Most people who visit Las Vegas know about Red Rock Canyon, which offers some great hikes within half an hour of the strip. But if you’re willing to drive an hour away, you’ll find yourself in the magical Valley of Fire State Park!
Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. We’ve only been able to check it out once, but we know there is a lot to see with rock structures like the White Domes, Arch Rock, and Elephant Rock.
We decided on our first visit to hike to the Fire Wave! Although it’s not on the official brochure yet, this is a well-marked trail that is easy to find. If you head towards White Domes, parking lot #3 (the 3rd one from White Domes) is where you would park. The trailhead is across the street.
The trail is just under a mile that is made up of sand, hard pack and rock. Fire wave itself is beautiful! The natural patterns in the rock and shape of the formation really makes you feel like you’re standing on a wave that’s on fire. Part of it even swirls up like an ice cream cone.
We had a great time there and can’t wait to go back to explore the rest of the park.! We hope the next time we’ll be able to catch a great sunset so that we can photograph the Fire Wave again.
FIRE WAVE HIKE
Distance: 1.5 mile roundtrip Difficulty: Easy
Valley of Fire State Park
29450 Valley of Fire Road
Overton, Nevada 89040
702.397.2088
Have you heard of ClassPass? If you’re anything like us, we have a hard time sticking to any particular workout schedule or routine. Partly because anytime we do get into one, we travel and end up dropping the ball. Or we just get bored. I heard about ClassPass through a friend of mine who started using it for a few months in the Bay Area. At the time it was only available in SF, and I was envious. I love trying new classes but don’t like paying the expensive one off class fees.
Months later I was happy to hear that they had expanded to Vegas too! The way it works is that you get access to some of the best studios in your city for one monthly membership. You essentially get a membership to a bunch of gyms with one pass. That means you can cycle, yoga, box, barre, bootcamp, dance… you can do it all! During this past month, we checked out four different studios:
Shine Alternative Fitness
Started by Cirque du Soileil performers, they focus on what they call ‘The Art of Fitness’. You have a lot of fun, and it’s a beautiful way to stay in shape. I did the Aerial Silks Level 1 class while my girlfriends were in town. When else do you get a chance to be instructed by Cirque performers?
The Body Bar(re)
With multiple locations in Vegas, Barre seems to be a trend that is all over the nation. Focused on precise movements to strengthen the muscles, the workout is a lot harder than it looks. We took the (Re)shape-Classic Mixt Barre class and definitely felt the burn! I dragged Jacob with me, and he was the only guy in the class, but you could tell he was struggling through the exercises too. If you do plan on taking the class, I recommend getting these socks, otherwise it’s really slippery!
SurfSET Las Vegas
SurfSET Las Vegas offers really unique classes on surfboards. It adds a whole new element to exercises you already know and introduces you to new ones. We actually visited SurfSET Las Vegas for a couple of classes. We started with their Balance Session, and did their Blend Session a week later. The Balance Session is a great introduction class that gets you more comfortable on the board and the Blend Session kicked our butts with more cardio and strength involved. BEST AB WORKOUT EVER!
Big Cat Boxing
The last studio we checked out was the Big Cat Boxing Gym. As we walked in to meet Dion, The Big Cat, he told us that training with him for 6 weeks will get you in the best shape of your life. After our first workout, I believe it! We did the Tone Tuesday workout and got our butts kicked in the best way possible. Also, if you’re a germ-a-phobe like me, bring your own wraps. These are the ones I have.
We’ve had a lot of fun checking out different studios and hope to check out more. The best part of this is that when we travel to a participating city, we can check out gyms there too! Check out the full list here.
We’ve never done a mystery dinner theater show before so we were excited to experience Alibi Las Vegas! It isn’t like any ordinary dinner theater show, or any show we’ve seen for that matter. It’s an interactive experience that is a cross between a show, scavenger hunt, comedy, and mystery, with food and drinks!
The day before the show you get a text from Cuddles the showgirl with instructions on where to meet. I had signed up a month prior and forgot about it, so the text came as a bit of a surprise. Who was this Cuddles? And do I tell my wife about her?
When we arrived to our meeting spot it only took a couple minutes before we saw Cuddles come frolicking across the street. She went about her business until some of the others from our group introduced themselves and we followed suit. Then the fun began!
We followed Cuddles to our first destination as she told us about the area and worked in bits of the story. After arriving, we ordered drinks (soft drinks or good ‘ole PBR). We talked and heard more about her background before she gave us the first clue!
After our group figured it out, we said farewell and made our way to the next destination. We continued to meet others, including an Elvis impersonator, the mastermind, and a paranoid conspiracy theorist. We got new clues that brought us throughout downtown Las Vegas and the story continued to unfold. We don’t want to give too much away, but we had a great time!
Since it’s an interactive show, you get more out of it when your willing to dive into the story. The actors are hilarious, and all of the characters have amazingly deep backstories. After the show, Esther and I wondered if we should have prodded more about their past to see what they would have come up with.
The show took roughly 2.5 hours and included 2 rounds of drinks and lunch. It’s a unique experience and we’re glad we got a chance to check it out before leaving Vegas.
Check out our vlog here (and if you’d like to see more vlogs, give us a thumbs up!)
Find out more about the show and book your tickets here.
Use coupon code: LOCALADVENTURER for discounted ticket prices of $49 (normally $65)
Gold Strike Hot Springs is easily our favorite hike in Vegas so far! It has beautiful scenery, some fun scrambling, and you’re rewarded with a natural hot springs where you can relax and take a dip. Roughly 40 minutes from the strip, the trailhead is in between Boulder City and Hoover Dam.
The first 40-50 minutes are easy. You walk through a wash and weave through the canyons.
You’ll pass by a bridge, a deteriorated car on the ground, and see some wedged in the cliffs, which I’m sure have interesting stories behind them.
Here’s a white cooler for you to leave any extra water you might have for others who were less prepared. When we checked, people seem to be using it as a trash bin. :/
Soon afterwards, you’ll come across a bunch of boulders that you have to make your way around and over. Keep your eye out for spray-painted markers that point you in the right direction.
Looking back at the first obstacle of boulders we came down.
We found mice and a california kingsnake hiding in the boulders!
After another 7-8 minutes of walking, you’ll come across your first set of ropes. The rock is definitely slippery, but as long as you watch your step, it’s easy to get down.
We climbed down two more ropes before we saw the first glimpse of water.
There is a small pool where the springs start, and you can see it continue to flow down the canyon.
A short walk after our initial sighting led us straight to the hot springs. After climbing down another rope, we stripped down and took a dip in the Cave of Wonders pool! The water was really warm. It wasn’t quite a hot tub but a really comfortable hot bath.
While I sat and enjoyed it, Jacob ran down the trail a bit further to see what he could find. A short run took him to the ledge of another dropoff, so he decided to come back up. Another hiker headed out said that the river was another 30 minutes or so of hiking.
After relaxing for about half an hour, we got dressed and headed back up. It was getting dark and we wanted to be sure we weren’t stuck scrambling up the canyons without light. We were worried about climbing back up the ropes (since I have little to no upper body strength), but it turned out to be easier than we thought.
This was our first hike leaving our DSLR behind and using our new point and shoot camera! It has been amazing especially for vlogging, and I think the photos came out pretty decent too. Thoughts?
Total Distance: 6.5 miles round trip to the Colorado River and back.
Difficulty: Mostly easy with some class 4. When using the ropes, it’s much easier to go down backwards to leverage the ropes.
