I've been to haunted houses all over the country and this is one of the best I've ever been to. The…read morereception area post haunted house was both cool and hawt(nted). (I tried to do something there but idk if it worked)

July 10, 2026 - Elko, NV…read more This is a wonderful stop along I-80 and well worth taking the time to visit. The California Trail Interpretive Center tells the story of the pioneers who traveled the California Trail in the mid-1800s through engaging exhibits, life-size dioramas, and interactive displays. I'm so glad we stopped. The life-size dioramas are beautifully done, and there's far more to see than I expected. Unfortunately, I had a limited amount of time and only scratched the surface. I could easily have spent another hour or more exploring the exhibits. The California Trail Interpretive Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During our visit, it was operating on this five-day schedule because a federal hiring freeze had left the center without enough staff to open seven days a week as originally planned. If you're driving I-80 near Elko, don't just drive by--this is one of the best roadside stops in the area. Actually, you should really make it a planned visit to allow yourself enough time to take it all in.

This is a great center to visit when driving on I-80…read more Parking is free and the lot is a nice size with many stalls open. There are clean bathrooms inside and a water bottle refill station. When we walked in we were greeted by the friendly staff. They explained where everything was and helped us feel welcome. The whole thing is free. Donations box are near the entrance and are greatly appreciated to help maintain the museum and keep the trails pristine. I enjoyed the museum and small student art exhibit. The museum was very interactive and had beautiful murals. I also found the wagons outside enjoyable to walk around and look inside. The trails are great! There are two main lookout spots and they ate not hard trails to follow. With this said, the trails are gravel so I recommend closed toe shoes for the trails.

Great place to browse local art work and interact with the community of local artist. Classes,…read moreevents, the Annual Art in the Park event and an array of monthly social community gathering's. Drop in for a visit or to purchase a unique gift.

How cool is this event! I was lucky enough to stumble upon Cowboy Poetry while in Elko for…read morebusiness. I snagged some last minute tickets to one of their evening events (cash only), grabbed myself a beer (bud light) and a seat, and enjoyed 1.5 hours of cowboy culture. I never knew there was so much "culture" that went into agriculture. It was so enjoyable and the performers were fabulous! Four cowboys told the tale of their passion and work through songs, stories and poetry. A wonderful way to experience the culture of the wild west. I will certainly be back next year, and might even consider making a special trip to Elko just for this event, as many others do.

When I told my dad I was going to Elko for a work trip, he said, "oh wow! That's the same week as…read morethe Cowboy Poetry Gathering!" I can't say that it's something I would have sought out, but I stashed that little fact away as I prepared for my trip. I asked a few locals about it, and started to understand that this is a BIG event. People travel to Elko from all over to the world for this event year after year. I don't have a specific interest in country music or cowboy culture, but I do have a general interest in cultural events, and decided that we just had to experience this event! Luckily, my colleagues were game, so we headed down to the Folklife Center and bought our $20 tickets (cash only!) and our bottled Bud Light ($3). The show was absolutely fantastic! There are a variety of events throughout the Gathering...ours consisted of 1 cowboy poet (Paul Zarzynski), 1 solo singer (Gail Steiger), and a duo of singers (Cowboy Celtic). There was a nice interplay between the group, and all three were amazing additions to the show. The poet mixed emotion with comedy, the singer told stories about his grandfather and his experiences as a lifelong cowboy. The duo sang about a variety of topics, and were really spectacular. All in all, an amazing show. We all had a great time and left the event with smiles on our faces. We are already talking about trying to plan next year's Elko work trip during the Cowboy Poetry Gathering so we can check out more events!

The stuff they pull for kids is great! I'm glad whoever is in charge of the fun center has a heart…read morefor the kids bc Elko is Elko lol

I was going to join there there slot club but they didn't give any free play for joining plus they…read morethey don't open till 10 am. It's a really small casino but I liked the polar bear and they also gave pool tables in the bar area. I would probably gamble elsewhere. WOW I just heard that's the worlds largest polar wat I guess that's a reason to stop.

Keeping the Basque culture alive and well in the West. The self-less people of Elko have to be…read morethanked for their efforts to remind us all of the contributions of the Basques to the development of the West. For over 250 years, the Basques have been leaders in the West. Read about: AMERIKANUAK!: BASQUES IN THE HIGH DESERT By Robert G Boyd Amerikanuak: Basques in the New World by William A. Douglass When the Basques Ruled California, 1784-1834 By John J. O'Hagan

These folks do a superb job with their annual Basque Picnic on the weekend of the 4th of July…read more There are sporting competitions like handball, weight carrying, 250 lb ball lifting, wood chopping, bale lifting, bale tossing and many more. National and folk dancing is performed by groups of dancers from six Western states. Food is delicious and there is sooooo much of it. Beer is great since the temperatures are well into the 90's. Friday 6:00 p.m. - Kick-off Handball Court Saturday, Fairgrounds Festivities) 10:00 a.m. - Parade 1:00 p.m. - Games @ Fairgrounds 9:00 p.m. - Outside Dance Sunday Festivities 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Mass 12:30 p.m. Picnic/Dancing/Competition

This museum is the newest museum to the area of Elko and it is educational and charming at the same…read moretime. This museum is dedicated to the preservation of the vaquero (this is Spanish for cowboy to the uninitiated) and the American Buckaroo. The Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum is full of history, culture and traditions of the cowboy of the American West. The idea of the American cowboy is kind of romantic to many, but it is actually the daily life of people of live in this region of Nevada. This museum brings the past and present together in an easy digestible way for the museum goer to understand. Housed in the actual shop of the famous saddle maker G.S. Garcia (the building itself is well over 100 years old), this museum is full of gorgeous saddles and beautiful silver work. Family photographs, images, bits, spurs, stories, saddles, belt buckles...there is a lot on display. The museum is only one floor and would not take a ton of time to wander through. There is a cute little gift shop area in the back selling souvenirs as well. The director, Jan Peterson, was there the day we wandered through while visiting Elko for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. She was so enthusiastic and welcoming of our visit and had a passion for this museum project in this community. A great little museum for this area and a great little museum to celebrate the American west and the spirit of the cowboy.

it had allot of nice things on display. The lady was sweet.It had allot of books on sale.If you…read morelove saddles,you'll love this place.

Our room at the Best Western was not in fact the best, so we headed to downtown for drinks before…read moredinner. The Duncan Littlecreek Gallery Bar was perfect for us, as we always check-out the art museum when we travel. Sat at the old historic bar and also wandered thru the galleries while enjoying craft cocktails and local beer. Savannah was wonderful, sharing history of the bar and of Elko. So sad for the regulars, as she was working her last week. The Walden's Pond was good, even though they were out of basil. There were nice choices for drafts. Trivia Night started before we could depart and the bar filled up with locals. It was a fun evening!

This small but mighty bar and art gallery is a cozy and friendly place to go for wine and/or…read morecocktails and beer. We've attended many small gatherings here over the years, but also find it a special downtown spot to relax for a half hour or so before heading home. Because we live 25 minutes from Elko, we tend to go to DLC in the late afternoon/early evening, but they have activities and sometimes live music later. Go! You won't be sorry.