The Loneliest Road: Road trip along Nevada's Highway 50

While in Vegas, pose for a picture with the iconic Reno Arch neon sign. The history of the arch dates back to the 1920's, and even though the slogan "The Biggest Little City in the World" was coined for Reno by a resident of Sacramento, it's become pretty important to the city's identity.

While in Fallon, visit the Project Shoal Monument. It may not look like much more than a granite marker, but some pretty wild stuff went on below the Earth's surface here. Project Shoal was an underground nuclear test that occurred in 1963, and was meant to test how an underground nuclear detonation would effect seismic activity in an actively seismic spot. Pretty weird!

Given that the Loneliest Road is sparse on gas stations, restaurants and motels along some parts of the route, you should make it a point to fill up at Fallon's Historic Middlegate Station. Here you can top off your gas tank and grab one of their legendary Monster Burgers. The friendly service and rich history of this station make it an exceptional place to stop!

Austin is also home to the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. If you're a fan of ghost towns and dinosaur fossils, this state park is a two-for-one. Berlin is the ghost town, which was around from the late 19th to the early 20th century and served as a hub for a small gold mine; there are more than a few well-preserved buildings to explore. There's also the ichthyosaur fossils-- ichthyosaurs were huge sea beasts that lived about 215 million years ago.

Next up is Battle Mountain, NV, where the Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area features a quick hiking trail that highlights 10,000 year-old petroglyphs. Stick to the trail for a quick, hour-or-so-long break, or come prepared with a picnic lunch or camping supplies for some super primitive camping. Remember to bring lots of water and toilet paper.

Eureka is also home to the Eureka Sentinel Museum. Housed in an old newspaper office, this cool little historical museum features exhibits on the printing press, old-school mining, and everyday life in the little town of Eureka back when it was a bustling boomtown.

Ely's also home to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Here you can explore a working train yard, pop into the museum, and take a 90 minute scenic and educational ride on their old locomotive! The railroad was a huge part of American history, especially in Nevada, so take the chance to really experience it for yourself.

If you're looking for a place to stretch your legs in Ely, Blue Mass Scenic Area Campground has you covered. The greenery and granite cliffs of this park make it well worth a stop. Do some hiking along the springs and streams, or take some time to poke around the abandoned homestead, or just pull over to appreciate the unique beauty of this scenic area.

The last stop in Ely is the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park. These massive, mysterious structures are actually old charcoal ovens built by an Italian immigrant. They were once in a now-abandoned town called Ward, and are the best-preserved charcoal ovens you'll likely find anywhere.

But, don't get too distracted by Lehman Caves, because Great Basin National Park is an amazing place to wander around and explore. Glacier-topped mountain peaks, gnarled bristlecone pines, serene lakes, stunning night skies and enchanting caves make this National Park one of the most overlooked parks in the whole country. There are loads of hiking trails and lots of campsites. Though it's important to note that the campsites are primitive camping, and camping is also first come, first serve, so get there early. Great Basin is also home to some of the best stargazing in America. There's no fee to enter the park, but the cave tour has a fee, and you need to book ahead. It's a great park to bring kids to visit, and the hiking is pretty easy.