Time: Allow yourself a half day if you want to make it to the river. We only hiked to the Upper Pools hot springs and it took us 3 hours in and out. We also stopped a lot for video and photos and soaked in one of the pools for 30 mins. We started our hike at 4:45 and arrived back to our cars at 7:45. We still had enough light, but we were cutting it close.
Parking: After a short drive down a dirt pathway, there is plenty of space to pull off and park your car. The trailhead is clearly marked at the end of the road.
Try avoiding hiking in the summer, the heat can be unbearable, and you won’t get a chance to enjoy the hot springs. The deaths that have happened on this hike have been from unpreparedness and heat strokes. Also avoid hiking during rain. Flash flooding occurs in the canyons.
There have been some incidences of naegleria fowleri (aka brain eating amoeba) infection, but it has been rare. It most commonly enters via nasal passage, so avoid getting water in your nose.
Watch out for snakes! On this particular hike, we only saw a California kingsnake, which is not poisonous, but we’ve seen rattlesnakes while hiking around Vegas too.
Bring plenty of water, at least 2L in the summer. We hiked in early May around sunset time. It was 75 degrees F mostly cloudy, and we shared 1L. We probably could have brought more water though.
Wear solid hiking boots or shoes that have good grip. You can carry flip flops with you if you want to have something at the hot springs.
Please, please, please, take out what you bring in. We were disappointed with the amount of garbage lying around the trail when we visited. Respect the environment and make it a pleasant experience for future hikers.
Have you been to a natural hot springs? Which ones?
I went to the Mariah Carey Las Vegas debut a couple nights ago, and guys…. I can’t stop listening and singing her songs! It’s awakened the child in me who’s always wanted to be a singer just like her (I’ve shied away from that since, but can you believe I even took voice lessons? :P).
Because we saw the most disappointing Britney concert, I was nervous that this one might end badly too. Everyone already thinks that Las Vegas is where you go when your career is over.
However, Mariah’s show made me feel like I was witnessing something extraordinary, and now I’m an even bigger fan of her. Even our friends who weren’t die-hard fans were impressed with her performance. It also helped that she was so charming on stage and knew how to work the crowd.
The set design wasn’t extravagant, and it was her voice that was the star of the show.
The performances to transition between her outfit changes seemed awkward and somewhat random. There was a drummer / dj, a male dancer, and a couple vocal performances, but it didn’t flow as smoothly. I’m sure these are some kinks that will be worked out as it was opening night.
I’ve read some of the reviews that are pretty harsh about her voice not being the way it used to be. I haven’t had the chance to see her live in her prime, but she still had amazing control over her voice. She killed it! I admit it wasn’t a flawless performance, and her voice was getting weaker midway through, but it’s no easy feat singing through 18 Mariah songs. None of them exactly give your voice a chance to rest and recover. I also have yet to see that long and flawless of a vocal performance from anyone, so I would like to see someone – anyone – do what she did flawlessly.
If the tickets weren’t so expensive, I would go see her again! Out of all the shows we’ve seen, though, this was one of the shows that was completely worth it!
Took all photos with the Canon G7X and the last one with iPhone6 since the battery died.
Sometimes it seems like the only way to enjoy Vegas is to risk losing money gambling, paying a lot for shows, or eating at expensive restaurants. But there are tons of free things to do if you know where to look. Most of these are family friendly too!
Located just off the strip, the Pinball Hall of Fame is a 10,000 square foot building filled to the brim with pinball machines! It was fascinating to see pinball machines from the 1950s all the way to present day, and there were a handful of other classic arcade games too. If you don’t want to spend any money you can go take photos and watch others play. Who knows? You might even find a quarter lying around! If you do spend money here, also know that all your money goes to charity.
Just a few miles from the strip is a strip of old vegas on Fremont Street that they’ve turned into a great area to walk around. One of the attractions there is the Fremont Experience where they have a lit canopy overhead with nightly light shows. There are 12.5 million lights up there!
3. Flamingo Wildlife Habitat – full post coming soon
Amidst all the flashing lights and noise of Vegas is a small piece of paradise. Check out the flamingo, exotic birds, fish, and turtles at Flamingo Hotel & Casino.
Although the main entrance has a fee, you can check out the Red Springs Loop, which has a free parking lot outside of the Scenic Loop. Check out our post for more details.
This is a favorite hang out spot amongst locals! It’s free to enter and they have a backyard with giant lawn games and fire pits. With so much to do, you can easily have a great time here without spending a penny.
First Friday Las Vegas is an art walk / art festival that takes place in downtown Vegas once a month. It’s a great way to see the local side of Vegas and hang with the natives.
The Bellagio does an amazing job at updating their gardens seasonally. We did a post of their 2014 Christmas display, but there’s always something new to see each season.
9. Fountains of Bellagio
Address:3600 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas NV 89109 Hours: Mon-Fri Every ½ Hour 3PM-8PM, Every 15 Min 8PM-Midnight; Sat-Sun Every ½ Hour 12PM-8PM, Every 15 Min 8PM-Midnight
This is probably one of the most iconic attractions in Vegas and they keep it fresh by creating new fountain shows with new music.
This is a great day hike that takes you to clear hot springs near the Colorado River. It does require a bit of scrambling, but the beautiful walk is worth it. See more details & vlog here.
Whether it’s Snickers, Dove, Twix, or M&M’s, we’ve all had Mars chocolate before. But did you know that after Forrest E. Mars, Sr retired, he created Ethel M Chocolates in his mother’s honor? This boutique chocolate shop is located in Henderson, NV and focuses on producing gourmet premium chocolates. Outside the building, there is a four-acre botanical cactus garden which features over 300 species of desert plants. It’s one of the world’s largest collections of its kind.
What’s better than a free circus? With acts flying through the air, jugglers, clowns, freestyle BMX, and more, there is plenty to keep you entertained.
There is a replica of the Ponte Vecchio bridge (original one is in Florence, Italy) at Lake Las Vegas. Take a stroll around the lake, browse the shops, and if you do want to take the romance up a notch, book yourself a romantic gondola ride so you can steal a kiss under the bridge.
14. The Aquarium at Silverton – full post coming soon
With over 4000 fish and 160 species from around the world, this aquarium is a great way to pass time. Kids especially love to interact with the mermaids. Mermaids Swims are scheduled Thurs 2:15PM-3:30PM, 5PM-6:45PM, 7:30PM-8:15PM; Fri-Sat from 2:15PM-3:30PM, 5PM-6:45PM, 7:30PM-9:15PM; Sun 11:30AM-12:45PM, 2:15PM-3:45PM, 5PM-6:45PM.
This volcano packs a punch with huge explosions, fireballs, and a soundtrack from The Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart and Indian table sensation Zakir Hussain.
Although you have to pay to get to the top, you can take pictures out front for free. A fun fact: this remake was initially planned to be an exact replica, but because the airport is so close, they were forced to make it smaller so it wouldn’t interfere with air traffic.
Created by classically trained singer, actors, and musicians, this “street” show in the Grand Canal Shoppes is a lot of fun and really gives you the vibe that you’re in Italy seeing street performers.
Their four-level store is full of color and wonderment. Create personalized M&M’s, take photos with their full-sized 18 NASCAR, and check out the free 3-D movie.
This 13,000-square-feet store makes its home at New York-New York Hotel. You can browse through all the Hershey’s products and if you can’t resist buying something, you can make customized chocolate bar wrappers and choose your favorite Kisses or Jolly Ranchers.
Found in Australia, this 61-pound golden nugget makes its home in the Golden Nugget lobby. It’s the biggest golden nugget in existence and second biggest ever discovered.
Famous for the TV Show, Pawn Stars, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is free to visit. There’s a gift shop and you can see items that have appeared on the show.
