This vast western state is characterised by great expanses of desert and by the glitzy 24 hour casinos and extravagant entertainment for which its largest city, Las Vegas, is famed.

While Sin City certainly attracts much of the tourist attention, travellers who explore beyond the bright lights and luxury resorts of Vegas will discover striking desert beauty and a taste of the Wild West, particularly in Great Basin National Park, where high desert meets exquisite alpine forest.

Nevada is a great place to explore true Western cowboy towns like Elko, charming Victorian mining towns like Virginia City and even ghost towns at Ely.

Straddling the California/Nevada state line is the Sierra Nevada resort region of Lake Tahoe and Reno, which makes an idyllic destination for nature lovers, boaters and those looking for similar action to Las Vegas in a more relaxed, laidback setting.