All United States Nevada

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Nevada

247 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Nevada

Updated July 12, 2024

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Alamo
  2. Austin
  3. Baker
  4. Beatty
  5. Boulder City
  6. Bunkerville
  7. Carson City
  8. Clark County
  9. Dayton
  10. Elko
  11. Fallon
  12. Gerlach
  13. Goldfield
  14. Henderson
  15. Hiko
  16. Incline Village
  17. Las Vegas
  18. Nelson
  19. Nixon
  20. Nye
  21. Nye County
  22. Panaca
  23. Reno
  24. Searchlight
  25. Sparks
  26. Tonopah
  27. Virginia City
  28. Wells
  29. White Pine County
  30. Winnemucca

Unusual Attractions in Nevada

See All 247 Things To Do in Nevada

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Nevada

See all 10 Places to Eat in Nevada
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

9 Places Near Las Vegas For a Different Kind of Tailgate

Sponsored by Travel Nevada

While Las Vegas is known for its glitzy neon signs, buzzing clubs and nightlife, and over-the-top casinos, the region itself is also home to some wondrous bars and eateries that lie well beyond the crowded Strip. This Super Bowl season, it’s time to engage in a new type of tailgate. From a stripmall world of tiki to a downhome diner where daily specials are part of the allure, here are 9 places that offer a culinary escape from the bright lights of Nevada’s most iconic city.

View Itinerary

Explore Nevada

Geology 33
Travelnevada 30
Nature 20
Mines 20
Ghost Towns 18
Museums 17
Water 16
Natural Wonders 15

Nevada Leaderboard

Recent Nevada Activity

Stories About Nevada

You don't have to be an ultra-athlete to recreate this gold rush history.

Follow the Footsteps of an Incredible Mailman From the Gold Rush Era

Hikers recreate Snowshoe Thompson's 100-mile route through the mountains by walking, running, and even skiing.
by Erika Mailman
Nevada’s Basque community began with sheepherders, who settled here in the late 19th century.

Searching for Nevada’s Most Off-Beat Places and People

You haven’t really explored the Silver State until you’ve gone off the Las Vegas Strip.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada

Podcast: Nevada Week: The Martin

Feast like a sheepherder at a Basque boarding house turned restaurant.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada

Podcast: Nevada Week: Molossia

An 11-acre micronation in the Nevada desert with its own rules and regulations.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada
A postcard from 1945 illustrates numerous delights to be found in a mid-century Nevada, but offers no advice on pronunciation.

Why Do Nevadans Pronounce Their State's Name So Strangely?

How you say it certainly says something about who you are.
by Dan Nosowitz
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

The Atlas Obscura Crossword: Area 51

by AO Puzzles

Area 51, Aliens, and the Truth (It's Out There)

A national security historian explains what's really going on at the infamous Nevada site.
by Christopher Nichols
Nevada State Route 375 was officially designated as the Extraterrestial Highway in a nod to rumors of otherworldly activity, but the desert road offers plenty of more grounded attractions.

Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway Is Full of Earthly Wonders, Too

Explore a catastrophic space rock strike, unique flora and fauna, and millennia-old rock art on this famous stretch of desert road.
by Matthew Malinowski

Lists Featuring Nevada

Courtyard monument.
Flamingos on Flamingo Island
The High Roller

The 11 Most Unusual Places to Visit Near the Las Vegas Strip

11

Including Bugsy Siegel Monument , Flamingo Habitat, and High Roller

The Mizpah Hotel
Goldfield Hotel main entrance on Columbia Street in 1976
The old part of the Gold Hill Hotel, seen from the street.

The Spirited Histories of Nevada’s Most Haunted Hotels

Sponsored by Travel Nevada
4

Including Clown Motel, The Mizpah Hotel, and Goldfield Hotel

Tonopah Mining Park.
Digging for tailings
Techatticup Mine.
Diana's Punch Bowl. Note vehicle for scale.

10 Places to Experience Nevada’s Extraordinary Geological Gems

Sponsored by Travel Nevada
10

Including Tonopah Mining Park, Royal Peacock Black Fire Opal Mine, and Techatticup Mine

Pioneer Saloon
The exterior of the saloon.
The bar at the Red Dog.
View down Main Street in Midas

Sagebrush Saloons: The Ultimate Guide to Nevada’s Most Storied Watering Holes

Sponsored by Travel Nevada
6

Including Pioneer Saloon, Santa Fe Saloon, and Red Dog Saloon

Winter Solstice 2019
The Spiral Jetty
City: under construction - http://raisethestakeseditions.com/basin-and-range/
Double Negative's north trench

A Tour of Spectacular 1970s Art Made From the Landscape Itself

Eight places to witness the incredible ambition of the Southwest land art movement.

8

Including Sun Tunnels, The Spiral Jetty, and Complex City

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