Take a photo with a million dollars. I’m not sure why I imagined that I could lay on top of the cash like in Breaking Bad, but because my expectations were off, it was one of my least favorite free attractions in Vegas. But free nonetheless! Sorry, I can’t hide my disappointment. haha
Las Vegas has a ton of celebrity chefs and restaurants. Ever since our meal at the French Laundry, we’ve been wanting to try more Michelin rated restaurants in town. Because we had some foodie friends coming to visit, it was our perfect opportunity to make our rounds.
Joel Robuchon is known as the “Chef of the Century” and has two restaurants on the strip. His flagship restaurant, named after himself, is a recipient of a three-star Michelin rating, and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon is a one-star Michelin restaurant with a more casual atmosphere. We have friends who have been to both, who told us the food itself is comparable. The only real difference is the atmosphere. Since we’ve been on a tight budget and wanted to try some other restaurants too, we decided to go to L’Atelier and save Joel Robuchon for a future date. :)
As you enter the restaurant, you get a glimpse of the open kitchen where the chefs are hard at work putting together each dish. There is plenty of bar seating available so you can watch them prepare your meal. We decided to go with a table so that we could catch up.
The menu gives you a few different choices. You can go with their Discovery Prix Fixe ($168), which gives you 9 courses and a couple different options for supplements, or you can choose from one of their create your own menu options. You can get a pre theatre meal ($49) in case you’re headed to see a show, or choose from two Menu sizes ($81-109) for a larger meal (5-6 course). I decided to try the Discovery Prix Fixe while Jacob got Menu A so that he could help me with mine. Our friends both got Menu B, and we pretty much shared all our dishes.
L’amuse-Bouche (foie gras parfait with port wine reduction and parmesan emulsion) on left; bread made in house at their bakery on right.
Les Endives (endive meli melo with foie gras shavings) on left.
Les Crevettes (shrimp carpaccio with yuzu vinaigrette with caviar supplement).
La Daurade Royale (king snapper ceviche on top of fresh creamy cilantro avocado) on left; Les Calamars (marinated calamari with baby vegetables in coriander white wine broth) on right.
L’œuf de Poule (soft fried egg with smoked salmon and baby winter salad) on left; Le Foie Gras (seared foie gras served with kabocha pumpkin gnocchi and chestnut confit) on right.
Le Celeri-Rave (celeriac remoulade with fresh wasabi mayonnaise and black truffle).
La Saint-Jacques (sea scallop cooked in teh shell with chive oil on an artichoke jus) on left; Le Foie Gras (foie gras herb tortellini served in a bouillon with white soy sauce) on right.
Le Saumon (salmon on a bed of spring vegetables with ginger baby spinach).
Les Pates (spiced maine lobster over orecchiete pasta) on left; Le Saumon (fresh salmon confit atop collard green and juniper berries with kale emulsion) on right.
Les Bœuf (glazed beef cheeks “burgundy style” wrapped in cannelloni, cumin carrots).
Le Bœuf (short ribs cooked in a red wine with glaze vegetables); Le Cochin de Lait (suckling pig confit, sauteed cabbage with ginger and black truffle) on right.
Les Fruits Tropicaux (litchi mousse on a thin blackcurrant tuile, caribbean sorbet).
Birthday chocolate cake on left!; Le Chocolat (spiced “cremeux” on sage crumbles with ginger ice cream).
Le Victoria (pineapple sorbet with cheesecake cream and jasmine gelee).
Overall the food was solid. I’m always impressed by the precision in preparation for French cuisine. His famous and signature Pommes Pureee (mashed potatoes) was underwhelming and there wasn’t anything that really stood out about the other dishes except the shrimp carpaccio. Maybe we expected too much from the chef of the century.
Between the different orders, I would recommend building your own menu with Menu B. We typically like trying the Prix Fixe as that should highlight the best of the best dishes, but in hindsight Menu A or B was the way to go.
*UPDATE* Overall, I would give L’Atelier a 4 out of 5. Originally, I gave it a 3 because friends told us the food was just as good as Joel Robuchon, which made me expect 3 michelin star food. For having only 1 michelin star, I need to adjust my expectations accordingly, and it’s one of the better meals we’ve had. There was nothing to complain about but also nothing to rave about. The best part of the meal was enjoying the company of friends and having an excuse to dress up.
Have you been to any Michelin rated restaurants? Which ones? What restaurants would you recommend in your city?
Whether it’s on TV or in your own city, I’m sure you’ve seen those group bikes with a bunch of people peddling together. We first saw them on the Google campus and have always been curious about the experience. Seems like a fun idea to be able to hang out with people and ride around town.
Vegas Pub Crawler is a fun twist on the traditional Pub Crawl. It’s a 2-3 hour tour where you’ll visit 4-6 of the best bars in Las Vegas, specifically DTLV. You start off by meeting in front of Pizza Rock and depending on the number of people in your group, others may join you on the ride.
After meeting your driver/guide, you start peddling to your first destination!
Our first stop was Atomic Liquors, which is the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas.
After hanging out there for 20-30 minutes, we headed over to Park on Fremont, which has great happy hour specials. It’s one of our favorite spots to eat, and you can read more about it on a post we wrote for Collaboreat!
Next was Gold Spike, another favorite hangout spot for locals. They have outdoor fire pits, giant lawn games, and a cool atmosphere. We loved that Vegas Pub Crawler was flexible, and while the final destination was Hogs & Heifers, we opted to spend the rest of our evening at Gold Spike.
All of the locations are fairly close by, but riding the bike makes the travel more fun. Each tour is customized based on the bars you want to go to, so feel free to mention where you want to stop by.
Full list of options (* next to our personal favorites):
Artifice
Atomic Liquors
Backstage Bar and Billiards (Triple “B”)
Bar and Bistro
Commonwealth*
Downtown Cocktail Room
Gold Spike*
Golden Gate Flare Bar
Hogs and Heifers
Longbar at The D
Nacho Daddy
Park at Fremont*
Pizza Rock
Radio City Pizza
Pro Tips for Visiting the Best Bars in Las Vegas with Vegas Pub Crawler:
Some of the bars offer specials just for your group! Be sure to listen to your guide.
If you want to get food, ask to stop at Park on Fremont. They have amazing garbage fries, fried pickles, and their Philly Mac’n’cheese is pure genius!
The tour doesn’t include any food or drinks, and unfortunately you can’t bring drinks on the bike itself, which they are working on getting approval for. If you don’t want to spend money on food, pack some snacks!
One of the most iconic structures in the US is the Hoover Dam. It’s located less than an hour away from Las Vegas, and we knew we couldn’t leave without visiting.
There are a couple tour options, but we decided to take the full hour tour. Throughout the tour, we got a chance to hear about the history of the Hoover Dam, see the huge pipes that transport almost 90,000 gallons of water each second through the generators, enjoy a panoramic view of the Nevada wing of the power plant, and get access to the visitor center.
The visitor center is made up of different exhibits and galleries that educate you on how everything works. There are some great interactive displays that kids can enjoy and test their skills.
Our favorite part of the tour is the observation deck where you get to see an amazing view of Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam, and the Colorado River.
The sun was so blinding! Don’t forget your sunglasses. :O
After spending about two hours on the tour and exploring the exhibits, we headed outside to see the views from the street.
Lake Mead is really beautiful, but at the same time, it was sad to see how low the water is getting. You can really get a sense of the drought from here.
Regardless of what route you decide to go, you should definitely check out this American icon. It does so much to support the southwest in both electricity and water, plus the history of how this behemoth was built is fascinating.
