Episode 1 Itinerary: “Home Means Nevada”

Featured Stops

Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area
Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
Hoover Dam and the Colorado River
Boulder City

Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area

Distance from Las Vegas: 20 miles

Fun Fact: This scenic sandstone playground is the reason Alex moved to Las Vegas.

Just a short drive west of the Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyon is home to more than 1,200 established climbing routes, ranging from beginner outings to advanced multi-pitch marathons—all of which invite climbers from around the globe to get their hands on something solidly send-worthy.

Hike among towering sandstone formations, with spots just off the road like Calico Basin and the Red Springs Picnic Area offering instant payoffs, or tackle longer summit-topping routes like Turtlehead Peak that reward extra effort with panoramic views of the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas in the distance.

You can also take in the views of 7,000-foot cliffs through your windshield along the 13-mile Scenic Drive, a favorite for sunrise, sunset, and everything in between. Home to outdoor action galore and some of Nevada’s most striking scenery, Red Rock Canyon makes it clear why nearly 2 million people visit each year—and why Alex keeps coming back.

While You’re Here

• Spring Mountain Ranch State Park—A quieter counterpoint to the canyon, with historic ranch buildings, shaded trails, and popular ranger-led programs. 
• Blue Diamond Loop—Flowing singletrack popular with mountain bikers and hikers, offering big desert views. 
• Cottonwood Station Eatery—A solid refueling stop in the community of Blue Diamond, known for creative comfort food with local flair.

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area

Distance from Las Vegas: 35 Miles

Rising more than 7,000 feet above the Las Vegas Valley, the Spring Mountains trade sandstone heat for a 316,000-acre alpine escape, where temperatures can drop by double digits. Looming over all of it is 11,916-foot Mt. Charleston, reached after more than 8 challenging miles with 7,300 feet of elevation gain. As Alex and Sanni saw for themselves, the views from southern Nevada’s highest peak are about as sweeping as it gets.

For something a little less ambitious, choose from 40 miles of hiking trails, ranging from summit routes to gentle paths through groves of aspen and ancient bristlecone pine that open up to canyon views and seasonal waterfalls.

In winter, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and ice climbing round things out and make the Spring Mountains a year-round adventure destination.

While You’re Here

• Lee Canyon—Visiting in winter? Southern Nevada’s sole ski resort features 31 trails, a terrain park, tubing, and snow play just an hour from The Strip. Come summer, things shift into mountain bike mode at a park designed by the same crew behind the world-class downhill destinations at Mt. Bachelor and Killington.

Hoover Dam and the Colorado River

Distance from Las Vegas: 35 Miles

Standing 726 feet tall and spanning 1,244 feet across, Hoover Dam is one of the West’s most-visited attractions. Built during the Great Depression between 1931 and 1936, this engineering marvel “tamed” the Colorado River, created Lake Mead, and powered the growth of Las Vegas—not to mention the entire Southwest. 

Tour the dam’s interior to witness the machinery and scale that made it possible. Then walk the towering Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge to take it all in with a view from above.

Hoover Dam’s sheer size really sets in when viewed from the ground—or water—up. Hop into a kayak or guided raft tour like the Honnolds did, and paddle down the Black Canyon Water Trail. Along the route, you’ll pass bighorn sheep and ospreys, hidden coves and hot springs, hemmed in by geologic features shaped over millions of years—and discover how much the mighty Colorado River still insists on running wild.

While You’re Here

• Papillon Helicopter Tours—Your ticket to a whirlybird’s eye view of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Black Canyon, and beyond.
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area—1.5 million acres of boating, fishing, swimming, and desert hiking, with the nation’s largest reservoir by volume as its centerpiece.
• Gold Strike Hot Springs—A challenging scramble descending 600 feet over 2.5 miles, rewarding hikers with hot spring pools and waterfalls at the edge of the Colorado River. The hike closes seasonally due to extreme summer heat.

Boulder City

Distance from Las Vegas: 25 Miles

Built in the 1930s to house Hoover Dam workers, Boulder City’s Historic District is Nevada’s largest listing on the National Register of Historic Places, with more than 400 vintage buildings set in a walkable downtown that moves at an easy pace—far from the glitz and nonstop energy of neighboring Las Vegas.

Bounce between Art Deco-draped cafés, antique shops, art galleries, museums, and even a frozen-in-time 1940s bowling alley. Then crank up the adventure with some of southern Nevada’s best hiking, biking, and watersports at the doorstep of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Colorado River.

Alex got a taste of Boulder City’s nostalgic side at Grandma Daisy’s Candy and Ice Cream Parlor, one of this culinarily inclined community’s many great dining options, then headed to Outpost 51 Alien Museum for a close-to-home encounter with a classic Nevada offbeat attraction, and a preview of more unexpected experiences just down the road.

While You’re Here

• Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park—A nationally-known trail system offering everything from flowy beginner routes to rocky, technical downhill runs.
• Historic Railroad Trail—An easy 3.5-mile paved route through five tunnels originally carved for Hoover Dam supply trains.
• Nevada State Railroad Museum—Boulder City—The home of historic locomotives and pedal-powered rail bike adventures along the original 1930s tracks.