LAS VEGAS – Four strangers, one luxurious Lincoln Navigator SUV and a seven-day itinerary to dots on a map across Nevada.

This was the roadtrip of a lifetime for the Canadian winners of the Sell Your Way to the USA FAM, hosted by Travel Nevada.

Travel advisors Nicole Braga with Direct Travel in Cambridge, ON, Maria Karagioules of Voyage International ITA in Montreal and Callan Thompson with Sportscorp Travel based in Bolton, ON, with this Travelweek writer in tow, navigated miles and miles of Nevada highways over one memorable week.

The trip started in Las Vegas, for an exploration of the city beyond the Strip with a Taste Buzz food tour, a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE, and an after-dark visit to the famous Neon Museum.

Along the Great Basin Highway, Highway 50, Lake Tahoe Loop and Free-Range Art Highway, with a dash of Death Valley and returning to Las Vegas, we then set out on this roadtripping FAM. There were endless desert landscapes, crystal-clear lakes, snow-capped mountains, winding roads, ghost towns, weird art installations and – hilarious, crazy or a bit spooky, depending on your perspective – a clown-themed motel.

The International Car Forest of the Last Church, an open-air art gallery created by three artists with over 40 spray-painted vehicles

Part 1: Great Basin Highway

Leaving behind scorching Las Vegas, driving north gave us our first glimpse of the stunning formations of Cathedral Gorge State Park, notable for 1,800 acres of eroded clay creating dramatic cathedral-like spires and formations.

Basing ourselves in Ely, NV, known for high-speed open-road car racing and proximity to Great Basin National Park, we completed a stunning drive to see Wheeler’s Peak at 10,000 feet above sea level.

There are several trails for hiking and mountain biking, and we spotted an antelope at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park and had a much-needed coffee break at the welcoming Bristlecone General Store in Baker.

In the evening, we wandered along Ely’s Aultman Street for a visual town history told through murals before a tasty dinner at JT’s Steakhouse, a farm-to-table restaurant featuring locally-raised meat.

“From winding roads through the mountains, to long straight aways with no civilization in sight, I was surprised at the altitude in the ‘high desert’ – Travel advisor Callan Thompson 

Part 2: The Loneliest Road in America 

With our ‘Loneliest Road in America’ passports in hand, we programmed the GPS, stocked snacks and water and headed west.

Sagebrush-covered hills, rising elevation and very few cars: Highway 50 was desolate but not disappointing. Passport stamps were happily acquired at disparate places and the quirky shoe tree was a reward after vast arid valleys led to delightful Fallon, NV, four hours later. This oasis boasts several farms, a historic shopping area, many restaurants and the Oats Park Art Center with a gallery and theatre. Fallon is also home to the US Navy’s Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, aka Top Gun, and where Top Gun Maverick was filmed. Best kept secret: visit tempting Cranberry Cottage for its wide range of gifts and discover a secret door to enter C&C Social Club, a hidden speakeasy serving classic cocktails.

“I was surprised by the variety of culinary offerings — from local coffee shops and steakhouses to diners and food trucks. The food was incredible. I also really enjoyed all the conversations, stories and history shared by the many Nevadans I had the chance to meet.” – Travel advisor Nicole Braga 

Traversing the ‘Loneliest Road in America’ (complete with a fun passport) is now a badge of honour for road trippers

Part 3: Lake Tahoe Loop 

Into the Carson Mountain range we were greeted with the stunning sight of crystal-clear Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine lake located in Nevada and California. The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino features spacious rooms, several dining options and an outdoor pool area with hot tubs, with easy access to explore nearby attractions such as Sand Harbor State Park for watersports or Tahoe City, CA with charming boutiques, dining options and bars. Skiers and snowboarders could ascend Palisades Tahoe until the end of May, with a charming village with several restaurant options. The coveted reservation is at Gar Woods Grill & Pier, a Tahoe City waterfront restaurant serving the must-have thirst quencher: Wet Woody, a frozen rum cocktail.

Lush forest led to the mining town of Tonopah, where the Historic Mining Park offers a memorable tour of how mineral discoveries sparked the town’s creation. This wee town also has a trio of scary sites: the Old Tonopah Cemetery with stories of lives lost during the boom; the 1907 Victorian Mizpah Hotel, with its ghostly floors; and the contemporary Clown Motel, dubbed America’s scariest motel with over 6,500 donated clown images, paintings and figurines.

“I was surprised at the diverse terrain and spectacular views from one town to the other and that there is lots to do regardless of your budget with many of the attractions completely free!” – Maria Karagioules 

Callan, Maria and Nicole with Bart Peterson, Director of Sales, Travel North Tahoe Nevada

Part 4: Free Range Art Highway 

A dirt road leads to the International Car Forest of the Last Church, an open-air art gallery created by three artists with over 40 spray-painted vehicles partially buried. The largest auto art display in America is an Insta-worthy stop, as is the Goldwell Open Art Museum, with bold contemporary art sculptures adjacent to the entrance of Rhyolite, a ghost town founded in 1904 by two hopeful prospectors.

The last blast of intense heat comes with a a loop into the breathtaking Death Valley National Park, where temperatures soared to 103º Fahrenheit. Badwater Basin, with its 200 square miles of salt, calcite and gypsum, is the lowest point in America at 282 feet below sea level.

The final moments of this Nevada road trip were spent around a campfire swapping stories at Tarantula Ranch, a camping, glamping and vineyard in Nevada’s Amargosa Valley. Accommodation ranges from tent/van camping areas, Sherpa teardrop trailers to the Bottling Room, a studio retreat overlooking the vineyards.

Travel advisors Callan Thompson, Maria Karagioules and Nicole Braga at Badwater Basin

INSPIRING VISITORS TO ‘GET A LITTLE OUT THERE’

“Canada remains one of Nevada’s most important international markets, and programs like Sell Your Way to the USA play a key role in strengthening our relationships with the travel trade,” says Nicole Orsua, Chief Industry Development Officer, Travel Nevada. “This itinerary highlighted the many sides of Nevada, from world-class entertainment and iconic road trips to breathtaking outdoor adventures and welcoming small-town communities.”

Travel Nevada has curated 10 road trips across the state designed to inspire visitors to ‘Get a Little Out There.’

Karagioules, Braga and Thompson shared their Nevada highlight reels with Travelweek.

For Karagioules, the high points included MJ One by Cirque du Soleil, Great Basin National Park in White Pine County and kayaking on Lake Tahoe.

Thompson also loved MJ One. “I have always wanted to see Cirque du Soleil and it did not disappoint. Tonopah and Tarantula Ranch glamping and meeting locals, talking and learning about the wonderful state they call home.”

Braga says she’ll never forget “kayaking on Lake Tahoe, where the water was unbelievably clear and the scenery was stunning, sleeping in a teardrop trailer in Death Valley National Park, such a unique experience, and I loved the incredible scenery throughout the state. The wide-open spaces and dramatic views made the trip unforgettable.”

At Tarantula Ranch, toasting our seven days of exploration under the star-studded night sky, we left as friends and a deeper understanding of Nevada’s wealth of attractions beyond the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Information to help travel advisors and clients explore Nevada can be found at TravelNevada.com, and for Travel Nevada’s Trailblazer Specialist Program, click here.

Lead image caption: Kayaking Lake Tahoe; Ely, NV mural; Nicole, Maria and Callan with Jane Moon, Director of Tourism and Special Events for Fallon NV and Robyn Jordan, Executive Director, Churchill Arts Council