For those seeking off-the-beaten-path outdoor adventures and, Travel Nevada has released its list of the Top 10 "Out There" Experiences for 2025. The release comes on the heels of the recent passing of the EXPLORE Act, a bipartisan effort intended to modernise, preserve, and increase access to US public lands and waterways. The passage of this act is of considerable interest to Nevada, a state that offers more than 60 million acres of public land – the most of any US state. "Travel Nevada is dedicated to sharing the countless transformative travel experiences across the state that invite discovery, adventure and exploration,” said Tracie Barnthouse, chief communications officer at Travel Nevada. “Nevada’s public lands are home to some of the nation’s most diverse landscapes and exhilarating outdoor activities, and there’s something extraordinary waiting for everyone. Curated by the Travel Nevada team, the list showcases outdoor adventures on Nevada’s public lands and beyond for every type of explorer. It ranges from heli-skiing in the Ruby Mountains, skydiving over Hoover Dam, to tranquil dark sky viewing at Massacre Rim.   Heli-ski in the Ruby Mountains: Heli-skiing at Ruby 360 Lodge in Lamoille offers an exclusive gateway to untouched powder in the Ruby Mountains amid breathtaking alpine scenery, with access to vast terrain. Gaze at the darkest skies at Massacre Rim: This area in northwestern Nevada is recognized by the DarkSky International as one of the darkest places on Earth, offering unparalleled stargazing. Pair paranormal vibes with panoramic hot springs: Begin by exploring Gold Point Ghost Town, a well-preserved mining town offering a glimpse into the past with its rustic cabins, saloon, and rich history. After soaking in the spooky vibes and nostalgia, head to Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs, where soothing natural pools and sweeping desert views provide the perfect retreat. Mine the rarest gemstones: As the only place in North America to find this extremely precious, very rare opalized prehistoric wood, it’s no wonder Virgin Valley black fire opal is Nevada’s state gemstone. Sink a pickaxe and mine your own at northwestern Nevada’s Bonanza, Rainbow Ridge, and Royal Peacock opal mines. The “World’s Tallest Outdoor Climbing Wall”: Scale the 16-story side of the Whitney Peak Hotel up to an impressive 164 feet over the top of the iconic downtown Reno Arch. If you’re looking to stay a little closer to the ground, head for BaseCamp Reno’s 7,000 square-feet indoor bouldering park inside the hotel. Mountain bike a bucket-list terrain: Home to Great Basin National Park, Ely is celebrated by mountain bikers in the know as a dream destination. Dozens of miles of trails beckon riders at Ward Mountain Recreation Area, Cave Lake State Park, and more. Zip line above the world’s largest concentration of LED lights in downtown Las Vegas: Fremont Street Experience’s SlotZilla Zip Line launches riders off a 12-story tower. Thrill-seekers can begin at 77 or 114 feet. Skydive over Hoover Dam: With Skydive Las Vegas, free fall at 120+ mph and enjoy incredible views of places like Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Colorado River, the Las Vegas Strip, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon and Mt. Charleston. Discover the oldest petroglyphs and most vibrant pictographs on the continent: On the outskirts of Austin, visitors to Toquima Cave can marvel at spectacular petroglyphs and the continent’s most prime pictographs, thanks to their immaculate preservation. Glide across the crystal waters of South Lake Tahoe in a transparent vessel: Explore one of the clearest bodies of water on earth with Clearly Tahoe Kayak Tours by day, under a stunning sunset, or beneath the stars.

