Serene B & B Featuring Themed Suites with Wild West Memorabilia

Along the stacked-stone exterior of A Cowboy’s Dream, you’ll find a small plaque that reads “Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends.” To Phyllis Frias, the proprietor of this desert hideaway, the motto is more than just a cute saying—it’s a way of life. The bed and breakfast fulfills a dream she shared with her late husband—to create a pastoral retreat that harks back to the dignity, valor, and kinship of the Wild West.

You can get a sense of these ideals by paying a visit to the property’s communal gathering spots. Guests are encouraged to meet in the two-story lobby and mingle around a baby grand piano. There's also a wraparound porch with a cluster of wooden rocking chairs set up for late-night conversation under the stars.

Tucked inside the imposing wooden lodge, you’ll find eight guest rooms, each decorated with custom artwork, furniture, and accessories. Some of the rooms honor heroes of the Wild West, such as the Annie Oakley and John Wayne, with collectibles and memorabilia. Meanwhile, the Longhorn room takes on a broader theme; it features animal-hide rugs, imposing pairs of longhorns, and a dressing screen that depicts a cowboy defeating a steer at chess.

Step onto the porch and you can enjoy panoramic views of the lush Pahranagat Valley. It's also possible to see the surrounding countryside up close by renting an ATV from the front desk (extra fee). For dinner, you can savor a gourmet meal prepared by an onsite chef (for an extra fee) or feel free to venture into the nearby Alamo.

Alamo, Nevada: Quiet Town in the Heart of the Mojave Desert

In the late 1800s, prospectors struck gold in the lands surrounding present-day Alamo, which turned the sleepy desert community into a bustling hub of westward expansion. Though the community didn’t stick around long—the population of gold miners dried up with the gold, as it happened in other areas—the town maintained a steady population and managed to get its official establishment in 1901.

Today, Alamo offers a quiet, rustic complement to the neon boulevards of Las Vegas, which is located just 100 miles north. More than 200 species of migrating birds regularly flock to the nearby Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, a key stopover on the Great Pacific Migratory Route. The migrant birds mingle with other songbirds, waterfowl, and errant frisbees amid 5,380 acres of cattail marshes and Mojave Desert uplands.

Take a roughly 40-mile drive through these arid lands and you'll find the infamous Area 51, a remote military base notoriously associated with UFOs and conspiracy theories.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.