Parking Garage: 8AM to 5:15PM, $10 Fee Powerplant Tour (30 min guided tour): 9:25AM to 3:55PM $12-15 Hoover Dam Tour (1 hr guided tour): 9:30AM to 3:30PM $30 Visitor Center Admission: $10
Have you been to the Hoover Dam? What other American icons have you visited? What’s next on your list to visit?
We’re not avid museum goers, but because we’ve been hearing great things about The Mob Museum in Vegas, we had to include it in our Las Vegas Bucket List.
The first thing you notice when you arrive is the building that it’s in, which we later learned was the federal courthouse where one of the biggest mob hearings was held!
This museum has a great layout and flow. The third floor focuses on the mob story: how it began, who were the big players, and the rapid growth across America.
This is the actual wall from Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929:
A giant wall of mobsters – all the way up to present day:
After learning more about how the mob took over America, you can make your way down to the second floor to learn more about the other side of the story – those who were trying to take down the mob. You start off by sitting in the courtroom that some of the most iconic hearings were held with a multi-media presentation.
An interactive exhibit where you can test your skills:
They have a few stations where you can take photos and email them to yourself.
Overall, we would recommend giving this place a visit. It was fascinating reading all the details, and we learned so much new information about the mob. They also do a great job of making all the exhibits interesting and interactive.
Tips for Visiting the Mob Museum Las Vegas:
They offer audio tours in multiple languages and a guided tour if you’re interested.
We spent about 2 hours at the museum on our own, which was plenty of time to make it through. If you want to read everything, you could easily spend half the day there.
You can take the kids, too. They do a good job warning you which areas are graphic.
They offer local discounts and you can always find coupons hotel lobbies of hotels or anywhere you buy discount show tickets.
The High Roller Las Vegas is currently the biggest ferris wheel in the world – bigger than the London Eye and Singapore Flyer. Everyone seems to be competing for that number one spot, and there are ones being built right now that will eventually be taller, but right now this is it! We knew as a Las Vegas local, we had to check it off our ultimate Las Vegas Bucket List.
One of the few places on the Vegas strip that we would visit regularly is the LINQ. Parking was easy and it had more locals than any other part of the strip. The High Roller is part of the LINQ.
When it first opened, there was a long wait, but when we went there were no lines. Woohoo! When we arrived, we did see a long line right outside, but lucky for us, it turned out to be for Weird Al’s signing. How weird is it that we saw Weird Al right before our ride!
Each cabin holds up to 40 people and there are benches on either side. Our ride only had about 15 people in it, which was a good size group. Any more and you’ll probably be stuck at your view with nowhere else to go. We were able to roam around freely and check out the views in every direction.
To take photos, you have to avoid the reflections on the windows, but the glass was dirty too, which made it even harder.
The entire ride lasted about 30 minutes. The views were not bad, but you’re really looking down at parking lots or the backs of other hotels most of the time until you get near the top. We were expecting a nicer view. Since it’s set back from the strip itself, you don’t get the amazing views down the strip you would get from a hotel. We personally think if you book a room at the Cosmopolitan facing towards Bellagio, that’s one of the best views you can get.
We do think it’s a nice way to escape the Vegas heat since you’re in an enclosed unit with AC! Overall, we probably wouldn’t go on the ride again, but if you make bucket lists, we think it’s something worth checking out once, since it is currently the tallest ferris wheel in the world.
Pro Tips for Your Ride at the High Roller Las Vegas:
There is plenty of parking behind the wheel in a large lot. You can also valet right under the wheel. If it’s in the middle of the day, you can park in the LINQ parking deck or Flamingo parking deck to keep your car cool.
You can rent an entire cabin with a bartender on board for a private party.
Have you been on any observation wheel? Have you sought out the best views in your city?
Thank you Caesar’s for providing us with complimentary tickets.
All opinions, photos, text are our own.
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Anyone who has been to Venice knows that one of the most romantic activities is a gondola ride. Well, in theory, if the water didn’t stink. But if you hold your nose, the scenery is quite beautiful.
If you can’t make it out to Venice, Italy, then the next best thing happens to be at the Venetian in Las Vegas. It does feel a bit artificial, like Disneyland or all the rest of Vegas, but we think it’s a fun and iconic activity to do on the strip.
Each gondola seats up to four people, but if you’re looking for a more intimate ride, you have the option to rent out the entire gondola, which is what we did.
We did both the indoor and outdoor gondola ride. Since we went when the weather was cooler, we actually enjoyed the outdoor ride much more. Inside, there are tourists leaning over the rails watching and taking photos of you throughout your ride, but outside you get more privacy and open skies. If people are watching, at least they are farther away!
Helpful Tips for Your Venetian Gondola Ride Experience:
Indoor or Outdoor ride? We had initially thought the inside canals were connected to the pool on the outside, so it was disappointing to learn that you have to pay for two separate rides (indoor and outdoor) to get the entire experience. If you want the more iconic and touristy experience, get the indoor ride. If you want a more private and relaxing experience, get the outdoor ride. Just make sure it’s not during the heat of the summer.
To purchase tickets, look for the Emporio di Gondola storefront just past the St Mark’s Square along the canal.
Buy tickets early and plan ahead. If you have to wait around, there are plenty of shops and restaurants to go to. The rides get booked up quickly. We saw a few people walk away in disappointment, because there were no more rides left in the day. There was even a couple that just got married that didn’t want to wait 3 hours for the next open slot.
If you plan on doing the outdoor ride, we recommend booking close to sunset.
After you receive your ride time, you line up at the corresponding line, board the gondola and you’re off. Each of the gondoliers will sing a few songs for you and the ride lasts between 15-20 minutes.
They take a photo of you when you board that you have the option to purchase. You can also bring your own camera aboard.
If you’re willing to head out a bit further, we really enjoyed the Gondola rides on Lake Las Vegas, which take you under the replica of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. So much of Italy right in Las Vegas! :P
Gondola Rides at The Venetian
702.414.4300
Price: $21 per person for shared gondola, $84 for a private gondola
Indoor Hours: Sun-Thurs 10AM-11PM, Fri-Sat 10AM-12AM
Outdoor Hours: Daily 11AM-10PM
Is this an activity you would do in Las Vegas? What are some sites you want to see or activities you want to do? Have you seen our list of 101 Things to Do in Las Vegas?
Hi, friends! Today, I’m collaborating with Sophia on this post. I met her while second shooting her wedding back in the day, and we’ve been friends ever since. I’ve always admired how great of a storyteller and writer she is and how much compassion she has for others. On this post, I’m letting her do the writing. I usually enjoy taking the photos most anyhow. ;)
Happy Lunar New Year! It’s the Year of the Fire Monkey. Fire monkeys are known to be ambitious and adventurous, but irritable. If you’re a monkey, though, watch out. Typically the year of your zodiac is known as the most unlucky in the 12 year period.¹
In ancient China, most of the population worked in agriculture, using the moon to tell when was the right time to “plow the fields, sow seeds, nurture the crops, and gather the harvest.” Thus, the lunar calendar was born.² To commemorate Lunar New Year, I’d like to share my trip to visit Esther in Las Vegas last year, when we celebrated thew New Year together.
Bright red lanterns and paper umbrellas welcomed us into the tea lounge, reminiscent of the night sky on the streets of Beijing. A pair of ram horns floated in the air, above a resplendent orchid arrangement.
We would typically choose an authentic hole-in-the-wall over an elegant, 5-course meal restaurant. But to celebrate Esther’s birthday last month, we flew into Las Vegas, and traded in our tees and denim for teas and dresses by visiting the Mandarin Oriental (to check off her Vegas Bucket List).