The next 12 months is set to be the year where more travelers expand their horizons – in every sense. The Silver State of Nevada embraces its off-beat nature, and visitors will enjoy experiences they truly won’t find anywhere else. From cowboy culture to ghost towns, to modern art, and epic outdoors - Nevada has so much to offer and will constantly surprise you.   Embrace the cowboy culture The northern region of Nevada is real life cowboy country. Along the I-80, dubbed the ‘Cowboy Corridor’, visitors will discover lively communities full of history and Western tradition. Museums, art galleries, poetry and music festivals, and even beers highlight the confluence of buckaroo, Basque, and American Indian traditions in the region. One such festival, The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, marks its 40th year in 2025. The six-day gathering is filled with poetry, music, dancing, workshops, exhibits, conversations, food and fellowship. Those that follow the route will also enjoy a taste of Nevada’s Basque History, with plenty of Basque restaurants along the route serving Basque feasts family style.   Discover starry skies Beyond the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada is home to some of the darkest skies in the world. Thanks to the state's lack of light pollution, clear starry night skies can be found in all corners of the Silver State. There are 14 stargazing parks located in dark sky sanctuaries that are free for visitors to use. Telescopes aren't essential, just look up and enjoy the view. For those travelling by car, take a detour along the “Starry-est Route in America”, guiding travelers from Death Valley National Park to Great Basin National Park via some of the least light polluted spaces in the US.   Seeing is believing Nevada is filled with quirky and unique attractions and experiences, from colourful art installations, outdoor sculpture museums, aliens, ghost towns and even its own small country, creativity has no limit in rural Nevada. Visitors heading into Nevada from California via Death Valley will spot a gigantic cow standing proud on the roadside Aptly named the Big Bovine, ‘Herman’ was a real life, 3,000-pound, six feet tall cow. In honor of the animal, a statue was built as a memorial in 2013 and stands two stories tall. Those travelling north from Las Vegas towards Reno will find  The Clown Motel. a creepy but unique roadside stop over celebrating 40 years since its opening. The motel houses one of the largest private collections of clown figurines and memorabilia in the world, with more than 2,000. Close to Carson City, an independent micronation has been established where a passport is required to enter The Republic of Molossia. It covers 6.3 acres of the Nevada desert and includes an official customs station, a national instrument, and even its own postal service.   Get a little out there Nevada is home to 24 state parks and two national parks, with 85% of the state’s land open to the public meaning hiking and trekking opportunities are endless. Often referred to as the most mountainous state in the U.S, to the north, the Great Basin National Park offers hikers breath taking views from uncrowded hiking trails. The 4.3-mile Bristlecone-Glacier Trail rolls past the gnarled bristlecone pines to a stark, rock-rimmed cirque cradling Nevada’s last active glacier. For those who prefer adventure on two wheels, Winnemucca’s Bloody Shins Trail promises 17-miles of leg-scratching, high-desert sagebrush. The track is divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced grades, with some playful, flowy stretches and a few rock-studded challenges. travelnevada.com

Travel Nevada has launched a new way to explore Nevada through its iconic saloons. The Sagebrush Saloon Passport encourages travelers to immerse in saloon culture and is ideal for history buffs and enthusiast of the Old West. The Sagebrush Saloon Passport has digitally mapped the Silver State's storied saloons which can be used for  a personalised exploration of the state. "With the Sagebrush Saloon Passport, travellers can belly up to the bar at some of the most treasured saloons in Nevada," said Caroline Sexton, Travel Nevada's chief marketing officer. "It's an invitation to get out there and soak in the ambiance of these historic establishments and the wild-at-heart spirit of the Silver State." The complimentary passport allows guests to digitally check in at nearly 30 featured saloons across the state. Users earn points towards exclusive Travel Nevada swag to commemorate their journey through Nevada. Visitors can complete check-ins at their own pace, allowing for a personalised exploration. A sampling of the watering holes include:   Genoa Bar & Saloon- In the heart of historic Carson Valley, the oldest settlement in Nevada. Pioneer Saloon—The oldest bar in southern Nevada in historic Goodsprings. Jiggs Bar—About an hour south of Elko, Jiggs has a fascinating and extensive history. Today, all that remains is a good old-fashioned, rough-and-tumble saloon—a place worth checking out. Gold Hill Hotel & Saloon—The Silver State's oldest hotel is just down the road from Virginia City. Founded in 1859, this historic saloon is the perfect place to grab a drink after exploring one of the West's most famous boomtowns. Eureka Owl Club- Any drive along the Loneliest Road in America (Highway 50) requires a stop at the Owl Club. The full-service bar is one of rural Nevada's best haunts. Santa Fe Motel & Saloon- One of Nevada's longest continually operating businesses, visitors can swing a leg over a barstool just as patrons have been doing since 1905 in Goldfield. Odeon Saloon- The Odeon Saloon in Dayton originally opened in 1863 and retains its Wild West charms. Previous saloon visitors include Mark Twain and Marilyn Monroe. To download the Sagebrush Saloon Passport, visit Sagebrush Saloon Passport (travelnevada.com). 

