Distance and Time Chart
1 day. (A→B) Las Vegas → Caliente, 105miles (170km) – 2.30 hours
2 day. (B→C) Caliente → Ely, 115 miles (184km) – 2.45 hours
3 day. (C→D) Ely→ Wells, 129 miles (208 km) – 3 hours
4 day. (D→E→F→G) Wells → Elko → Carlin → Battle Mountain, 109 miles(175 km) – 2.30 hours
(G→H) Battle Mountain →Winnemucca, 47 miles (76km) – 1 hour
5 day. (H→I) Winnemucca →Lovelock, 67 miles (108 km) – 1.30 hour
(I→J) Lovelock → Fallon, 51 miles (82 km) – 1.10hour
(J→K) Fallon → Reno, 56 miles (90 km) – 1.20 hour
6 day. (K→L) Reno → Carson City, 26 miles (41km) – 40 min
(L→M) Carson City → Gardnerville, 16 miles (26km) – 20 min
(M→N) Gardnerville → Hawthorne, 66miles (107km) – 1.30hours
(N→O) Hawthorne → Tonopah, 82miles (132 km) – 2 hours
7 day. (O→P) Tonopah → Las Vegas, 174 miles (281 km) – 4 hours
Average speed – 70 km per hour
300 km per day
Total – 1500 km
Trip Outline Table
Overnight stays at the hotels
The best way to enjoy all places of interest of the most captivating American state, Nevada is travelling by car. You need seven days to make a detour round main cities and places of interest, starting and finishing your tour with the largest city of Nevada, Las Vegas. Summer is the best season for travelling around Nevada, as far as this state abounds with natural parks (Nevada Tours and Sightseeing Activities).
Your first destination is Caliente which is situated near the most beautiful Kershaw-Ryan State Park located three miles south from this city. Do not neglect such a great opportunity to relax in this Park after a long trip by car enjoying the beautiful view of nature. There are volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, a playground and a small natural swimming pool. If you travel in the summer, do not forget your swim suit. It takes near 2.30 hours to reach this city by car with the average speed 70 km per hour. Do not forget to visit the Cathedral Gorge State Park with its picturesque cliffs and canyons. The Echo Canyon State Park is also a great opportunity to have a snack and relax (Escape to Incredible Nevada). The best way to enjoy Caliente is travelling on foot. You may leave your car at the hotel where you have to spend the following night after a long tour on foot along picturesque parks of Caliente. As a variant, you may stay at the Midway Motel which is comfortable and not too expensive.
Your second day of travelling brings you to Ely which is famous with its White Pine County, the home of Great Basin National Park. There is a famous Nevada Northern Railway Museum. This American state abounds with national parks: the Great Basin National Park, the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, the state parks of Lincoln County and others (Sightseeing and Tours in Nevada). You may easily reach the Clock of the Long Now on Mount Washington from Ely. After the whole day of walking and near 3 hour driving, you may have a rest at the Main Motel of Ely.
The third day of your trip is more intensive. Such cities as Elko, Carlin and Battle Mountain which are located not far from each other capture you with fascinating places of interest. Elko is famous for its Elko County and the Humboldt River which amazes with its beauty. Elko is the place of the National Basque Festival which is organized in July. The festival attracts a lot of tourists from around the whole world. The program includes a running of the bulls, Basque Dancing, traditional food and wine and strongman competitions. The annual Elko Motorcycle Jamboree is also held in the summer months (Nevada Tours and Sightseeing Activities). Carlin is famous for its Carlin Trend, which is the most famous gold mining area in the USA. The Carlin Canyon Historical Wayside is a great opportunity to enjoy the picturesque scenes travelling by car. Battle Mountain is the home of the Mill Creek Recreation Area and the Copper Basin Mountain Bike Trail. A 1 hour trip from Battle Mountain to Winnemucca allows you to visit the most famous Humboldt museum. The Bloody Shins Trails are good for walking on foot, but do not forget to take plenty of water with you. The Winnemucca Event Center and Fairgrounds are a good opportunity to observe horse races (Nevada-Sightseeing). After such a long day, you may stay at the Holiday Motel Winnemucca.
The fourth day does not disappoint you. Such cities as Lovelock, Fallon and Reno leave an unforgettable impression on you. Lovelock is the place of annual summer hot air balloons races and the Lovelock Street Fever Car Show. Do not forget to visit the Marzen House Museum. The Churchill County Museum in Fallon also is worth visiting. Reno is famous for its casino and it is the home of the gaming corporation Harrah’s Entertainment. The National Automobile museum presents the history of development of this popular means of transport. Nevada Shakespeare Company is famous for its captivating performances (Nevada-Sightseeing). After visiting all places of interest of Reno you may stay at the Sands Regency Hotel and Casino where you may have fun all night long.
During your fifth day of travelling you visit such cities as Carson City, Gardnerville, Hawthorne and Tonopah. Carson City which is the capital of the state of Nevada is full of places of interest. The Nevada State Capitol, the Nevada State Museum, the Nevada State Railroad Museum, the Foreman-Roberts House Museum, the Sears-Ferris House are located in Carson City (Carson City Tourism). Hawthorne is the location of the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum, the Mineral County Museum and the Walker Lake. A good place for an overnight stay is the Jim Butler Inn and Suites in Tonopah.
Your last day of travelling is devoted to the most outstanding city of Nevada, Los Vegas (Las Vegas). A whole week is not enough to observe all places of interest of this city. Your last day in Las Vegas leaves an unforgettable impression of the whole trip. This city is considered to be the Entertainment capital of the world. The major attractions are hotels and casinos. The city is the home for many museums: the Neon Museum, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the Las Vegas Museum of Organised Crime and Law Enforcement. The annual festival Helldorado Days consisting of a parade, a rodeo and a carnival attracts tourists from around the whole world.
These seven days of travelling along Nevada allow you to enjoy beautiful nature scenes, have fun at casinos and hotels, broaden your knowledge in different areas, and take part in different festivals and competitions. It is quite convenient to travel by car. Generally, you spend 3 hours per day upon the road. All the necessary costs should be taken into account. Do not forget about petrol, which costs near 4 dollar per liter. One night at the hotel on the average costs 49 dollars. If you are going to visit all museums, tickets cost from 5 to 20 dollars. Planning your trip, you should make all calculations. It depends on the quantity of travelers and the make of your car. Tickets for festivals should be bought beforehand. The hotels should be also reserved beforehand. Have a nice trip!
References
Carson City Tourism (2011). Planet Ware. Web.
Escape to Incredible Nevada (2011). Nevada. Web.
Las Vegas: Places of Interest (2011). DK. Web.
Nevada Tours and Sightseeing Activities (2011). Nevada Tours. Web.
Nevada-Sightseeing: Attractions, Scenic Drives, Tours (2011). Go-Nevada. Web.
Sightseeing and Tours in Nevada (2011). GOBY. Web.