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Gambling, festivals, entertainment, Area 51Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌýUFOs, and Sin City itself, Las Vegas, are some of the º£½ÇÉçÇø-known highlights of Nevada. Most tourists risk it all in Las Vegas' casinos. But why not take a chance to go beyond the faux oasis of Las Vegas and sample the best small towns in the Silver State this year? Quaint places like Genoa, Lovelock, and Tonopah are a far cry from the messy debauchery of Las Vegas. The rural side of Nevada, especially with mountainous regions and epic desert valleys, will enchant you more than the neon glares of the big cities. What happens in Nevada need not stay in Nevada, especially the memories of some of the best trips you can have in the Silver State's best towns in 2024!

Genoa

The seasonal town of Genoa was the first settlement of the Nevada Territory since 1851. Approximately 42 miles south of Reno, Genoa is situated within the Carson River Valley and at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada Range. Visitors can trek through the Eagle Ridge Trailhead and up to Genoa Peak for sublime sights of two iconic sanctuaries. Or you can travel about 25 minutes east to water-gleaming Lake Tahoe. The town promotes the Mormon Station State Historic Park, commemorating the settlement of the first permanent trading post by MormonsÌý´Ú°ù´Ç³¾ÌýSalt Lake City. The biggest annual event Genoa celebrates is the Genoa Candy Dance, a dinner and dance, arts and crafts fair since 1919 taking place on September 28 and 29. For lodgings, the White House and the Holiday Inn Club Vacations David Walley's Resort will provide good accommodations for your stay. 

Lovelock

Be prepared to fall in love as you lock your eyes on Lovelock. Also known as the "Banana Belt," Lovelock is centrally located on Interstate 80, what is famously referred to as Cowboy Corridor, due to the route's cultural and historical Western influences. The Northern Paiute people once roamed this mountain-lined corridor, and these days, the nearby Lovelock Cave is deemed a sacred place. Indeed, guano miners inadvertently uncovered thousands of artifacts inside the cave that were dated between 2000 B.C. and 1000 A.D. The most significant of these artifacts were the eleven pristine Tule Duck Decoys, the oldest of their kind on Earth. Many of these artifacts can now be seen at the Marzen House Museum, where one can also learn about Lovelock's heritage as a transcontinental railroad depot. Do stay a while at the Cadillac Inn or the Royal Inn.

Incline Village

Lounged on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, the lush and vibrant Incline Village is a perfect retreat from the neon-piercing chaos of Las Vegas. During the hot summer, theater lovers flock to Sand Habor to witness the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. Thrill-seekers and bikers traverse the mountainous Flume trail or the myriad of trails snaking through mountains. February is a special month to visit Incline Village since the townsfolk host the popular Ullr Fest to honor the Norse God of Snow. Speaking of wintertime, snow sliders can go trooping up to the Diamond Peak Ski Area and Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. Do not worry about accommodations because the Incline Lodge and Northlakes Lodges & Villas are sure to entreat you.

Virginia City

Virginia City, about 28 miles from Genoa, is one of the reasons why there are so many millionaires today. Beneath the Virginia Range and Mount Davidson, miles of mines were dug to extract gold and silver in the Comstock Lode. Virginia City contributed to the prosperity of tycoon magnates like John Mackay, and the town's Victorian buildings preserve the 19th-century mining boom of the "Big Bonanza" of 1873.

Among these historic structures are the haunted Washoe Club and Piper's Opera House, where you can listen to rowdy and lively music about the town's mining days. Quarry artifacts and maps of the region are proudly featured at the Way It Was Museum. Additionally, the Fourth Ward School Museum has a recreational classroom depicting life in 1876. At Chollar and Ponderosa mines, the Comstock Gold Mill, and Marshall Mint, visitors can learn more about Virginia City's mining legacy. Like the miners of old, slump yourself on a cozy bed at Virginia City Inn, Comstock Lodge, or Gold Hill Hotel.

Tonopah

Experience the arid and rugged landscape of central Nevada in Tonopah. Nicknamed the "Queen of the Silver Camps" for its silver mining heritage, Tonopah nowadays is most famous for the jewels in the night sky rather than the treasures beneath the Earth. On a clear, cloudless night, visitors can gaze up at the Milky Way galaxy. If you are a down-to-earth person, then you might be interested in sightseeing the Mining Park, where remnants of Tonopah's past can be admired. You can also celebrate the town's founding during the Jim Butler Days from May 19 – 27. Aside from minerals, the nearby area called Goldfield is home to the unusual "International Car Forest," where wreckages of vandalized cars stand upright in the desert. Stay a while in the fabulous Mizpah Hotel, Belvada Hotel, and Clown Motel.

Ely

Situated at Nevada's eastern edge of Highway 50, the "Loneliest Road in America," Ely served as a perfect waystation and a minor mining town similar to Tonopah and Virginia City. In the 1870s, Ely was founded as a stagecoach terminus and trading post called Murray Station. In the nearby Great Basin National Park, travelers can descend to Lehman Cave to be awed by a series of limestone and marble chambers. One can ascend the snowy Wheeler Peak, the second-tallest mountain in Nevada at 13,000 feet. In the town itself, dozens of murals and sculptures represent the town's history, from its stagecoach and mining days to the incorporation of the Nevada Northern Railway in 1906. Visitors can even ride a classic, diesel-engine locomotive through the sinuous Egan Range. Remember to book a room at the Copper Queen Ramada Inn or the Prospector Hotel Casino.

Austin

Most of Nevada is a starkly empty desert, especially on the Loneliest Road of America. Blessedly, the soothing town of Austin is an oasis on the slopes of the Toiyabe Range. The nearby Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is home to a plethora of camping grounds, hiking trails, and scenic routes for visitors to relax from the hot Nevada sun. You can brave the climb up Mount Prometheus for uncontested views of the Kingston Canyon and Big Smoky Valley. Or you can explore the Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area and Toquima Cave, where 10,000-year-old rock carvings can be admired. The foreboding Stokes Castle, overlooking the sweeping Reese River Valley, represents Austin's mining and railroad legacy. Do consider staying a while at the Cozy Mountain Motel.

Caliente

Caliente functions as a pleasant rest stop on the way into or out of Las Vegas, which is about two hours and sixteen minutes away. But aside from serving as a waystation, Caliente (from the Spanish word "hot") boasts many hot attractions for visitors to lounge and explore. Travelers can tour the historic Caliente Railroad Depot to study the town's significance as a railway junction. Caliente is chiefly renowned for the three state parks nearby. The oasis-like atmosphere of Kershaw-Ryan State Park offers a tranquil respite from the Nevada desert. The majestic Rainbow Canyon gives breathtaking sceneries of a hot landscape. The Beaver Dam State Park and the Cathedral Gorge State Park are excellent areas for journeying. If you need to escape the heat of the day or the cool of the night, find good accommodations at Patty's Motel or Rainbow Canyon Motel. 

As thrilling as it might be to see the Burning Man Festival, brave the desert in search of signs of extraterrestrial life, or maybe spend your hours lost in casinos, the best small towns of Nevada are charming and placid sites for people who want to escape the hassle. History enthusiasts will rejoice in the many mining villages that contributed to the United States' wealth and prosperity. Adventurers will be dazzled by the unchanging fierceness of Nevada's state parks. But most of all, everyone will agree that they need to take a break from the Las Vegas cityscape by relaxing in Nevada's best small towns. What happens in Nevada depends entirely on where you want to travel.