A golden sheep greeted us, encircled by 3 pieces of chocolate. How could I have forgotten? It was Chinese New Year. The Chinese character for sheep, 羊, was painted in gold, atop each piece.
As we nibbled on our chocolates, we shared our Chinese family traditions. Hsiao’s family always enjoyed noodles, 长寿面, symbolizing longevity and fish. “The word for fish (鱼) sounds like the word for abundance (余), both pronounced yu.” In my family, my mom always cooked jai (罗汉斋), a vegetarian dish. “The ingredients are seen as symbols of good luck, such as fat choy, a black, vermicelli-like vegetable that is actually a bacteria, which sounds like the word for prosper in Cantonese, also fat choy.”¹³
Then three, large, ceramic teapots arrived, each filled with a different type of tea.
Hsiao chose the Mandarin Orange Blend, a black tea, and blended it the way the British do, with milk. The tea was less bold than I expected, but had a pleasant orange taste.
Jasmine Pearl White Tea was Esther’s favorite. It was refreshing and well balanced jasmine to white tea ratio, lending its lovely Jasmine aroma.
For myself, I chose Osmanthus Oolong. Usually I drink 铁观音 (Ti Kuan Yin) which has a very earthy tone. As with other oolongs, it had a rich flavor, but the osmanthus flowers gave a fruity aftertaste. It was tranquility from a Taiwanese mountaintop, in my cup.
We sipped our tea alongside an assortment of scones, sandwiches, and pastries. “It tastes just like scones in London,” Hsiao smiled, biting into a freshly baked scone with imported Devonshire clotted cream and jam.
Some of the dishes were less British, and more Asian, boasting of complex flavors and textures. Inside a mini crunchy cone, a smooth Singaporean curry paste was topped with a scoop of crisp Asian pear.
During our meal, Hsiao mentioned her nervousness over an upcoming exam.
“Can you chew gum? It increases brain flow,” Esther suggested.
“Or drink tea?” When I was in school, I used to drink honey green tea while studying or rotating through the hospital. Now, regardless of where I am, when I drink the same tea, I have flashbacks of all my school memories.”
“But did it help you in class?” Esther prodded.
“Probably not, but we should find these teas for you anyway, Hsiao!” We laughed, and her nervousness eased.
Since our families all lived far away, it was a delightful afternoon celebrating the Lunar New Year with my sisters in Christ, and sharing and carrying our burdens for one another.
We finished our tea, sipped until each teapot was empty. Our souls full of sweetness, our bellies full of gratitude.
Soapie is a nurse who grapples with life, death, and humanity. Journey along with her as she blogs at Searching for Substance. Go check out a post we worked on together here.
After zip lining in Bootleg Canyon, we grabbed lunch at the Coffee Cup, a local cafe in Boulder City that was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diner’s Drive-ins, and Dives. One of our zip line instructors was raving about it. We’ve only checked out a few other restaurants from the show but haven’t been disappointed so far.
The Coffee Cup
512 Nevada Way Boulder City NV 89005
702.294.0517
What we ordered at the Coffee Cup Boulder City:
Pork Chili Verde Omelet with Hashbrowns. I’m not huge on omelets, but we decided to give it a try since it was the recommended dish from the show. I love my waffle house hashbrowns, but the hashbrowns were thicker and the perfect consistency. :) Though I liked the omelet okay, the pork chili verde really made the dish, so next time I might just order a bowl of it instead.
BBQ Beef Sandwich. This is more the type of food we would order, and it did not disappoint.
I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here again, but if you’re already in the area zip lining or visiting Hoover Dam, I highly recommend you stop by. Check out the other yelp reviews.
Other restaurants on Diners Drive-Ins and Diners in the Las Vegas Area:
Bachi Burger (Southeast or Westside LV) – we’ve had this and it’s good.
Would you eat at the Coffee Cup?
Have you eaten at any of these Diners Drive Ins and Dives?
Do you watch the show?
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They move to a new city every year and currently live in Portland, Oregon.
Las Vegas dining has come a long way over the years and is clearly now one of the premier foodie destinations in the world. Cruising up and down The Strip; you’re constantly hit with billboards of the who’s who of celebrity chefs, and while that’s pretty awesome, there’s way more to Vegas than just “The Boulevard”! Amazing food can now be found in literally any direction. So whether you’re looking to dine like a baller or a pauper and everything in between, one thing is for sure….you’ll never leave this city hungry!
49 BEST PLACES TO EAT IN LAS VEGAS
THE STRIP
Joel Robuchon (MGM Grand, French, $$$$) – “Chef of the Century” by the guide Gault Millau, Robuchon’s famous 16-course dinner may bust some bank accounts, but it is absolutely incredible. The “Le Boeuf” (Beef Châteaubriand and foie gras, “Rossini” style with aged Porto) is decadence defined.
Picasso (Bellagio, French, $$$$) – Chef Julian Serrano brings together an amazing marriage of French and Spanish cuisine. Whether dining inside surrounded by original works of Pablo Picasso or the outdoor patio viewing the Fountains of Bellagio, it’s a win-win. Their “Pan Seared U-10 Day Boat Scallop with Potato Maousseline and Jus de Veau” is the greatest scallop I’ve ever had.
E by Jose Andres (Cosmopolitan, Spanish, $$$$) – Reservations to this incredible 20+ course dinner can only be requested online and then they actually send out golden tickets via mail in a wax sealed envelope. That’s only where the Willy Wonka comparisons start because the food is so cutting edge and creative, I half expected some oompa loompas to come out and serve dessert! The “foie gras cotton candy empanada” is what dreams are made of!
Carnevino (Palazzo, Italian, $$$$) – This Italian steakhouse by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich is a carnivore’s wet dream. I love the “Dry Aged Bone-in Ribeye” medium rare, which is rolled out to the table in a mini-oven and carved tableside.
Sage (Aria, American, $$$$) – No matter what you have, an excellent gourmet meal is a guarantee. The foie gras brulee is divine!
Rao’s (Caesars Palace, Italian, $$$) – Why deal with a two month waiting list for a table at the original location in NYC? This Vegas outpost can fit everyone! Dine in the Christmas room and order the best meatballs ever.
Bazaar Meat (SLS, Steakhouses, $$$$) – Get a group together and order the whole suckling pig. At $540, this must be ordered a couple of days in advance and will feed about 6 people.
Bacchanal Buffet (Caesars Palace, Buffets, $$$) – The biggest buffet in buffet history. With over 500 items to choose from, this is a feast of epic proportions. You’ll need to take a lap around the place before committing to anything.
Flock & Fowl (The Strip, Chinese, $$) – Chef Sheridan Su takes Chinese Hainan Chicken to a whole new level.
Harvest by Roy Ellamar (Bellagio, American, $$$) – No butter or lemon necessary for their incredible roasted Maine lobster.
Nobu (Caesars Palace, Japanese, $$$$) – Sure, they’re located in most major cities, but this location touts the most expansive menu of any Nobu around. They put miso marinated black cod on the culinary map and there’s a reason why it’s still the standard.
Gordon Ramsay Steak (Paris, Steakhouses, $$$$) – The most famous chef on TV backs up his reputation with his beef wellington. Eyeballs will roll back.
Estiatorio Milos (Cosmopolitan, Greek, $$$$) – This gorgeous Greek restaurant offers one of the most delicious prix fixe lunches on the Strip. The charcoal broiled, sashimi quality Mediterranean octopus is a treat that is sublime.
Tacos El Gordo (The Strip, Mexican, $) – Definitely the busiest restaurant in Las Vegasafter 2am, the al pastor is what keeps everyone coming back.
