Things to Do in Nevada

It’s hard to believe that Sin City is only a few hours away from Lake Mead National Recreation Area, with dramatic and often surreal scenery of sharp craggy mountains, deep canyons, and desert basins. Coboldmprising the areas around Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, this recreation area attracts water sports enthusiasts, boaters, and nonboaters alike.

Downtown Las Vegas thrived as the city’s gambling district until the 1980s when new resorts and casinos pulled the crowds away from the area toward the Strip, the city’s main thoroughfare today. After a period of neglect, Downtown has seen revitalization over the past few years, transforming it into a Las Vegas cultural and entertainment hub in its own right.

The 550-foot rotating observation tower at the heart of LINQ in Las Vegas is far from your normal carnival Ferris wheel. Climb aboard the glass-enclosed pods—home to music and video displays, as well as thousands of LED lights—and admire the view from one of the world’s largest observation wheels as it completes a full 30-minute rotation.

The 195,819-acre (79,245-hectare) Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada comprises a network of narrow canyons, seasonal waterfalls, rock art sites, and surreal rock formations with ample opportunity for hiking, biking, rock climbing, and desert wildlife watching, all a short drive from Las Vegas.

The Colorado River is a spectacular sight to see, meandering for 1,447 miles (2,330 kilometers) with red rocks and canyons framing it on both sides, leading up to the Hoover Dam. The Colorado River is one of the major water sources for California and Nevada, and, not surprisingly, it's a major recreational destination—activities on the river include hiking, biking, rafting, and boating.

Bryce Canyon National Park showcases the red rock canyons and rugged horizon-stretching vistas that make Utah famous. With a variety of otherworldly geological formations, Bryce Canyon is an active traveler's playground, crammed full of pinnacles, steeples, spires, and hoodoos, which are thin eroded rock formations that reveal sedimentary layers of red, orange, and white.

The driest desert in North America, the Mojave is home to Death Valley National Park, which is best known for its Badwater Basin, the lowest point on the continent at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. The Mojave’s 25,000 square miles (65,000 square kilometers) also encompass Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Mojave National Preserve, and more.

Located at the Circus Circus Resort, Adventuredome is one of the largest indoor theme parks in the country. Spanning 5 acres (2 hectares, it offers more than 25 rides and attractions, including roller coasters, thrill rides, children’s rides, midway games, an arcade, rock climbing, laser challenge, clown shows, and more.

When it opened in 1989, the Mirage Hotel and Casino ushered in a new era in Las Vegas marked by sprawling resorts with decadent themes—in this case, a Polynesian paradise. Home to the Siegfried & Roy show until it closed in 2003, the Mirage is still popular today for its animal attractions and erupting volcano.

The Venetian Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip recreates the romantic experience of a gondola ride down the Grand Canal of Venice, Italy. Travelers can glide down the replica canals under graceful bridges, passing striking architectural structures as well as the hotel's Grand Canal Shoppes in the duplicated Venetian streetscape.

The grand dame of the Strip, the Bellagio still seems new compared to the vintage hotels of downtown Las Vegas. The hotel and casino has been one of the city's top resorts since 1998, when it was the most expensive hotel ever built. Named after the Italian town on Lake Como, Bellagio is known for luxury in a city where over-the-top is the norm.

Centrally located on the Las Vegas Strip, the LINQ Hotel and Casino provides all the requisite offerings—shows, bars, restaurants, shops, and even a comedy club—but what sets it apart are the Fly LINQ zipline and the High Roller, a 550 foot (168 meter) observation wheel opened as the world’s tallest in 2014 which offers on-board happy hour, yoga, and more.

A collection of boutique shops and eateries created from shipping containers, Downtown Container Park has become a favorite Las Vegas attraction since it opened in 2013. The open-air shopping center surrounds a courtyard with a play zone for kids and a stage that hosts live music and events.

Lined with cobblestone walkways and wrought iron street lamps, the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino offers a taste of the French capital on the Las Vegas Strip. Enjoy Parisian-style shopping and cafés, a Montgolfier-style hot-air balloon, a mini version of the Arc de Triomphe—and of course, a 50-story replica of the Eiffel Tower.