Last updated on December 18, 2023.

When driving out in the Nevada desert northwest of Las Vegas, there are two tiny towns most famous for their legal brothels: Crystal and Amargosa Valley.

 

Crystal

Crystal takes an effort to get to. It’s off NV 160 between Pahrump and Amargosa Junction. It features Dennis Hof’s Love Ranch, Miss Kathy’s Short Branch Saloon, and the abandoned Cherry Patch Ranch. The Short Branch Saloon is supposedly a fun daytime bar popular with bikers passing through the area. The Brothel Art Museum was once an attraction in town but has been closed since 2011.

Crystal, Nevada
Crystal
Sign for Dennis Hof's Love Ranch in Crystal, Nevada
Sign for Dennis Hof’s Love Ranch
Cherry Patch Ranch in Crystal, Nevada
Cherry Patch Ranch

 

Amargosa Valley

Amargosa Valley is large and spread out, but most travelers will pass through Amargosa Junction on US 95. There are a few gas stations, but the one that sticks out the most is the Area 51 Alien Travel Center. There’s an alien-themed convenience store and gift shop, gas pumps, and the Alien Cathouse. The cathouse is a sci-fi themed brothel that offers free tours to anyone over 21. No, we didn’t take the tour!

Area 51 Alien Center in Amargosa Valley, Nevada
Area 51 Alien Center

Next door, you can find Alamo Fireworks, which claims to have the “world’s largest firecracker”.

Alamo Fireworks in Amargosa Valley, Nevada
Alamo Fireworks

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.