Ah, Las Vegas. We all want to go at least once in our lives because everything and everyone has told us that it is the ultimate trip. And it is, especially if you’re 21 or older and you go with some friends. You can go to every casino that Vegas offers, which also means hitting every bar and club that each casino has to offer. Not to mention that every hotel has a pool and if you plan your Las Vegas trip in the summer, while you can lounge by the pool with a drink in your hand at any time of any day. It is the ultimate place to go if you are looking to have a fun cocktail-filled time.
While a Las Vegas trip is where you if you’re ready to party, it can also get to be super crowded and some days you just don’t want to deal with the crowds. You don’t want to be pushed up against a whole other group of ladies at the crowded hotel pool and you don’t want your group to become part of the group of guys seated at the bar closest to your favorite casino table. When you want to avoid the typical Las Vegas crowd, there are actually plenty of fun things to do that are located off of The Strip and away from the typical Vegas crowd. Here is a list of things to do that are located off The Strip, but still perfect for any Las Vegas trip. Stray a bit from the normal Vegas path and give them a try.
These artistic rock formations are located just 10 miles off The Strip and have become a typical stop for almost all Las Vegas trips. The colorful totems contrast beautifully with the desert, making it one of the most Instagram worthy spots in all of Las Vegas. Your best photos won’t even be taken on the famous Las Vegas Strip, they’ll be taken here! The Seven Magic Mountains were created by Ugo Rondinone, a Swiss artist who brought the 30+ foot exhibit to the desert as an expression of human presence in the desert. The exhibit looks the best as the sun is going down for the evening because that’s when the neon colors really start to pop. So grab your camera and head to the Seven Magic Mountains for the perfect photo of your Las Vegas trip.
Once you step away from The Strip there are tons of national parks that you can enjoy during your Las Vegas trip. One of the parks that has the coolest color palette is the Valley of Fire. The wavy red and white lines that can be found on the Aztec sandstone that covers the park are really a marvel to look at. Plus, there’s tons of petrified trees and petroglyphs that have been around for over 2,000 years. You can see all of them as you take a guided tour through the park. This is the perfect way to see what other type of outdoors the state has to offer while you’re on your Las Vegas trip. You can picnic and even camp overnight if you just aren’t ready to get back to the bustle of the city.
This activity will give you a whole new perspective of Vegas. If heights and adrenaline are something that you can easily deal with then why not give tandem skydiving a go during your Las Vegas trip. There are various different skydiving facilities that will take you up above Sin City that will give any first-time jumper the experience of a lifetime. When you go skydiving, you’ll see incredible views of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Colorado River, The Strip, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, and Mt. Charleston. You can go from the crowded streets of The Strip to the skies, but still be able to see everything beautiful that Vegas has to offer. Grab your buddies and take a trip above the city for a rush during your Las Vegas trip.
Here’s a super out-of-the-box idea for your Las Vegas trip. Did you ever play with things like toy bulldozers, dump trucks, and excavators in the dirt when you were a kid? Well now you can hop in one of those things as an adult and go digging! That’s right, you can schedule a session where you and your friends can operate heavy machinery and dig up some of that remarkable Las Vegas desert. You can build huge mounds, knock over tires, dig gigantic trenches, and even play “Bucket Basketball.” This is the perfect activity for your Las Vegas trip if you’re looking to play around in the dirt and operate some crazy machinery. You’ll be laughing and connecting with that child that only wished they could one day operate a machine like that for real.
Big fan of horror movies? Looking to visit an actual ghost town and maybe even get scared in the process? Then you should check out the Wild Wild West Haunts of Eureka Nevada. Something that most people don’t know is that Nevada has more ghost towns than it has populated towns. Once you travel away from the craziness of The Strip you can find some of the spookiest places in Nevada. Eureka is known as the friendliest town on the loneliest road and everyone there is welcoming – even the ghosts. There are plenty of haunted locations in the town and if you’re looking to do a little ghost hunting this is where you need to be. Old saloons, old bars, the old opera house, and the old café with apartments above it are just some of the places you can step inside to round out your spooky stop on your Las Vegas trip.
Not all the fun comes from the renowned Las Vegas Strip. Once you take a step away from the hustle and bustle of that part of Nevada you can find some amazing things to do other than gambling, drinking, and lounging by a pool. Don’t get me wrong all of those things are fun, but sometimes we just need to find something else to make a Las Vegas trip better.
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