I thought it would be fun to write about my first time visiting Las Vegas, Nevada. While many people go to Las Vegas to spend their time on The Strip, whether it is for a birthday celebration or a bachelorette party, my boyfriend and I actually went to visit his brother and future sister-in-law. Since we were visiting family, we had a different experience while visiting. For instance, rather than staying in a hotel during our stay, we stayed in their suburban home on the outskirts of the city. However, since this was our first time ever traveling to Nevada, we still had to partake in all of the touristy attractions. While many immediately think of the craziness of The Strip when they think of Las Vegas, which we of course spent a good portion of our time, we explored some other fun, must-see attractions if you are ever visiting.
1. Red Rock Canyon
Prior to traveling to Las Vegas, I did a little research on things we can explore other than The Strip. To my surprise, I came across the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which encompasses 195, 819 acres within the Mojave Desert. Since I love hiking, I was excited to discover this canyon exists right in Las Vegas, so if you are staying on The Strip, it would be very feasible for you to visit this beautiful spot. Red Rock Canyon offers a scenic drive (if you do not wish to hike), various hiking trails, a visitor center to learn more about the area and their mission, and a gift shop. Although there was a fee of $15 to enter, Red Rock Canyon is absolutely breathtaking and is definitely worth it. I would love to go back here to explore all of the trails we did not have time to see...there was way too much to explore in just one day. Red Rock Canyon was my favorite spot to visit throughout our entire trip!
2. The Hoover Dam
We were told that the Hoover Dam is a must-see spot when visiting Nevada, so we took a little trip to visit this location. Although you are able to take tours, we decided to just drive and walk around the area ourselves. One of the coolest aspects of this area is how you can stand in Nevada and Arizona at the same time! It was even more exciting for us since when we visited, Arizona was an hour ahead of time since the state does not observe daylight savings time. You are also able to walk over the Hoover Dam by-pass, which provides a very different perspective of the dam. This walkway connects Nevada and Arizona, so you can walk across state borders. Although we were not here for too long, it was still a cool experience and definitely worth seeing at least once!
3. Fremont Street
For those that do not know, Fremont Street is a five-block entertainment district located in Downtown Las Vegas. Similar to The Strip, Fremont has casinos, shops, food, and various other activities/events. However, many say the casinos here are cheaper than the ones located on The Strip. Additionally, Fremont Street has ziplining, free entertainment, such as live bands and dancers, and other special events that are announced on their website. Although Fremont Street was equally as crowded as The Strip itself, I definitely recommend checking out this additional classic Las Vegas location.
4. The High Roller
Even though The High Roller is located directly off The Strip and is owned by the LINQ Hotel, I thought it was a must-do activity for first time Las Vegas visitors. The High Roller is essentially a giant enclosed observation wheel. It provides 360-degree views of the surrounding Las Vegas Valley and The Strip. It is amazing to view the chaos of the city below you. Once you board, it takes about 30 minutes to complete the revolution, which provides ample time for you to admire the sights and take your pictures. Again, even though this famous attraction is a part of the LINQ Hotel, which offers various other activities, I thought The High Roller was worthy of its own featured segment.
5. A Las Vegas Show
I have always enjoyed watching magic shows, hypnosis stunts, and Broadway shows. So, I knew when we were going to visit Las Vegas, we just had to see a show of some sort! A few weeks prior to our departure, we researched all the different shows Vegas has to offer. Although there were so many options, we decided to purchase tickets to see Criss Angel Mindfreak. Ever since I was little, I have heard of Criss Angel and his hypnosis/illusion magic show. Since he is so well-known and provides a "classic" type of Vegas show to see, we all agreed to go to his show together. It was a great show full of various forms of magic, and I highly recommend it if you are thinking of seeing a show while visiting!
6. The Strip
Of course, I could not write a Las Vegas travel guide without mentioning this world famous street. While on our extended weekend trip, we spent a fair amount of time on The Strip. As many people know, this iconic street in Las Vegas is home to numerous famous hotels and casinos. Almost every hotel/casino is known for a unique feature, whether it is their theme, an attraction on their property, or the way the casino simply looks. For instance, the Bellagio has a huge water show display every 15-30 minutes and The Venetian has gondola rides available for purchase. While visiting, we tried to go into as many casinos as possible, including The Flamingo, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, New York-New York, The Venetian, and more. You can easily spend hours wandering around the different hotels/casinos...we did not even get to half of them during our day exploring The Strip!
Even if you are not interested in gambling, I still recommend exploring this very dense, populated area. Not only are there countless hotels/casinos to explore, but there are many shops and restaurants located here as well. Additionally, on the south end of The Strip, you can find the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. This is an iconic picture that you must take if it is your first time visiting! There will be a line for photos, along with a company that takes free pictures (you should still tip), but it is definitely worth it to visit this famous sign. If you are walking, this will allow you to see a good portion of the four-mile street to see everything The Strip has to offer.
I hope my Las Vegas Travel Guide provided you with some ideas to help you plan your own trip! Like I said, there are so many places to check out other than The Strip. We were only in Nevada for an extended 4-day, jam-packed weekend, so if you are visiting, I highly recommend finding even more fun activities to do in Nevada...viva Las Vegas!
Many more adventures to come,
Ashley
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