Rainy Travel | Boulder City, Nevada

 My 2026 year has started off with an unexpected side quest to the little town of Boulder City, Nevada. Seems a little random, right? Well, I work for a nonprofit that is celebrating 50 years this year and with it comes events happening from chapters all over North America to celebrate this milestone. The event I’m planning is in February, the second event. The first event was held in none other than Boulder City, Nevada. My boss asked me on Tuesday if I would be able to go instead of himself that Friday. At first, I felt that it was a little rude to ask a mom of a very child to get up and travel in such a short notice, but after talking through it with my husband, I decided to take the trip and it wasn’t that bad.

Just a short 30 minute drive from the Harry Reid International Airport and about a 40 minute drive from Vegas, Boulder City is a little, yet mighty town filled with good food, good wine, and a variety of places to enjoy the outdoors.

Where I Ate

Your Mom’s Italian Kitchen and Bar - The very first night, I arrived at the Best Western Hotel around 8:15pm. By this point, I was starving, but didn’t want to eat anything too heavy. Lo and behold, there is an Italian kitchen nextdoor that boasts a good, homemade tomato basil soup (one of my preferred soups). I sat at the bar (where I recommend anyone sits when dining alone), ordered a glass of chardonnay and a tomato basil soup. The owner was kind enough to throw in some very soft, and buttery garlic bread as well. The soup wasn’t creamy, but it didn’t need to be, because the beauty could be tasted through every spoonful. Pair it with a soft garlic bread and a glass of wine? Couldn’t go wrong.

Momo Sushi - After a nice 5-mile hike through the windy tunnels of the Historic Railroad Trail, I wanted something hearty, but not heavy, to eat. I came to seemingly the only Japanese cusine in town. Momo sushi has a warm atmosphere once you step foot through the door. I sat at the sushi counter, ready to stuff myself with sushi, when I saw that there was udon on the menu. Since I had come back from a chilly walk, I decided to grab a bowl of udon with shrimp tempura and one serving of salmon nigiri. For being in the middle of the dessert, that sushi was buttery soft, it practically melted in my mouth! My bowl of udon was delicious, warm, and filled me up just enough. I wish the shrimp was just a tad bigger, but the batter used for the tempora was still good and if I had someone to share, I would have probably gotten the vegtable tempura appetizer too.

Dam Roast House & Browder Bookstore - Ya’ll may know, but I’m sucker for a bookstore and coffee shop, and if those two thing are together, I’m definitely stopping in. After finishing up lunch and walking around a humngous antique shop, I was looking for something just a little sweet. Instead of coffee or tea, I opted for a strawnana, a strawberry, banana smoothie with white chocolate and substituted with almond milk (shout out to my lactose girls). It was chunky, refreshing, and just what I wanted before heading back to my hotel for a small nap.

Maxx’s Food and Drink - After another 3-mile wine walk (for work, of course), I needed something to soak up the wine and I was hungry. I thought about a slice of pizza, but it had been so long since I had a nice wrap that when I saw that Maxx’s had a ceasar wrap, I immediatley started craving it, so that’s whawt I got. I took the ceasar wrap on a spinach tortilla, with a side of kettle chips. It was a pretty big wrap, with lots of chicken and equal parts of very sharp parmesan cheese. The kettle chips were also nice to use to scoop up the inevitable chunks of insides that fell out of the wrap. 

What I Did

Hiking the Historic Railroad Trail - I was in town for a work event. I work for a nonprofit that’s father of all walking groups in the U.S.. Needless to say, the event I was attending had to do with walking. While some of the group went walking on a different trail, I decided to hike the Historic Railroad trail next to Lake Mead that takes you through huge, revamped railroad tunnels that ultimately take you through to the Hoover Dam. It’s not a hard hike, but it was very windy that morning, making it a very cold hike.

Hemenway Valley Park - After my hike, Hemenway Valley Park was on my way back to the hotel, so I decided to stop in real quick. This park is known for it’s abundance of Bighorn Sheep. Unfortunately, the sheep must have also been cold because they were no where to be seen. However, sheep or not, this was still a beautiful park overlooking Lake Mead, complete with a playground, trail, basketball court, and picnic tables to get some fresh air. If my daughter was with, Id take her here for a bit to run around and play.

Goatfeathers Emporium - While on my search for something to eat, I came across this peculiar sounding

establishment. I’m a sucker for a good antique store, so after I finished at Momo’s, I ventured into another world called Goatfeathers Emporium. This place is an antique store on steroids. This store seems like it goes on foever, and on my one time there, I found two different stairways leading to two different upstairs sections that could only be accessed via the designated stair case. I probably could have spent the whole daye wandering around, but I had somewhere else to be in a couple of hours and I needed to lay down for a bit after my five mile hike at the railroad trail. I didn’t leave empty-handed. Of course I bought a very unique and handmade ornament that I will proudly display on our 12 foot tree next year.

Best Dam Wine Walk - As part of the evenings festivities, the local club chapter of our organization partnered with the chamber to take part in the Best Dam Wine Walk, a fun walk where you go around from place to place refilling an acrylic wine glass. Going on this walk, I was expecting only the restaurants and bars to be participating. I was truly blinded sided to find that almost all the shops in the town in the stop including the local vinyl store, the thrift shops, the salon, the tattoo parlors, the museum, the toy store, and everywhere in between had wine for you. Our group only paid $20 and the ticket is normally $35. I believe that it is a well-worth-it ticket and you should go. The Best Dam Wine Walk happens every month and every month there is a new theme. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a really quick trip, but if someone offers you a trip, you take it. I’ve been going to Vegas since I was 6-yeaers-old and only have stopped to see the Hoover Dam and the Gran Canyon, but not longer than a quick pit stop. Vegas was always the end goal. It was a little refreshing to actually explore a place you've always driven straight through. Since it was also my first solo travel trip, I was a bit nervous to not have my travel partner with me (I will be going into my thoughts and feelings on solo traveling next blog post), but with some good, new company by my side, some good wine, and an openness to all things new, I had a dam good time in the small town of Boulder City, Nevada. 

Until next time, Happy Travels!