Andrea’s (Wynn, Asian Fusion, $$$) – Save room for their enormous Mt Fuji dessert.
Sterling Brunch (Bally’s, Buffets, $$$$) – The grandest weekend brunch in all the land! $85 gets you all you can drink Perrier Jouet Champagne, lobster, caviar, king crab, lamb chops and a whole lot more. Get ready for that afternoon nap.
Hakkasan (MGM Grand, Cantonese, $$$$) – One of the fanciest spots for Chinese on the Strip and their “Roasted Chilean seabass with Chinese honey” is fantastic.
Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Caesars Palace, Seafood, $$$) – Why fly to Miami? Stone crab season runs from 10/15-4/15, so get them while they’re fresh.
Sushi Roku (Caesars Palace, Japanese, $$$) – While officially no longer on the menu, they will still make their yellowtail foie gras upon request. Thank me later.
Yardbird & Southern Table (Venetian, Southern, $$) – You’ll probably never spend more for fried chicken in your life, but you’ll know where the money went.
Bouchon (Venetian, French, $$$) – Thomas Keller offers a fantastic brunch and the “Poulet et des Gaufres” (roasted chicken with bacon-chive waffle, maple syrup, Tahitian vanilla bean butter & sauce Chasseur) guarantees that you will have an awesome day. Pictured below is a TKO from Bouchon Bakery.
SPRING VALLEY
Ace Donuts (Spring Valley, $) – Two old Korean ladies who are absolutely killing it with the best cronuts in Las Vegas? Confirmed.
Other Mama (Spring Valley, Sushi Bars, $$) – Their “Whole Grilled Branzino” is an epic dish. So good in fact, I eat the eyeballs every time.
DW Bistro (Spring Valley, American, $$) – Their blend of Jamaican and New Mexican flavors is a symphony for taste-buds. The “Jerk Pork” dinner consisting of roasted pork shoulder, velouté pan sauce, sweet potato mash is marvelous.
Rosallie (Spring Valley, French, $$) – If butter were to send a love letter, it would come in the form of their plain croissant. Outstanding!
DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS
Park on Fremont* (Downtown, American, $$) – This was our favorite spot in downtown vegas. We’d stop by to scarf down the Philly Mac’n’cheesteak pictured above.
Pizza Rock (Downtown, Pizza, $$) – Tony Gemignani is a 12-time world pizza champion. His Napoletana-style Margherita pizza actually won the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy. They only make 73 of them a day, so get there early.
Carson Kitchen (Downtown, New American, $$) – The crispy chicken skins served with smoked honey is the only way to start a meal here.
Market Street Café (Downtown, California Hotel & Casino, American, $) – This café brings in the masses with their famous oxtail soup, available only from 11pm-9am (not a typo).
The Goodwich (Downtown, Sandwiches, $) – Out of this world sandwiches! Get the pig o’ the week.
CHINATOWN
District One (Chinatown, Asian Fusion, $$) – Serving both traditional and elevated Vietnamese dishes, this spot is famous for their lobster pho and Instagram-worthy big bone soup.
Veggie House (Chinatown, Vegan, $$) – Las Vegas even has love for vegetarians! Chef Kenny is a wizard with soy proteins and his faux meats are second to none. His “General Tzo V Chicken” is a revelation, even for carnivores!
Chada Thai & Wine (Chinatown, Wine Bars, $$) – The finest Thai cuisine in the city. Their homemade crab curry served with thin rice noodle known as “Sen Mee Kang Pou” is fantastic if you can take the heat!
Sweets Raku (Chinatown, Desserts, $$) – This open kitchen, made to order Japanese dessert course spot is culinary artistry.
Hobak (Chinatown, Korean, $$) – This successful Korean BBQ chain recently opened up their first one outside of their homeland in Las Vegas and is already the best in town. The “Hobak Aged Short Ribs” makes a convincing argument.
Ramen Sora (Chinatown, Ramen, $) – Going with Miso, Shoyu or Shio broth is your call, but their deluxe ramen with extra chashu is the only call.
WESTSIDE
Oyster Bar @ Palace Station (Westside, Seafood, $$) – The combo pan roast is a creamy tomato stew with shrimp, lobster and crab that is the reason the average wait for a seat at this bar is usually over an hour.
Shang Artisan Noodle (Westside, Noodles, $) – Noodles made to order and delicious whether they’re hand pulled or knife shaved. The “Shang Beef Noodle Soup” is their signature bowl. The beef pancakes are incredibly juicy and an excellent starter.
Yonaka (Westside, Japanese, $$) – Modern tapas with a focus on Japanese cuisine. The “Sake Orenji” consisting of scottish salmon, orange supreme, yuzu tobiko, thai chili, and orange oil makes for a wonderful introduction.
Rollin Smoke Barbeque (Westside, Barbeque, $$) – The premier BBQ pitmasters in Las Vegas. Their burnt ends are total beef bliss.
EASTSIDE
Naked City Pizza (Eastside, Pizza, $$) – Their “Royal Sub” with in-house hot Italian sausage, capicola, mozzarella, iceburg lettuce and tomato is a fat kid’s dream come true.
Aloha Kitchen* (University, Hawaiian, $) – Vegas is home to some spectacular Hawaiin food. This was probably our favorite and you definitely need to try the Adobo Fried Rice Omelette.
SOUTH
Tonkatsu Kiyoshi (Southwest, Japanese, $$) – The only legit spot in the city turning out deliciously deep fried and breaded Japanese katsu. The pork tenderloin dinner is the star of the menu.
Bachi Burger (Southeast/Various, Burgers, $$) – Asian-fusion burgers at their best! The “Miyagi-San” burger with grass fed wagyu, chili mayo, bacon, fried egg and onion rings gives anyone the power to destroy all Cobra Kai.
Sushi House Goyemon (Southwest, Japanese, $$) – Serving up some of the best all you can eat sushi anywhere! They offer daily fresh catch specials on the board like salmon belly, mentaiko and grilled yellowtail collar.
Gelatology (Southwest, Desserts, $) – Desyree Bettencourt is the genius, mad scientist creating eye-opening flavors of frozen treats daily. Pear and gorgonzola gelato? How about potato chips and dip? Beets? Rosemary crème brulee? Go crazy, my friend, go crazy.
Suzuya Pastries and Crepes (Southwest, Desserts, $) – I love everything here, but the Yuzu Panna Cotta is a must try.
NORTH
Kame (Northeast, Japanese, $$$$) – Chef Eric serves up extremely creative omakase course dinners on the daily. The lobster tail sashimi is a consistent highlight.
Cutting Board Filipino Gastropub (Northwest, Gastropub, $$) – No nation has mastered the art of cooking pork belly better The Philippines and this spot shines with that ingredient across the board. Get the lechon!
BONUS
Cafe Rio* (Multiple Locations, Mexican, $) – Although it’s a chain, we ate here at least once a week! The Sweet Pork Barboa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing is amazing!! You can even ask for a tortilla on the side :)
PHILIP
Philip Tzeng loves living in Las Vegas and is a terrible cook. Follow where his stomach takes him on yelp and instagram.
One of our favorite things to do in Las Vegas is see the shows. We made it a point to see them when we visited and when we lived in Vegas for a year, we tried to go least once a month.
A couple of years ago, we saw our first Blue Man Group show. We initially wanted to see it because of all the gags on Arrested Development, but the show is so fun in and of itself. They do such a great job mixing humor with music, and they blend it all together in a production that leaves you grinning ear to ear. Since we last saw them, they’ve moved their show to a specially designed stage at Luxor Hotel and Casino that gets you closer to the action.
