Ely
They call it “the loneliest road in America.” Once the path of the Pony Express, U.S. Highway 50 has nary a traffic jam as it stretches through 400 miles of Great Basin country. You won’t wait in line to get into Great Basin National Park (in Ely), one of America’s least-crowded national parks. This park has some striking features. Among them: Lehman Caves, decorated with exotic limestone formations found in no other cave in the world; and stands of ancient bristlecone pine, said to be the world’s oldest living plants (some trees date back to the time of Christ). And did we mention the permanent ice fields of Wheeler Peak, the most southerly glacier in America?
Las Vegas
Dining in Vegas ain’t what it used to be. Forget the shrimp cocktails and all-you-can-eat (but wouldn’t want to) buffets. These days, Las Vegas offers anything and everything to tempt the palate, from gourmet Chinese (at the top-rated Mayflower Cuisinier) to Mexican (try Viva Mercado’s) to down-home Southern (at the House of Blues, where jambalaya and bread pudding reign). And did we mention the shopping? Yes, the big-name boutiques are still around, but bargain-savvy shoppers head to the three outlet malls, located just outside Las Vegas in Primm, Nevada.