1. Valley of Fire State Park

How about accessing Nevada’s oldest state park, which is about an hour away from the northeast of the Vegas Strip?
Sounds crazy?
Nope, it isn’t, because after catching a glimpse of the ochre-red Aztec sandstone outcroppings that characterize the 40,000 acres, there’s no surprise how the place got its name.
You may find the rocks here are only one of many attractions, and around it is circa-1935 open space, covered with trees and petroglyphs that are believed to be around 2,000 years old.

2. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Get set ready to enjoy the rock-climbing, mountain-biking, hiking, pictograph-hunting, botany-identifying, wildlife-watching and bouldering at Red Rock Canyon.
It is an expansive Bureau of Land Management-owned parcel due west of Las Vegas, near Summerlin. Here visitors get to access most trailheads off the 13-mile scenic driving loop, which lets you visit the informative visitor center in the first few miles.
Also, there is a limited number of campsites are available too and don’t forget to enjoy the Cowboy Trail Rides, that can be experienced just outside the park and end up inside the park on a vista, looking east.
For any type of age group, the rides are perfect.

3. Seven Magic Mountains

The seven rock towers comprise the Seven Magic Mountains installation in the Mojave Desert, which is a quick 15 minutes away south of Las Vegas and rise from the drab landscape like rainbow-colored totems.
This very part of Las Vegas is the vision of Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, who has brought the creative impression of the human experience in the desert.
Within this, each tower has locally-sourced boulders, and each stands more than 30 feet tall. You can view them from the I-15 Interstate, and reaching them is a little trickier but full of adventurous.

4. A Mysterious Ghost Town

OOOHHH scary, no am not referring to spooktober Halloween month, but this place Nipton — population 16 is not the ordinary ghost town.
Got relieved???
So basically this town is covered by the major industries of mining and ranching, which got pulled out years ago. And, you may find the remains of the ramshackle buildings from more vibrant times.
Eslinger runs the Nipton Trading Post, the only store in town. There is also a Hotel Nipton and its eco-cabins, the only accommodations for non-residents. However, this entire town was purchased in early August by American Green Inc., a marijuana-focused technology and growing firm that plans to turn it into a “cannabis-friendly hospitality destination.

5. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

Tule (pronounced too-lee) and lets you get overtly mesmerized by seeing the past as present at this site, which in 2014 became a National Park Service site.
Currently, it is located 30 minutes northwest of Las Vegas, and the area is teeming with fossils that date back all the way to the Ice Age — mammoths, lions and camels, to name a few.
Another side of the fame this place has received is the story of Pleistocene paleontology, which was the first site where scientists first applied radiocarbon dating in the United States.
You can roam around the site, and get to meet the nonprofit Protectors of Tule Springs, who would explain to you every bit of this site’s story.

6. Hoover Dam

Mentioning Las Vegas without the Hoover Dam is impossible and it is very famous not just for its beauty but for another reason as well that suggests that every casino here gets the power from the dam.
The dam, is located around 30 minutes southeast of Las Vegas, spans the Black Canyon of the Colorado River and forms the southern terminus of Lake Mead.
Technically, it’s also called an arch-gravity dam, meaning that it’s curved in such a way that water pressing on it makes it stronger. You can take the tour of this place at the cost of $30 only.

7. Spring Mountains National Recreation Area

Ever thought of seeing snow in the Las Vegas Valley?
Then you must visit the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, which is about an hour north of downtown.
Locals know this place as Mount Charleston, and temperatures in the park usually run about 20 degrees cooler than on the Valley floor.
You must visit this place during summer, which brings the escape from the 115-degree heat, and during the winter, it turns out to be snow-covered peaks and supports the ski resort.
Also, you can find the Spring Mountains ecosystem, which is famous for bristlecone pines, among the oldest life forms on Earth.

8. River Mountains Loop Trail

The most scenic beauty of the town is situated in the 34-mile River Mountains Loop Trail, this River Mountains is Iocated around 45 minutes southeast of the Strip, and that connects the Boulder City, Henderson and the wilderness along with.
The most adventurous portion of the trail is between Lake Las Vegas and Henderson, which is located between three successive hills, each taller and more challenging than the last. Locals call these rises the “Three Sisters.”

9. Lake Las Vegas

This very lake is surrounded by resorts and pricey homes from celebrities like Celine Dion. This lake has the area of the 320-acre and is situated about 40 minutes southeast of the Strip.
Eventually, it is a recreation hotspot, where you can enjoy renting kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and rowboats. Also, you can enjoy golf.

10. Lake Mead National Recreation Area

It isn’t a lake at all, but spread across 112 miles long and is more than 530 feet deep, it’s the largest reservoir in the United States. It is made out of the Colorado River by the Hoover Dam. This very “lake” is about 45 minutes southeast of Sin City and gives the drinking and irrigation water to residents of three states: Arizona, Nevada, and California.
You may find the mesmerizing source of recreation; sailing, jet skiing, boating, sportfishing –and every other water sport, which is liked by the locals and visitors.

