Most people go to Las Vegas, Nevada for gambling, drinking and partying. However, if you grow tired of these activities or are just not into that sort of thing, it doesn’t mean you have to sit in your hotel room. Here are two options of things you can easily do in a day or even in an afternoon. However, they are on opposite sides of the city so it is probably not the best to try to do them on the same day.
The first, and best known option is visiting Hoover Dam. Probably planning two to three hours for a visit is a good parameter for the time you would spend there. The dam is not hard to find as it is just off highway 93 going south toward Arizona. It lies on the Nevada-Arizona border.
When you enter the dam area you will need to go through a security check point with your car. Depending on traffic that can take some time. Then you need to park which can be a challenge. There is covered paid parking which on a hot day can be nice. However, if you don’t want to pay to park, there are options. We looked for free parking and had to drive a ways up and over the dam. Since it can get very hot there, especially in the summer, be prepared to walk in the heat if you choose a free spot.
Hoover Dam is an amazing engineering feat. It was built during the Depression and took about five years to build. It provided employment for many men during this difficult era in America’s history.
This time frame also correlated to the art deco era. As a result the dam has a number of beautiful art deco features. You can see these features even in some of the mundane things like the signs. It is interesting to see the artistic nature of this large structure.
There are several tour options. We took the power plant tour which went inside of the dam. It was not that expensive and well worth the money. The tour goes down to see the inner workings of the dam. There you will see the turbines that are generating electricity as well as learn about some of the challenges of the dam. When you finish the tour, you enter an observation area only available to those who take a tour. Your ticket will also then get you into some other exhibits as well so it is worth it. There is a large gift shop to peruse as well as some food opportunities if you are so inclined to indulge before you leave.
If you are making a day of it you can also visit Lake Mead, the lake created by the dam. We didn’t have time to check it out on our recent visit, but there are a number of recreational activities available in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Driving west of Las Vegas leads to a number of places you can go to get out into Nevada’s nature depending on how much time you have. One easy trip is to Red Rock Canyon. From the strip it will probably take about 30 minutes to arrive at the park which is off of highway 159
The park is actually a driving loop going one way. You enter near the information center and then continue on in a loop. At the information center visitors need to stop and pay the entrance fee. Of course having an America the Beautiful card will get seniors in with no extra fee. There is also a nice gift shop here as well as information about the park.
As you drive around the loop, there will be places to stop. Stopping at undesignated places on the road is not permitted. The first part has the most colorful rocks. The red rocks make it a busy stop. Here you can get up close to the rocks and hike along the cliffs.
The third stop is all about the sandstone. At one time this area was a sandstone quarry with large sandstone blocks sold around the region. Visitors can still see some large blocks left after the quarry shut down.
Later you will come to the high viewpoint that allows you to see much of the park. It’s a good place to stop for pictures.
Midway through the drive there is a road that goes off to the right. There is a shaded picnic spot if you want a break. Near the mountains is an area where there are some native American drawings. The trail to them is not well marked but just keep moving over to the cliffs.
From here there are a few more stops that overlook the very rocky mountain areas.
We visited in June with high temperatures so we mostly stayed in our vehicle and enjoyed the scenery. However, if you visit in cooler times, there are quite a few hikes available, and rock climbing is also a popular activity if you are really adventurous.
These two different locations provided us with great experiences. Have you been to Las Vegas and found some great activities nearby? If so share them in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.