Ready for a close encounter with the real Area 51?
It took until 2013 for the US government to even acknowledge the existence of this 5,000-square-foot US Air Force testing facility, isolated in the scorching Nevada desert like an exiled whistleblower who knew too much.
They certainly haven’t acknowledged using the facility to test what conspiracy enthusiasts have insisted since the 1950s are their test subjects—the bodies of aliens and the wreckage of their crashed spaceships, recovered from sites like Roswell, NM.
Today the Hiko, NV location of Area 51—officially named “Groom Lake” or “Homey Airport” (KXTA)—is public knowledge. That said, visiting Area 51 is intriguing and frustrating in the best way. 575 square miles of restricted airspace, the perimeter is guarded by Air Force personnel, affectionately called “cammo dudes” by regulars, stationed in white pickup trucks at orange sentry posts. You can ask them questions … but they’re not talking.
The silence around the top-secret facility is deafening, giving rise to rumor after rumor. Depending on who you ask, unsubstantiated reports of activities at Area 51 include:
● Experiments in weather control, time travel, and teleportation.
● Development of energy weapons and exotic propulsion systems.
● Shadow meetings of the Majestic 12, a secretive world government.
Shrouded in myth and mystery, Area 51 has spawned a boutique tourist ecosystem, a rabbit hole down which truth-seekers can chase answers … or where weekenders can discover some alien-themed laughs and thrills for their Insta feed.
Can you visit Area 51 from Las Vegas?
Area 51 is about 130 miles by car from Las Vegas. You can make the drive in about three hours, making it an accessible day or weekend trip. A day trip might consist of a guided tour to the perimeter. Consider booking in advance for door-to-door luxury coach service to and from your hotel.
Note that unless you have friends in high places, the closest you can get to the actual facility is the 15-mile checkpoint, cheerfully marked “WARNING: US Air Force. Installation.” Say hi to the cammo dudes.
An overnight stay in the vicinity will allow you to delve deeper into the many science- and science-fiction-themed attractions that have sprung up around this beating heart of UFO culture …
Rachel, Nevada, the UFO Capital of the World
If you’re looking for Alien Town USA, welcome to Rachel, NV.
Population: 54
This is the closest permanent settlement to Area 51. As such, extraterrestrial enthusiasts base their ad-hoc alien hunts here. Practically a ghost town since the nearby Tungsten Mine closed down in 1988, the remaining inhabitants of Rachel make their bones from Area 51 tourism.
Little A’Le’Inn acts as a focal point for this tourism. Founded by Joe and Pat Travis, the alien-themed motel/restaurant is still owned and operated by Pat Travis and her daughter Corinne, who took over upon father Joe’s death.
Decorated with flying saucers and little green men, Little A’Le’Inn is appropriately sand-blasted and desert rustic. Don’t worry—the “Earthlings Welcome” sign confirms that you are in the right place. Order an ice-cold beer and an “Alien Burger” (not made from real aliens … or is it?), stock up on UFO swag at the gift shop, learn about local goings-on, and swap rumors with fellow xenomorph hunters. Don’t let the sonic booms of nearby “tests” stop your meal or disturb your sleep … that’s just Area 51.
Fans of the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas may recognize Little A’Le’Inn as the inspiration for “Lil’ Probe’Inn,” an in-game destination in “Bone County” close to “Area 69.” Little A’Le’Inn was also featured in the sci-fi comedy film Paul, as well as the TV series The X-Files and Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends.
The Alien Research Center in Lincoln County, Nevada
This cheekily-named gift shop is the trailhead for the “Extraterrestrial Highway” and retail nirvana for an extraterrestrial-chaser.
No actual “research” takes place here, unless you count research into whatever chintzy alien merch fans won’t be able to resist purchasing. They are really good at that kind of research.
Built into a corrugated quonset hut, the Alien Research Center has a massive metal statue of an extraterrestrial as its gatekeeper, a prop from the original film version of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Inside you can indulge your inner nerd with every alien-themed gift, trinket, or souvenir you could think of, from apparel to action figures, literature to lunchboxes.
The National Atomic Testing Museum (NATM)
Here’s where you go to find some actual science after a trip to Area 51. The Las Vegas-based Smithsonian affiliate dives deep into America’s troubled history of nuclear tests, many of them conducted in the Nevada desert not far away.
The exhibits tell the sobering story of mankind’s discovery of the power to destroy life on this planet, a Pandora’s Box that generations of activists, including some of the very scientists behind the discoveries, tried in vain to close.
A walk through NATM will bring you face-to-face with priceless relics of America’s 70-year nuclear odyssey, including the actual reactor used to develop “Genie,” the first air-to-air nuclear missile. You can also see examples of a “backpack nuke” and the Davy Crockett Weapon System (a recoilless rifle).
Milestones of geopolitical turmoil complement these artifacts. A graffiti-stained piece of the Berlin Wall and two pieces of the Twin Towers that fell on 9/11 stand mute witness to mankind’s turbulent history, begging the question: “Can we really be trusted with the power to destroy ourselves?”
Extraterrestrial Highway
Its real name is Nevada Highway 375, but where’s the fun in that? Just over 98 miles of lonely highway between Highway 93 and Highway 6, the Extraterrestrial Highway passes through Rachel, NV and the Alien Research Center, brushing up against Nellis Air Force Range, the parent facility to Area 51.
Highway 375 got its official nickname in 1996. A daytime drive down this lonely road passes snow-capped mountains, artesian springs, cottonwood forests, and the habitats of wild mustangs, bobcats, mountain lions, elk, and desert tortoises. Alien-themed attractions dot its various road stops. If you love a good “tourist trap,” Highway 375 has you covered.
At night, the countryside turns eerie. Watch for the oft-reported UFO lights in the sky, or dial a CB radio in search of “numbers stations” or (more realistically) the high-pitched whines of Jupiter’s magnetic field, audible at the right frequency in remote locations.
Summary
Right now, as you read this, very real and very secret work is being done at Area 51. If that thought fires your imagination, consider spending a day or several days exploring the area.
Like the stars in the sky, the answers to the puzzles at Area 51 are tantalizingly close and yet out of reach. Still, the souvenirs are great, the sights Instagram-worthy, the memories priceless and (probably?) trustworthy.
Don’t forget to visit the National Atomic Testing Museum upon returning to Vegas for a whole different perspective on our place in the stars.
