Much of Nevada looks just as it did when the pioneers travelled west more than a century ago. The only addition to the mostly unchanged landscape is the trails that crisscross the topography and offer countless opportunities to get out and explore the region.

On the northwest side of Nevada, find a world of activities and adventures. Reno-Tahoe Territory offers plenty of natural areas for outdoor recreation, historic sites for trips into the past, and an abundance of special events. You can shop to your heart’s content at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace or the Fashion Show Mall, splurge on exquisite gourmet meals, indulge in decadent spa treatments at Wynn Las Vegas, Bellagio or any other resort and party until sunrise at some of the hottest clubs in the world. But Las Vegas has way more to offer than just what lies on The Strip’s playground. Just minutes from the mega-resorts, the Springs Preserve is essentially a living museum. Exhibits focus on everything from Las Vegas history to desert wildlife to the dynamics of a flash flood. You’ll want to set aside an entire day to take it all in. With your newfound desert know-how you can venture into Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area or Valley of Fire State Park, each with spectacular rock formations and miles upon miles of trails to explore. Red Rock is also considered a rock-climbing Mecca for its hundreds of high-quality climbs on nearly perfect sandstone.

If the only thing keeping you from making that Las Vegas sojourn is the perceived lack of ski slopes, think again. Mount Charleston, less than an hour north of the city, offers skiing and snowboarding in winter months. Hiking and camping in the alpine forests of the Spring Mountains is a great way to beat the summer heat from the valley below.

The Las Vegas Territory is comprised of Boulder City, Henderson, Lake Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Mesquite, Moapa Valley, North Las Vegas, Primm, and Searchlight.

Strap on your hat and pull on your boots for a visit to northern Nevada’s Cowboy Country, where jeans are the fashion norm and nobody stands on ceremony. In this region, Old West hospitality is the rule. When you’re in Elko, stop by the Western Folklife Center, the host of the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2014. Basque culture also plays an important role here. The hearty Basque cuisine – steak, beans, salad, fries and rich red wine – is served family-style at several Elko restaurants.

You won’t find much traffic as you drive over the mountain passes and across the sagebrush-covered valleys of Nevada’s north central region. In fact, U.S. 50 from Fernley to Ely is known as “The Loneliest Road in America,” so designated by Life Magazine more than 20 years ago.

A holiday to Nevada really does offer something for everyone.