The state of Nevada has numerous small towns and big cities besides Las Vegas, yet Las Vegas is one of the only places that people consider to go when they think about visiting this state. While Las Vegas is amazing, there are at least ten small towns that everyone should consider visiting when they are in the “Silver State” of Nevada. Here are the 10 most beautiful small towns in Nevada:
Silver was discovered in Virginia City in 1859 and the small town rapidly grew after that until the silver ran low in the mines. Anyone who walks the Comstock Walking Trail is able to see the Pioneer Cemetery with Julia Bulette’s grave, the Combination Mine Shaft, and Sugarloaf Mountain. There are numerous museums and other attractions in this town, which is not surprising since the entire town was placed on the National Historic Landmark registry in 1961.
Ely was first used as a stagecoach station for the Pony Express, but the popularity of the town grew even more in 1906 when copper was discovered there. At the Nevada Northern Railroad Museum, visitors can ride the Ghost Train of Old Ely along the tracks from Ely to Robinson mining district. Nature lovers will want to visit all of the state parks that are nearby Ely including Cave Lake National Park, Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, and the Great Basin National Park.
Many people enjoy wandering around old buildings and streets from decades ago and Austin is the perfect place to do this, because it is a real living ghost town. The three-story stone Stokes Castle is a popular tourist destination, because it was built just after the town stopped thriving in 1897. The castle was only lived in for one month and then was left vacant for all to see as it began to crumble. Visitors will also want to go to the Gridley Store, Austin Cemetery, and the Austin Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall.
The historic town of Genoa can be found just East of the amazing Lake Tahoe and the beauty of the area keeps bringing people back. Since 1919, the town has held a Candy Dance Art and Crafts Fair to sell the homemade candy that many of the residents make. Artisans from the entire West Coast travel to Genoa to sell their artistic creations during this time. A few more memorable attractions in Genoa are the Mormon Station National Park Museum, the Genoa Cemetery, and the Hanging Tree. The Hanging Tree is where Adam Uber was hung after he was accused of murdering teamster, Hans Anderson.
The Little A’Le’Inn restaurant and bar caters to all of the UFO enthusiasts who travel to Rachel in hopes of spotting a UFO or two. The town is off of Nevada Highway 375, which is also known as the Extraterrestrial Highway. The town was founded in 1973 and named after the first baby that was born in the valley. The local cemetery and a memorial park were created in honor of baby Rachel who died in 1980. The town of Rachel has either been mentioned or shown in television shows, movies, and even a game.
Lovelock is the place to go for festivals and they happen all throughout the year. A few of the popular ones are the Portuguese Festival, Frontier Days, Lovelock Street Fever Car Show, and hot air balloon races called Lovers Aloft. Couples can pretend that they are in Paris when they visit Lovelock, because they can attach a lock to an endless chair to symbolize their love. This endless chain is in Lovers Lock Plaza behind the Court House.
The Mizpah Hotel was the tallest building in all of Nevada until 1929. The building is five stories tall and was named after the Mizpah Mine. Guests of this famous hotel have stated that they have seen the ghost of the “Lady in Red” during their stay. There are many legends about who the “Lady in Red” was and how she met her untimely death inside the hotel. The hotel closed for a while in 1999, but it reopened in 2011, so that people can once again try to see the ghost for themselves.
This town was named after the hot springs that are located nearby. The old train depot that was built in 1923 is now used as a local museum, library, and offices for city and county workers. There is an abundant number of things to do over in Kershaw-Ryan State Park including hiking, volleyball, horseshoes, swimming, camping, and picnicking.
For such a small town, there is plenty to do in Eureka. Every visitor will want to venture over to the Eureka Opera House which was built in 1880 before continuing on their way to Raine’s Market and Wildlife Museum, the Jackson House Hotel, and the Eureka Sentinel Museum. The museum is located inside the old Eureka Sentinel Newspaper building that was built in 1879. The biggest day of the year in Eureka is the fourth of July. The streets are closed off so that multiple events can take place all at once after the parade travels through the town. At the end of the celebration, there is a huge firework display.
Gliding is a sport that is becoming more well-known and Minden is one of the best spots in the United States to go gliding. There have been many people who have glided for miles after leaving this town. The town magnificent scenery has been used as a backdrop for many movies including Chicken Every Sunday and The Wizard.
