Nevada vacations: more than just Vegas

You've heard Las Vegas has a little something for everyone, but what you may not be aware of is how much Nevada has to offer when it comes to exploring the natural world. With the state's vast desert and mountain landscape, Nevada vacations offer unique opportunities for those adventurous enough to leave the city.

You don't even have to venture far from Las Vegas to get a taste of the wild nature of greater Nevada. With the volume of people flying into Vegas, cheap flights aren't usually hard to come by and you can save the money you might otherwise blow at the casino to use on a car rental to get you out to some of the sights. Here are a few outdoor areas to explore near the city of bright lights:

Valley of Fire State Park: For some of the most interesting rock formations you'll ever see, head about an hour northeast of Vegas to Nevada's oldest state park. Red sandstone emerges from rocky hills in ways you never thought imaginable in this park with formations that go by names such as Elephant Rock, Beehives and Mouse's Tank. The park features two unique campgrounds, with sites tucked into rock formations.

Lake Mead: A popular destination for boaters, Lake Mead and Lake Mohave were created with the construction of the massive Hoover Dam. Visitors to the two reservoirs can check out three different desert ecosystems, fish and tour the dam, one of the world's greatest engineering feats.

These natural areas farther into Nevada's wilderness are also worth checking out:

Great Basin National Park: Created in 1986, this park between the Sierra Nevada and Wasatch mountains in east-central Nevada is one of the nation's newer national parks. The park's Lehman Caves are home to 10 species of bats and their remarkable stalactite and stalagmite formations can be viewed via a guided tour.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest: A forest in arid Nevada? You bet, and it's the largest national forest in the 48 contiguous states. Scattered throughout the state, with two large areas near the Utah border and Carson City near Lake Tahoe, the forest boasts 23 wilderness areas, some in neighboring California. Camping and hiking opportunities abound in these areas.

To plan your Nevada vacations, use a travel site like Travelocity.com to check out deals on flights, rental cars and lodging.

Courtesy of ARAcontent