Las Vegas is best known as an adult wonderland, but this tourist-driven city also has applicable offerings for families and friends who want to check out destinations outside the hotels and casinos lined up along the Las Vegas Strip. Often times, these places are not part of the highlights of Las Vegas tourist maps. Yet, they are quite popular to locals who want to have some bonding moments with friends and loved ones. They can easily find time to appreciate alternative natural and man-made attractions just a few miles away from The Strip. Even tourists can also conveniently find these interesting Vegas spots as side trips to their visits to the city.
Mount Charleston
Located 35 miles northwest of The Strip, Mount Charleston is the highest point in the Las Vegas Valley’s Spring Mountains. This year-round recreation area is notable for its hiking trails, picnic areas, campsites and rustic accommodation spots. Its temperature is typically 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit lower than in Las Vegas, which makes it a popular destination for locals to escape the desert heat. It offers cool mountain breezes and fresh air for its visitors. By crossing anywhere from kid-friendly trails to expert hikers’ preferred paths, adventurers can enjoy diverse locations like waterfalls, caves and forest areas. These options allow them to really get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life.
Even the road on the way to Mount Charleston is a sight to behold. It provides travelers with a stunning drive up from Las Vegas’ desert valley floor to Mount Charleston’s alpine forested mountainside. It is home to many trees such as juniper, aspen and ponderosa pine and mountain mahogany. It also hosts a variety of animals including wild burros, deers, desert tortoises, wild horses, songbirds, among many others.
Springs Preserve
The Springs Preserve boasts 180 acres of nature walks, colorful botanical gardens, museum galleries, wetland habitats, an ampitheater, an indoor theater, cafes and restaurants and a farmers market selling organic produce and other regionally grown and prepared goods. Located just about 3 miles west of Downtown Las Vegas, this attraction is built around the city’s original water source known as the Las Vegas Springs.
Springs Preserve houses the Desert Living Center, Nevada State Museum, Origen Museum and a couple of trails and gardens that serve as hubs for nature-focused and health-inspired programs, activities and classes. Visitors can enjoy live animal shows, family-friendly movie nights, native plant shops, historical and contemporary exhibits and a variety of interactive attractions focusing on the exploration of nature and how people can conserve water and live sustainably in a desert city. The area also offers great panoramic views of The Strip, which can be enjoyed while eating snacks or sipping coffee.
Sunrise Manor
Sunrise Manor may not have distinct attractions to offer, but it has one of the finest views of the entire Las Vegas Valley. By simply driving a few minutes east of Las Vegas, families and friends can find ample space to enjoy sights of fireworks, air shows, mountains and deserts around the city, fanciful lights and buildings along The Strip, or any quiet area for solitude. This destination is mainly an ideal spot for people who want to go somewhere to do absolutely nothing, which is in contrary to the more popular tourism offerings of the bustling city.