If it’s anything like what we saw before, we know we’ll love it, but since we never like vouching for things we haven’t seen in person, we’re headed to Vegas next week! Woot!
We’ll update you on what we think of the new show. We’re also doing the Behind the Blue tour to get an inside look on how they do everything. Besides that, we’ll be stuffing our faces at our fave food spots, enjoying our stay at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, and seeing friends. We haven’t explored Luxor much in the past, so we’re excited to check out the restaurants and explore the casino. Can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend.
On top of that, we are giving away a pair of tickets to the show! See below for all the details and we can’t wait to hear about your experience.
Have you ever been to a Blue Man Group show? What do you typically like to do when you visit Vegas?
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They move to a new city every year and currently live in Portland, Oregon.
This is a sponsored conversation written by us on behalf of Blue Man Group.
All opinions and text are our own.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
Thank you, Blue Man Group, for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are our own.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
We just got back from a weekend in Vegas and had a great time seeing friends and visiting our old stomping grounds (does it count as stomping grounds if we lived there for a year?). We also got a chance to explore Luxor Hotel & Casino for the first time.
Just within Luxor, they have shops, shows, tons of restaurants, and of course gambling. They even have attractions like Bodies The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition that are great for families. A couple of our friends who live in Vegas came by to meet us and we got tacos at Tacos & Tequilas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend.
The highlight of the trip was seeing the Blue Man Group show! We both saw it twice before, but it’s still one of our favorites. They are always adding new elements to it. If you’ve never been, a Blue Man Group show perfectly marries amazing music, comedy, visuals, and a lot of audience interaction. You have to try REALLY hard not to be stupidly smiling as you watch the show.
Before the show, we joined the Behind the Blue tour to get a behind the scenes look at how all the magic happens and you even get to play some of the instruments. I was totally nerding out hearing about all the intricate details that go on backstage and you even get to sit in a live sound check and see them before they become Blue Men!
If you want to make your experience even more memorable, you can be part of a private meet & greet after the show. We got a chance to interact with a Blue Man and take photos with him.
They’re all incredibly talented and we learned that the hardest part is catching a ridiculous number of marshmallows in your mouth at once without gagging. ;)
We always love visiting Vegas and now we have a new spot to revisit every time we’re back. To get you started planning your next trip, we’re giving away two more tickets to the Blue Man Group show. See below on how to enter!
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They move to a new city every year and currently live in Portland, Oregon.
Thank you, Blue Man Group, for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are our own.
Photos from the show are courtesy of Blue Man Group.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
This post contains affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
Whenever people find out we lived in Las Vegas, the most common response by far is “Wow, how was that?” Most people only think of the Strip when they’re visiting Vegas, but our favorite part of living there was how much there was to explore outdoors.
Red Rock Canyon is technically in Las Vegas, but when we lived there, we considered it more like a day trip. It’s nice for a day hike or scenic drive. It’s also a huge climbing destination, and tons of climbers travel here since there are hundreds of boulders and sport climbing routes! Sadly, we got into climbing after we left Vegas, but got our first chance to climb there while visiting last year.
2. Bonnie Springs Ranch, Nevada
Distance: 26.7 mi / 34 min (map) Things You Can’t Miss: Old Town, Horseback Riding, Petting Zoo What to Eat: Bonnie Springs Ranch Restaurant, Suzuya Patisserie, Tonkatsu Kiyoshi
Originally built in 1843, this is a great spot to experience what the west used to be like. You can watch daily reenactments honoring the Old West, check out the shops, or visit the petting zoo. This is a popular spot for families.
Boulder City is close by but it feels completely different than Vegas. Downtown is a great area to eat and shop, but there is also plenty to do in the area. You can zipline, check out the natural hot springs, go shooting, or tour the iconic Hoover Dam.
Mt. Charleston is the perfect place to get away especially on days that are blistering hot in the city. It’s typically 10 degrees cooler and gets you away from all the crowds of the strip. Go for a hike, have a picnic, or just enjoy the views along the byway.
This was one of our favorite spots to explore near Vegas. There are plenty of hikes to check out, including the Fire Wave, or if it’s really hot, you can enjoy the views from your car on the scenic drive. Seeing the night sky from the park is amazing too!
6. Mojave National Preserve, California
Distance: 58.5 mi / 53 min (map) What to Do / See: Lava Tube, Kelso Dunes, Rings Trail What to Eat: No restaurants in the preserve, eat in Vegas or pack food.
We drove by Mojave National Preserve a lot going to and from LA or SD but only stopped by once. Just like Death Valley, it covers a huge amount of land, so we recommend only trying to see a portion of it at a time as a day trip.
Desert red rock meets alpine mountains in St. George, Utah. You can explore museums, shop in town, or enjoy all the amazing outdoor scenery. It’s an easy getaway for a day trip but can easily fill your whole weekend too. It’s also the closest “big” city to Zion National Park.
There are roughly 45,000 acres of public land in the Red Cliffs NCA. It’s surrounded by small communities, and you can easily access the amenities you need before or after visiting. Once in the area, there are a ton of hikes and trails to explore. You can also check out Snow Canyon State Park which is nearby. It is made up of beuatiful red and white Navajo sandstone.
Distance: 122 mi / 2 hr 10 min (map) What to Do / See: Grand Canyon Skywalk, Hualapai River Runners, Helicopter Ride What to Eat: Sa Nyu Wa Restaurant. Not many great options, so pack food.
Grand Canyon West isn’t our favorite part of Grand Canyon National Park, but it is the closest part of the park from Las Vegas. There’s so much to see and do at the Grand Canyon that we prefer making it longer than a day trip, but if you’ve never seen it before and you’re limited on time, it’s worth driving out to see. You can walk along the skywalk or do something more adventurous, like white water rafting or ride a helicopter.
Death Valley National Park is a huge park! You can be in the middle of sand dunes at one moment, then amongst some of the most colorful hills you’ve ever seen the next. If you’re headed up for a day trip don’t try to do it all. Focus on one region of the park. Everything is so far apart. To help you get started, check out these 9 incredible things to do!
If you’re into aliens or just looking for something weird and quirky to do, this is a great road trip with lots of stops. Take photos with the Extraterrestrial Highway Sign, stop at ET Fresh Jerky, or pick up a gift a the Alien Research Center Gift Shop. You’ll also drive through Area 51 and can spend your afternoon wondering what’s going on!
Lake Havasu is known as a spring break spot, but the beautiful waters are worth visiting without all the crowds. It’s a great way to get in some beach time without heading to the coast. Also, don’t forget to check out London Bridge. In the 60s, the London Bridge was dismantled and shipped to Lake Havasu, so you can actually cross the bridge in Arizona!
Zion National Park definitely deserves more than just a day, but being so close, you can absolutely pop up there for just for a day. We drove up just to hike Angel’s Landing. There are plenty of other amazing day hikes in Zion, or you can just enjoy the views from the valley.
We visited Cathedral Gorge State Park during our Ultimate Nevada Road Trip and it was one of our favorite spots by far! It has such a unique landscape and so many corners to explore. There are also a couple of other state parks nearby to check like like Kershaw-Ryan State Park and Echo Canyon State Park, but you can easily fill your day playing at Cathedral Gorge.
For those of you who love road trips, head south to Route 66 and drive to Seligman, AZ. Enjoy the views along this scenic drive and appreciate why this is such an iconic trip.
“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city every year and are currently in NYC.
There are 52 weekends out of the year. How are you going to spend them?