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By Graham McKenzie In the vast expanse of Nevada, U.S. Highway 50 stretches across the Great Basin Desert, earning its moniker as the "Loneliest Road in America." This historic route, part of the original coast-to-coast Lincoln Highway, spans approximately 300 miles within Nevada, offering a unique blend of stark desert landscapes, quirky towns, and captivating attractions. It follows the path of the legendary Pony Express, where brave riders once galloped across the desert to deliver mail. The remnants of this historic route still whisper tales of courage and adventure.  During the Gold Rush era, miners flocked to Nevada in search of riches and the road was a lifeline for prospectors, connecting mining towns and providing a thread of civilization in the rugged wilderness. In 1986, Life magazine famously dubbed Highway 50 as the "Loneliest Road in America." The article claimed there were "no points of interest" along the route, but as I discovered recently an adventurous soul knows better and indeed the vastness of the landscape becomes its allure. I started my journey at Reno Airport and drove more or less straight to Austin. Yes Austin, Nevada not Texas. Like many of the experiences  along this route it was interesting, friendly and verging on time shifting as the town is exactly what I would have expected to see had I ridden there on one of those Pony Express horses and not a modern air conditioned vehicle. I was welcomed as if I was the law enforcing Sherriff the town had been waiting for with tumbleweed following me in. The food, delicious but simple, was also of yesteryear and could have been served from a gourmet chuckwagon. Within the town there are even more reminders of times gone by when Austin was a bustling mining town riding the crest of a precious metal mining wave. In 1863 over 10,000 people lived here but today less than 200 do so. Austin is in effect a living ghost town, an active memorial to the ‘rush’ days of the 19^th century and as such offers a host of interesting insights to life long ago. Explore the Stokes Castle, built by a wealthy mine owner, and bathe in the timeless small-town atmosphere. We camped, I mean stayed, in the much bigger town of Ely whose boom times were much more recent and ate at the appropriately named Mr G’s. Even though some small-scale mining exists the town is now best known as the home of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. A must-see attraction for most but an essential for all ferroequinologists (trainspotters, rail buffs). The museum not only offers an in-depth insight to the history of rail in this region, but you can, if you time it correctly, experience a real-life steam train. I channelled my Casey Jones throughout an hour-long trip which involves riding the outdoor car. Fantastic! From Ely we travelled through the fabulously named Eureka and onto Fallon.  Eureka also has a tale of boom and bust but secret tunnels under the street, town jails below ground and tales of how the Chinese were discriminated against offer a fascinating back drop to early 20^th century life. Fallon on the other hand, in one respect, could not be more up to date as it is the home of the Navy Fighters Weapons School AKA Top Gun. Visitors can easily be identified as they gaze up at the regular fly overs by very fast military aircraft. For locals it’s a ‘whatever’.  Perhaps less known is that Fallon is only 28 miles from Los Alamos, New Mexico which was central to the development of the world’s first atomic bomb and Oppenheimer’s laboratory. My trip on the lonely road was coming to an end but before it did, I visited the Sutro Tunnel. An engineering marvel that began constriction in the 1860’s, it was designed to ease flooding in the various mine shafts surrounding the area. As mining went deeper and deeper the need for drainage grew and although it eventually failed it stands as memorial to unbelievable thinking and hard labour. Down the hill from the tunnel lies Dayton. Yes Dayton, Nevada not Ohio. Built up to house the thousands of workers required for mining and associated industries it now is home to over 15,000 individuals the majority of whom work in retail and catering. Dayton came to fame as the location for Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe’s final film the Misfits and memorabilia of that time can be found in the town museum. In the heart of Nevada, the Loneliest Road has transformed into a place of friendship, discovery, and shared memories. When the term was coined in the 1980’s it was given as a negative. Today many would like the sound of a lonely road with fewer people, open spaces, storytelling, nature, and knowledge gathering with a touch of adventure. As you drive its winding path its worth remembering that sometimes the most remote roads lead to the richest experiences. 

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  Rafael Villanueva, CEO of Travel Nevada, delineates a compelling vision for the state's tourism landscape. With a keen focus on equitable economic distribution, Villanueva underscores the importance of extending tourism beyond the confines of Las Vegas. Through innovative grant programs and community collaboration, he champions the development of rural destinations, aiming for sustainable growth and cultural preservation. Villanueva's strategic initiatives, including Adventure centers and long-term planning, highlight a commitment to environmental stewardship. The unveiling of the catchy new branding, "get a little out there," reflects Nevada's distinctive charm and abundant outdoor offerings. Villanueva's interview not only unveils plans for economic revitalization but also promises a redefined narrative of Nevada as a diverse, welcoming, and environmentally conscious destination.  

