Across the USA // Nevada and California
Top: Moyan Brenn // Bottom: The Tahoe Guy
Every Friday in 2013, the Let’s Fly Away Across the USA series will feature a different state, documenting the things we love about each sate and what you should do or see when you visit.
Top left: Alan Stark // Top right: Ryan Holst // Bottom left: Patrick Rudolph
For Nevada, Amber says
Hello, I’m Amber Housley, and the home for my creative studio and lifestyle blog is at www.amberhousley.com. My husband and I moved to Nashville, Tennessee seven years ago from Las Vegas. I went to high school in Las Vegas, headed north to the University of Nevada in Reno for college (I have to mention that you can actually earn college credit for snowboarding there!) and then returned home to Las Vegas for a couple years before I met my husband. We’ve been lucky to travel back often to visit family and friends over the years but the below must-sees are some of the things I miss most about our everyday life there.
Amber loves
I love Nevada because there is so much more under the surface level of what the average tourist sees. Most people relate Nevada to gambling and casinos but there are so many beautiful outdoor activities to be explored and experience.
Amber recommends
When most people think of Nevada, they think of the cities of Las Vegas or Reno/Lake Tahoe. So rather than giving you those as must-sees, here are some gems that you can find within them:
1. Fountains at Bellagio. These fountains are really as magical as they appear in movies! At night, they gracefully dance to the music of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and are the epitome of Las Vegas. We love to watch them after a good meal and show — Stack at Mirage is great and Cirque du Soleil’s “O” is our favorite!
2. Tubing the Truckee River in Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe itself is a sight to behold but after you have taken in enough views of the blue water, head over to head of the Truckee River to experience some fun and more great views in the Tahoe National Forest. There are a variety of tubing companies that will rent rafts and paddles to you, but in college we liked to do it the old fashioned way with a couple of tire tubes sold at any of the nearest gas stations that we would tie together with some rope for one long chain of rafts.
3. Black Canyon below Hoover Dam. Sure you could see Hoover Dam from above, but it’s a whole other amazing view from down below looking up! The canyon that is below Hoover Dam features awe-inspiring cliffs of beautiful multi-colored rocks as well as sandy beaches and crystal clear water coves. One side of the very narrow canyon is Arizona and the other side is Nevada. The Colorado River water below the dam is very chilly (it’s coming from the bottom of Lake Mead literally), so the best times to visit are summer if you’re planning to swim!
For bonus points
September and early October are my favorite months in Nevada. In the south part of the state it is warm enough to swim, but the hottest summer heat is over. You can also find some of the best deals and rates at the hotel resorts that time of year. In the north near Reno, you’ll have even cooler temperatures and start to see some of the leaves change. Perfect for outdoor activities!
You should know that Las Vegas and Reno/Tahoe are a good distance and almost a world apart from each other. With a 7 hour drive (or easy 1 hour flight) between them, they have different climates and lifestyles to experience. Both worth visiting for their own special qualities!
Top left: Antonio Garcia // Top right: Sarah Ackerman // Bottom left: tensaibuta
For California, Thea says
My name is Thea, an although this year marks a decade since I moved to New York City, I was always be a California girl at heart. My blog is called Design Quixotic, and I currently reside in Greenpoint Brooklyn and am a web designer.
Thea loves
The most unique and special thing about California to me is how close really diverse landscapes are to one another. The beaches, forests, mountains, and deserts are all in such close proximity to each other, you can really develop a really close connection to nature (the amazing year round weather also helps the enjoyment of that
Thea recommends
It’s so hard to narrow it down to three! Since I mentioned the amazing and diverse landscapes of CA — let’s go with that theme!
1. Muir Woods in Northern California. Located right outside of San Francisco, this is the most amazing forest I’ve ever been to. There’s something just magical about it.
2. Wine Country out in Napa Valley. A must-see — not only for the wineries, but the art and culinary scene is fantastic as well. Many wineries have art galleries (art and wine = a perfect pairing in my book!).
3. The beaches in southern California. Especially Malibu!
For bonus points
If you make it to Napa Valley, stay at the Carneros Inn — which are little cottages in the middle of a winery. A must-visit is the Hess Winery, which also has an gallery with museum quality art.
If you make it down to the beaches of Malibu, you should also check out the LA County Museum, my favorite museum in California!