Whenever we go tell people our list of cities we’ve lived in, Las Vegas always seems to catch people’s attention. What most people don’t realize is Vegas is a great home base to get to the Utah parks and also an easy drive to many destinations in California. If you’re tired of hanging out at the Strip, within a few hours, you can be at some of the most amazing landscapes the US has to offer.
This post contains affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
Big Bear Lake offers something for the whole family. You can visit in the winter to hit the slopes or in the summer for water activities and hiking. We only had a chance to spend two days in the area during our last visit at the turn of the season, but can’t wait to hike and snowboard.
If you love the outdoors but want the comforts of a city, Flagstaff is a great place to head for the weekend. There is plenty to keep you active, but also great restaurants and culture in town.
Bryce has some of the most beautiful hoodoos you’ll ever find. It’s a relatively small park that you can drive through and see all the pullouts, but you can also spend a weekend there to hike and explore deeper into the park.
6. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
You can easily drive by or through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument without even realizing it. It’s roughly the size of Delaware and full of amazing discoveries. We drove through as much of it as we could on a weekend trip and did the hike to Zebra Slot Canyon.
The most well-known portion of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is the Wave, but it’s also one of the hardest to permits to get in the world. That shouldn’t stop you from exploring other parts of the area full of unique rock formations, beautiful canyons, and towering cliffs. Our favorite alternative to the Wave is White Pocket.
If you’re visiting Los Angeles for the weekend, we recommend focusing on an area of LA or category of what you love to do or you can easily get overwhelmed by the endless options of things to eat, see, and do. You can spend all week eating delicious food, seeing all the museums, visiting the beaches, or even snapping photos aat all the popular instagram spots. Just know you’ll probably be back.
You have to visit the Grand Canyon at least once in your life. It really lives up to its name and is absolutely massive. If you don’t have a weekend, you can always visit the Grand Canyon via a helicopter tour.
Page, Arizona is a small town that doesn’t seem like much if you’re driving through it, but it makes the perfect home base to explore some of the SouthWest’s best outdoor scenery. Some famous spots nearby include Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and of course, the Wave.
Sedona is a great spot for a weekend trip. There are so many great hikes where you surround yourself with beautiful rock formations, and at the end of the day, you can treat yourself to a spa and a great meal.
Great Basin National Park is a great place to stargaze, explore caves, and hang out with some of the oldest trees in the world. You can read more about it on our Ultimate Guide to Great Basin National Park.
Mammoth Lakes is most popular during the winter when skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes, but if you want to avoid the crowds, visit during the summer and explore the mountains via hiking and biking trails.
We spent a whole year in San Diego and it’s still one of our favorite cities in the US. It has such a laid-back vibe, great restaurants, and plenty to explore. We headed to the beaches on some days, and up into the mountains on others. You can also spend a full day exploring museums and experience the diverse culture.
Whether you want to spend your weekend outdoors, marvel at the amazing architecture, or just rest and relax, Salt Lake City has a wide variety of options to keep you busy and happy over a weekend trip.
“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city every year and are currently in NYC..
We’re coming to the end of our 15 month stay in Las Vegas. Jacob read our lease wrong, so it turns out our move out date is in April, not May, which gives us an even tighter schedule to get through our extensive Las Vegas bucket list. You can check out what there is to do by category or use the map at the bottom to see what’s in your area. Click the links to see full posts with more info and photos.
This is an evolving list that continues to change as new things to eat, see, & do pop up in Las Vegas. Don’t forget to check the date at the bottom to see when this post was last updated.
Last Updated: June 20, 2017 Originally Created: Jan 21, 2015
THE ULTIMATE LAS VEGAS BUCKET LIST (101 Things to Do in Las Vegas)
Caesars Palace, Strip – Make a Sports Bet at Race and Sports Book
Vdara, Strip – ESPA is the best spa in Las Vegas
Hand of Faith at Golden Nugget, Downtown – Biggest Golden Nugget in Existence. It’s kind of underwhelming but worth a quick stop if you’re walking around Downtown.
Binions, Downtown – Take your Million Dollar Photo here. Also underwhelming but a quick stop.
Cirque du Soleil Show, The Strip – O, Ka, Mystere, and Zumanity are were favorites. Just a warning in case you are traveling with family, Zumanity has a lot of raunchy, adult humor. We were unimpressed by Zarkana, and Jacob thought the Beatles Love was nothing special. We do want to see Michael Jackson next!
Jabbawockeez, The Strip – they moved from hotel to hotel but are currently in MGM
Le Reve at the Wynn, The Strip
Zombie Burlesque at Planet Hollywood, The Strip
See a Stand Up Comedian – we saw Joel McHale when he was in town
Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur, The Strip
Alibi Las Vegas, Downtown – this isn’t like any ordinary dinner theater show or any show we’ve seen for that matter. It’s an interactive experience that is a cross between a show, scavenger hunt, comedy, and mystery, with food and drinks! Great with a large group of friends or a great way to make friends.
Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesar’s Palace, The Strip
Bouchon Bakery at the Venetian, The Strip
Picasso at Bellagio, The Strip
Le Cirque at Bellagio, The Strip
Gordon Ramsay BURGR, The Strip
The Steak House at Circus Circus, The Strip
Holesteins Milkshakes at the Cosmpolitan, The Strip – recommendation from our reader, Heather.
Hash House a Go Go on the Strip, Westside, Downtown, or Henderson – we’re not sure why people love this place, but they do. They do have huge portions.
Giada Restaurant in the Cromwell, The Strip – We’re huge fans of Giada’s show and cookbook but was unfortunately disappointed by the food. Still worth a try if you’re a fan.
Poke Express, North Las Vegas – my fave poke place that’s a hole in the wall with a counter filled with so many choices of pre-marinated poke. It’s not the kind that you go to instagram. This is the authentic Hawaiian and is so good and so cheap! They used to be located inside Island Sushi but have moved out on their own.
Raku or Sweets Raku for dessert, Chinatown
Sweets Raku, Chinatown
Ichiza, Chinatown – love their Honey Toast and Japanese Tapas
Oyster Bar at Palace Station –
Hot and Juicy, Chinatown, the Strip, Southeast – not as good as N’awlins but better than most on the west coast.
Lotus of Siam, Eastside, Downtown – Some articles have said they have best Thai food in the U.S. I personally think LA’s Thai town had much better Thai food, but I hate to admit that this is the best Thai food in Vegas. Make reservations because it gets crowded and don’t expect good service. They know they’re doing well and don’t care. I’m not just talking about the typical bad Asian service. One time I waited several hours and got no food.
Carson’s Kitchen, Downtown – our favorite new restaurant in DTLV
Park on Fremont, Downtown – still drooling over their Philly Mac & Cheese Steak
Heart Attack Grill, Downtown – Diners wear hospital gowns, while nurses and doctors take orders of single, double, triple, quadruple bypass burgers. If you’re over 350 pounds you get to eat for free. You go for the experience, not so much for good eats. The food was pretty gross, but not as gross as I expected.
Tonkatsu Kiyoshi, Southwest
Island Flavor, Southwest – loved their furikake chicken
Bachi Burger, Southeast
Aloha Kitchen at University, Southeast, Sunrise, Westside, or Henderson – always order the Adobo fried rice omelet. It’s so good! Everything else we tried was just okay.
Woohoo! I think that’s about it. I have a feeling we may need to take a few trips back out to Vegas to complete them all, but I’m happy with how much we’ve accomplished so far!
Anything I’m missing that you feel belongs here?
What would be at the top of your Ultimate Las Vegas Bucket List?
101 THINGS TO DO IN LAS VEGAS MAP
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 50 travel blogs in the world. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They move to a new city every year and currently live in Portland, Oregon.
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