Nevada's Tiny Town Near Area 51 Is An Iconic Filming Destination With Kitschy Shops, Alien Burgers, And Brews

Nevada has long been a legendary hotbed for alleged alien activity, from the mystifying Area 51 to the vast stretches of Nevada's southern desert that seem too eerie to be empty. As if it were beamed down into the center of the desert, Rachel, Nevada, is a tiny town that has become a kitschy pit stop and pop culture icon. Rachel has competition from a trio of charming Wisconsin towns, all claiming to be the "UFO Capital Of The World," but this town deserves the title as a filming location in the iconic alien film "Independence Day."

Rachel is a must-see along the scenic otherworldly Nevada road trip that gets as close to Area 51 as possible, right in the center of the 470-mile Extraterrestrial Highway. Getting to town takes effort, but visitors say, despite the eerily quiet and isolated feeling of Rachel, the drive is well worth it. From Las Vegas, it's just over 2 hours north on US-93 and NV-375, or the Extraterrestrial Highway. Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport is the closest major airport, unless you fly into Rachel via alien spacecraft.

The town is known as "the closest town to Area 51," and of course, for its role in Hollywood history, but today, Rachel's quirky charm continues to draw visitors. Famously, the Little A'Le'Inn, a gift shop, motel, restaurant, and RV campground, is packed with alien-themed souvenirs and a cafe with Alien burgers, drinks, and rooms or campsites for ufologists to spend a night under the stars.

Though it may seem like a blip on the map with around 4 square miles of area, Rachel Nevada has been a filming location for a few sci-fi blockbusters and documentaries. In 1996, the production powerhouse 20th Century Fox filmed portions of the film "Independence Day" in Rachel, Nevada. The town can be seen in scenes featuring Russell Casse and his family in a mobile home park. The film would go on to be the highest-grossing film of the year.

The buzz of filming "Independence Day" in Rachel led to the official creation of the Extraterrestrial Highway in February 1996, and later that year, the film's producers created a time capsule to install in the town. The ID4 Monument was unveiled in front of the Little A'Le'Inn on April 18, 1996, to promote the film and dedicate the newly formed highway. The capsule is set to be opened in 2050, so mark your calendars for a future trip to Rachel, Nevada.

Several other notable sci-fi projects were filmed in Rachel, including "Project 12" in 2012 and "Area 51" in 2015. Rachel was even the center of a 2019 viral Facebook meme known as the "Storm Area 51" event. What started as a seemingly fake event ended in a live music festival coined "Alienstock" with around 3,000 people in attendance. Beyond its moments of viral fame and movie ties, Rachel offers its year-round shops and alien-themed eateries to satisfy every Earthly appetite.

If you're in town for more than just the impromptu Alienstock, Rachel delivers on the kitsch, from a broken-down UFO hitching a ride on a tow truck in front of Little A'Le'Inn to alien head mugs at the Alien Cowpoke Gas & General Store. Heading into town from the Las Vegas area, you'll likely hit the Alien Cowpoke Gas & General Store first. Stop in for a snack, fuel, souvenirs, and plenty of photo ops with the town's "residents."

Little A'Le'Inn is at the heart of Rachel. It's a roadside restaurant and bar, a gift shop with tongue-in-cheek souvenirs, a motel, and a campground all in one. With five units of two to three bedrooms with shared bathrooms starting $85 per night and RV sites from $30 per night, Little A'Le'Inn has multiple accommodations available for reservation on their website. The motel also offers unique campsites starting at $10 per night, some available in a structure resembling a partial exoskeleton of an alien spacecraft.

You can head inside for a "World Famous Alien Burger" (yes, the beef is sourced from Earth), an Alien Amber Ale, or Galaxy Wrap, among their other homemade breakfasts, burgers, and desserts. Rachel isn't the only alien-themed stop in the area, though. Hiko, a destination along Nevada's famous Extraterrestrial Highway, offers serene springs and a "Gateway To Area 51". Hiko's Alien Research Center is a weirder-than-weird alien-themed gift shop worth stopping after exploring the town of Rachel.