| My wife enjoys the great outdoors, but she can only | | | | wealth of things to do, and places to go. The Mojave, |
| put up with the sand and dirt for a few days. After | | | | the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts come |
| roughing it (in the RV:), she needs a nice hotel and a | | | | together in this area and this coming together is like |
| little luxury. So when she's had enough and, after many | | | | where the day meets night or the desert meets the |
| great desert adventures, we have used Las Vegas | | | | forest. This edge of things is what makes for great |
| as a resting and cleanup spot. Within an hours travel | | | | beauty and great photography. |
| from Las Vegas there are many places to go fishing, | | | | There are all kinds of great tours for everyone. They |
| boating, camping, flying, and western horseback riding. | | | | have a variety of Helicopter, Plane and Bus tours to |
| The desert is also a photographer's dream that | | | | the Grand Canyon and to rafting adventures on the |
| changes shapes and colors with each area and the | | | | Colorado River. There is a tour by luxury van and |
| time of day. Sometimes after a little rest, we return to | | | | even a tour of the Grand Canyon in a Hummer. There |
| the desert for another adventure. | | | | is the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour and the Ranch |
| If you are from back east or another country, you | | | | adventure Helicopter Tour that lands at a working |
| should know that even though the desert is beautiful it | | | | ranch in the canyon and they serve you a great lunch |
| is still a desert and you need to know where you are | | | | there. |
| going by using a good map and have plenty of water | | | | Horseback riding in cowboy country can include lunch |
| and make sure your rental car has a spare and is full | | | | on the trail or a BBQ at the end. The tour people will |
| of gas. Get a good GPS device and practice with it. | | | | even drive you there and pick the perfect horse for |
| We have used ours to find things we saw on a map. | | | | you, no experience necessary. There is nothing like a |
| My wife always arranged for discount flights and hotel | | | | dinner over an open campfire. After writing this, I must |
| reservations ahead of time. One time we arrived from | | | | go back because it is just too much fun. Be sure to |
| the river all dirty and starving so, we headed straight | | | | look at the gift packs in your hotel room for discounts |
| for the buffet line. They were nice to us and did not | | | | and travel guides. |
| seem to notice how messy we were. | | | | If you have the time and do not mind the drive then all |
| Only an hour or so away is the Valley of Fire State | | | | kinds of adventures open up to you. Within a three |
| Park. It is fifty miles to the north and has been | | | | hour, drive is Zion National Park and they have |
| described as breathtaking. The best seasons for | | | | everything there including hotels. If you are an artist or |
| camping or hiking the sandy trails are spring and fall. | | | | photographer then you must go. |
| They also have shaded picnic tables. | | | | If Zion is a little too far for now then try what southern |
| If your interested in off road adventures (if not do it | | | | Californians call "the river". What they mean is the |
| anyway) get in touch with a company called off road | | | | Colorado River at Lake Mohave. Lake Mohave Resort |
| adventure guide in Logandale Nevada. They have a | | | | at Katherine Landing Lake Mohave is located within |
| website that provides an Off Road Adventure Guide | | | | the boundaries of Lake Mead National Recreation |
| and information on ATV rentals and tours on the | | | | Area, and offers year round recreation for Nevada, |
| Logandale Trail System near the Valley Of Fire. Also, | | | | Arizona and southern California. |
| there is the Vegas Dunes Recreation Area for a | | | | Boats and waverunners can be rented at Katherine's |
| slightly different sort of ATV Riding in soft sand dunes. | | | | Landing. Public campgrounds are available at both |
| It takes special tires on the ATV and you will find this | | | | locations providing tent and trailer camping, R.V.s with |
| area is a lot of fun. | | | | hookups and restaurants, lodging, docking facilities, boat |
| Red Rock Canyon is a beautiful Desert state park that | | | | and fishing tackle equipment, and fishing licenses. |
| is not to be missed. It is located only about half an hour | | | | So did I miss anything? You bet, I missed a lot, like the |
| away and is gorgeous with many kinds of hiking and | | | | secret spot that only my wife know about where we |
| walking trails. It has a nice visitor center surrounded | | | | buried the gold, but you get the idea. Oh, and some |
| with desert hills and beautiful canyons to hike and | | | | interesting places where they filmed some famous |
| explore. | | | | movies. There are many adventures for you and your |
| Most people know about Hoover Dam and Lake | | | | family waiting near the Lights of Las Vegas. |
| Mead, but are not aware of the many campgrounds | | | | P.S. Did you know the Indians are building a glass |
| and marinas in the area. It is called the Lake Mead | | | | bridge over the Grand Canyon? |
| National Recreation Area, and the huge lake offers a | | | | |