This very list brings out a very different but engaging aspect of Las Vegas and can even let you experience the other frolic side of the sin city, which is not possible to be seen elsewhere.
Stay hooked to my space from enthralling information coming to your way.

Other Best Destinations Around Las Vegas

11. THE STRIP

The 2.5-mile-long central section of Las Vegas Boulevard, which runs through the city from northeast to southwest, known as the Strip, is lined with huge entertainment palaces, many built with a defining theme and home to performance venues, luxury hotel rooms, and fine dining. The Strip is particularly impressive at night, when the city is illuminated by an endless succession of glittering neon signs.
Most visitors enjoy walking along the Strip and taking in the sights. Generally speaking, the Las Vegas Strip runs from the Mandalay Bay Hotel to Treasure Island Hotel. To truly experience Las Vegas, stay on the Strip, preferably at one of the major resorts.

12. FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE

In old downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street is a pedestrian-only area with all kinds of unique sites. A five-block section of Fremont Street is covered over with a canopy of LED lights that illuminate the sky in a spectacle of different colors and designs as you walk below. Known as the Fremont Street Experience, each night a fantastic music and visual show takes place overhead. Street performers and special entertainment acts often perform outdoors in this area. Fremont Street is in downtown Las Vegas, a few kilometers from the Strip. It is best to take a taxi to reach this area. Or, if you want to truly experience Las Vegas at night, take the 3.5-hour Las Vegas Lights Night Tour, which includes the Fremont Street light show and highlights along the Strip.

13. HIGH ROLLER FERRIS WHEEL ON THE LINQ

The High Roller Ferris wheel is at the far end of the Linq Promenade, just off the Strip. This huge Ferris wheel stands 550 feet high and takes thirty minutes for one full rotation, providing outstanding views over the strip and surrounding area from the capsules. Each cabin, as they are called, can hold up to 40 people. Views are particularly outstanding at night with the city lights in full glow.

14. MOB MUSEUM

The Mob Museum, or the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement as it is officially named, is a truly unique and standout museum in Nevada. The museum is housed in a 1933 Neoclassical building, formerly the US Post Office and Courthouse, that has its own history. It was one of the locations for the famous Kefauver Committee hearings in 1950, which revealed some ugly truths about organized crime in Las Vegas and across the US.
The museum tells the history of the Mob in America through engaging, interactive displays and video clips. Exhibits deal with everything from the individual characters and events to the culture and fashion associated with the times.

15. NEON MUSEUM

The bright and colorful neon signs of Las Vegas have been one of the city’s most memorable sights for countless visitors throughout the years. These multi-story advertising beacons became one of the city’s claims to fame. Today, the Neon Museum is working hard to preserve some of the city’s history by purchasing, storing, and in some cases, refurbishing the historic neon signs that have gone by the wayside as businesses have faded or new signs have taken the place of older icons.
You can see many of these signs by taking a guided tour at the Neon Museum, where old neon signs are stored outside in a large compound. Guides provide the history of the signs and designs, which have evolved over the years. Efforts at the museum are ongoing, and signs stand in varying conditions. In some cases, only a portion was saved or found, while others have been restored to their former glory. This contrast makes the museum that much more interesting and gives visitors insight into how much work and upkeep is required with these giant signs.

16. STRATOSPHERE TOWER

The Stratosphere Tower is an unmistakable sight on the Las Vegas skyline. The tower rises up 1,149 feet, and on the rooftop of the tower are a variety of heart pounding thrill rides, including the SkyJump, Big Shot, X Scream, and Insanity. For those looking for a little less drama, there is an indoor and outdoor observation deck with great views over the city. The Stratosphere Tower claims the “tallest freestanding observation tower in the USA.”

17. VEGAS INDOOR SKYDIVING

Vegas Indoor Skydiving offers a truly unique experience. Here, visitors will get to experience what actual skydiving is like, without an airplane or parachute. Qualified instructors escort participants to a vertical wind tunnel where they are suited up in special gear. Once the fan is turned on, anyone can float effortlessly in the air. No experience is necessary.

18. MADAME TUSSAUDS

Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas is near the escalators leading up to the Venetian Hotel on the Strip. Here, visitors can see their favorite stars preserved forever in wax. In many cases, the figures are so lifelike it is almost eerie. Figures range from Elvis to Bradley Cooper and Sofia Vergara. The overall focus or theme of Madame Tussaud’s is on people who are associated with Las Vegas.

19. LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Fans of fast cars will want to head over to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Located in Clark County 15 miles northeast of the Strip, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1,200-acre complex of multiple automobile racing tracks just right for the speed-freak in you. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is home to NASCAR races, as well as a number of other racing events. Several speed records have been set at the track. The Speedway features multiple restaurants, and for those wishing to stay overnight, camping is available. Check the website for the latest upcoming events and pricing.

20. EXCALIBUR HOTEL

The Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas is another theme hotel on the Strip. Decked out in medieval character, the hotel features some wild architecture, complete with turrets. The hotel has all the amenities a visitor could possibly imagine, with varied entertainment, a huge pool area, and a good assortment of restaurants.