost on every corner and a built-in honey moon destination, young (and old) couples swarm into the state every day in order to exchange wedding
vows.
In Nevada, any person over the age of 18 can get married without parental consent. No blood tests are needed, no waiting period is required and marriage licenses can be obtained all over the state. Abundant wedding chapels allow a couple to get married with the bare minimum or provide elaborate extras which can make a wedding into an unforgettable experience. The wedding chapels are set in a wide range of areas so that couples can choose from a rustic Wild West ceremony to the glitzy lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
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Nevada - The Ultimate Destination
Whether its non-stop night life and exotic entertainment, rural desert nights or historic mining towns, Nevada is the state to visit. A gambling vacation is not the only reason to visit this unique area of the United States - the expansive terrain offers natural highlights for the entire family and makes Nevada the all-in-one vacation destination!
Maps: |
| Laughlin |
| Reno |
| Nevada |
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