I can’t wait to share all my travels with you in my first travel book. If you’re coming to Vegas, yes, the locals love for you to second your money in the casinos. It keeps their taxes down, but if you really want to have fun and are looking for something a little more out of the ordinary, try some of these spots, within easy driving distance of Las Vegas.

Some other exciting places I’ve been to research my book might sound unlikely--Death Valley and the Extraterrestrial Highway.

Death Valley is by far my favorite National Park and I believe it’s the largest one in the country as well. The terrain is so varied, from dried lake beds and borax fields to an oasis filled with palm trees and even a golf course. And from Dante’s Peak more than 5000 feet above sea level (Telescope Peak is even higher) to Badwater, the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere—247 feet below sea level. One of my favorites places is 20 Mule Team Road. I also love Marble Canyon, Artist Pallet and Father Crawley’s Point. You really need to spend several days or more there to appreciate it all. And if you’re a fan of Death Valley Days you’ll probably see some familiar sights, from the TV show.

One of my favorite things about Death Valley is that it was the first place a spotted a real live Road Runner and the first place I saw a Coyote in the wild, Not sure if he was Wiley or not, but neither of them were holding an Acme  anvil.

The ET highway also has some interesting scenery. My first trip through there I was scheduled to be on a conference call and lost cell service. When I rejoined the call, I told the group, sorry but I was close to Area 51 and on the ET Highway, so I wanted to get back to them to assure them I wasn’t abducted.  Since then I’ve made numerous trips on this highway and one of the many interesting sights you’ll see nearby is the Alien Cathouse. Yes, brothels are legal in most of Nevada, except for Washoe and Clark Counties, but on the road between Las Vegas and Reno you’ll be able to spot quite a few.