A Cowboy Calling
Further east, the town of Elko remains a leading gold-producing mining area. But Elko is also a large ranching community, and its cowboy credentials have earned it a lot of attention.
People from far and wide travel to Elko to attend the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, an event hosted by the Western Folklife Center.
“We have some world-renowned poets that come to the gathering,” said Tom Lester, tourism and convention manager for the Elko Convention and Visitors Association. “We were the original poetry gathering, and we do a lot of shows and music throughout the event.”
Groups that visit during the January celebration can catch plenty of great performances, as well as browse special exhibitions of cowboy memorabilia and Western wear. And exhibits at the Western Folk Life Center give insight into the history and lifestyles of Nevada cowboys, no matter what time of year people visit.
The cowboy culture isn’t the only one on display in Elko, however. The area has a significant Basque heritage, which it showcases during he first weekend in July.
“A lot of Basque sheepherders came over here from Spain,” Lester said. “We have a huge Basque Festival in July. There is a large parade and a lot of different competitions. They have dancing competitions, wood chopping and weightlifting games.”
At the California Trail Interpretive Center, exhibits and interpreters teach guests about the pioneers who traveled through the Elko area on their way to settle in California. The $20 million museum opened two years ago.
“It walks you through the whole wagon-train journey from the Midwest to Gold Country in California,” Lester said “They do a lot of talks in period costumes, and they have a Donner Party theater there that talks about the Donner Party and their struggles.”
Riverfront Revelry
At the southern tip of Nevada, the town of Laughlin sits on the banks of the scenic Colorado River.
“The Colorado River is the key feature of Laughlin,” said Meg McDaniel, spokeswoman for the Southern Nevada Regional Office of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “People enjoy it, whether they’re on the river itself or viewing it from their hotel room, a restaurant or even in some of our gaming venues. We consider it Laughlin’s Main Street.”
Laughlin has nine large casino resorts, eight that sit on the riverbank. A river walk connects seven of those properties, and water taxis provide transportation up and down the riverfront district.
McDaniel said groups often explore the area on one of two riverboats — the Celebration and the USS Riverside — that offer sightseeing cruises.
“They offer narration and history about how Laughlin came to be and the history of the area,” McDaniel said. “It’s really enjoyable and very relaxing.”
The Celebration also operates dinner cruises and is available for chartered cocktail cruises.
For a more fast-paced experience, groups can book a ride on the London Bridge Jet Boats. These flat-bottom boats take passengers to see the London Bridge at Lake Havasu in Arizona via the Colorado River, reaching speeds of more than 40 miles per hour.
“They go through some very scenic canyons,” McDaniel said. “They stop and point out petroglyphs along the way, and they love to stop and point out wildlife. You can see some bighorn sheep, some wild burros or maybe a bald eagle.”
