Red Rock Canyon in Nevada

A long-time nuclear testing ground, the uninhabited, dusty desert that stretches across much of the state of Nevada is only occasionally relieved by the neon lights of towns and cities that have become synonymous with gambling and prostitution.

The most notorious city in the state is Las Vegas - the gambling capital of the United States. A glittering city of casinos, hotels, blinding neon and lewd entertainment, some 30 million visitors come here every year to gamble, get hitched quick or gawk at strippers.

Las Vegas also makes an ideal jumping off point for exploring Lake Mead, the awesome reservoir 30 miles away that was created by Hoover Dam which harnesses the mighty Colorado River. Just 12 miles west of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - the easternmost part of the Mojave Desert - sees about a million visitors every year and is popular with hikers, bikers, rock climbers and horse riders.

Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Reno - the "biggest little city in the world" - is a mini-Las Vegas, with gambling, hasty marriage and hastier divorce the prime reasons for visiting. The city sees an influx of a radically different type of traveler every August/September when revelers on their way to the Burning Man Festival pass through town. This eight-day arts and alternative lifestyle extravaganza is held in the desert some 90 miles northeast of Reno.

Meanwhile, just 60 miles west of Reno, beautiful Lake Tahoe is a year-round outdoor adventure hub.

Nevada's capital, Carson City, lies 30 miles south of Reno and packs in some lovely historical buildings alongside its obligatory casinos. Worth a visit is the Nevada State Museum which has an emphasis on the state's silver mining heritage as well as the geology of Nevada's vast Great Basin desert.

Nevada has three international airports - McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Laughlin/Bullhead City International Airport and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.