For the ultimate ‘rebooter’s retreat’ with the weather to match, go west. The state of Nevada is a wellness hotspot, home to hundreds of natural hot springs, many of which are in a natural pool. Find your oasis in resorts ranging from kid-friendly pools to luxury spa getaways paired with wellness treatments. Top wellness destinations include Carson Hot Springs, Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa (Mark Twain himself coined the "Steamboat" moniker in 1863), and David Walley's Resort. Hot springs are said to hold many health benefits, including improving circulation, mineral absorption, healing skin problems, reducing stress and promoting sleep. Check out these natural Nevada springs, hidden in spectacular canyons and valleys, nestled in forests and all surrounded by epic desert landscapes.   7 hot springs not to be missed  Ruby Valley - Part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, scramble over giant boulders and descend fixed ropes to reach these rewarding hot springs at the bottom of a scenic canyon. Spencer - Cruising the Loneliest Road in America? park for a pit stop at these cowboy tubs with sweeping Big Smoky Valley views. Gold Strike - The 600-feet descent into this spectacularly scenic canyon promises rewarding results after a short but enduring hike to reach the springs. Black Rock - Bone-dry conditions are required to safely drive on the Black Rock Desert playa and reach these rugged and remote hot springs in the Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. Fish Lake Valley - Wild wonders await at this soak an hour east of Tonopah, including views of 13,147-foot Boundary Peak and unbelievable stargazing. Virgin Valley Warm Springs - Situated next to a campground in the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, look out for pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mule deer and more. Soldier Meadows - Home to both public hot springs and ones on private land that require permission to access, look out for bathing pools, campgrounds, and designated campsites to make sure soaking (and overnighting) is in the right place.   Be safe in the springs  Not all natural hot springs are safe for soaking and travellers are encouraged to check the Nevada Bureau of Land Management regularly for updates. Furthermore, the water temperature in double hot springs is 185+ degrees Fahrenheit and too hot for people and pets, which is why the spring is fenced off with warning signs. travelnevada.com/hot-springs/natural-hot-springs/ 

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Travel Nevada has unveiled a new brand campaign with the slogan 'GET A LITTLE OUT THERE'. The new campaign aims to change the perceptions surrounding the state, to show there is much more to the state than Las Vegas and Reno. It highlights key attractions that resonate with the wild-at-heart. The campaign incorporates attractions for all types of travellers to enjoy, from outdoor adventures and outdoor art exhibitions to road trips and rock climbing. Nicole Orsua, Chief Industry Development Officer at Travel Nevada said, "It inspires travellers to explore Nevada's wild side, from the state and national parks, and historic ghost towns, to embarking on one our epic 10 road trips”. Nevada offers visitors a rich history and diverse culture. 'The Silver State' is also home to a variety of natural wonders including the Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Tahoe and Great Basin National Park, as well as quirky ghost towns. This year welcomes a new route from Manchester to Las Vegas with Virgin Atlantic, and celebrates the 160th anniversary of the state. Visit travelnevada.com for more information. 

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  Nicknamed ‘Reboot Retreaters’ by Booking.com, this year's wellness travel trend looks at destinations and accommodations that offer a holistic approach to well-being and rejuvenation. The report statistics reveal a significant increase in bookings for wellness retreats, spa resorts and nature-centric accommodations, with a staggering 30% year-over-year growth.   The state of Nevada is home to hundreds of natural hot springs, many of which are in a natural pool, old bathtub, or, in classic Nevada style, a “cowboy tub” - a reimagined, upcycled cattle trough with water flowing or piped into it from a nearby source. There are resorts too, ranging from kid-friendly pools to luxury spa getaways paired with wellness treatments, hot spots include Carson Hot Springs, Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa (Mark Twain himself coined the “Steamboat” moniker in 1863!), and David Walley’s Resort.   As well as being completely relaxing, hot springs are said to hold many health benefits, including improving circulation, mineral absorption, healing skin problems, reducing stress and promoting sleep - another big travel trend for 2024.   7 hot springs not to be missed:   

• Ruby Valley - Part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, scramble over giant boulders and descend fixed ropes to reach these rewarding hot springs at the bottom of a scenic canyon.
• Spencer - Cruising the Loneliest Road in America? park for a pit stop at these cowboy tubs with sweeping Big Smoky Valley views.
• Gold Strike - The 600-foot descent into this spectacularly scenic canyon promises rewarding results after a short but enduring hike to reach the springs.
• Black Rock - Bone-dry conditions are required to safely drive on the Black Rock Desert playa and reach these rugged and remote hot springs in the Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area.
• Fish Lake Valley - Wild wonders await at this soak an hour east of Tonopah, including views of 13,147-foot Boundary Peak and unbelievable stargazing.
• Virgin Valley Warm Springs - Situated next to a campground in the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, look out for pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and more.
• Soldier Meadows - Home to both public hot springs and ones on private land that require permission to access, look out for bathing pools, campgrounds, and designated campsites to make sure soaking (and overnighting) is in the right place.

  Safety in the springs    Not all natural hot springs are safe for soaking and travellers are encouraged to check the Nevada Bureau of Land Management regularly for updates. Furthermore, the water temperature in double hot springs is 185+ degrees Fahrenheit and too hot for people and pets, which is why the spring is fenced off with warning signs.   #NVHotSprings   For more information visit -  travelnevada.com/hot-springs/natural-hot-springs/