Things to do in Nevada that aren't Vegas? :)

[Gordon S.]

My wife and I are headed to Vegas at the end of March. We've been there before and the place is generally not for us (Don't drink, gamble and there's no way I'm paying $80+ a seat for a 45 minute show of anything short of landing alien spacecraft) but we have some good friends that recently moved to the area that we want to visit and its definitely a cheap place to get to travel wise.

When we were there last the times we enjoyed most were the day we spent hiking in Red Rocks (which is definitely on the agenda again. Anyone know of a decent site with trail maps/reviews?) and the Hoover Dam was of course fascinating. Any other reccomendations of things to see and do in the area within an easy day-trip by car? The Grand Canyon is an option but I'm not sure if we're going to be able to take the 2-3 days out of the week needed to see it properly.

[gramps]

Yo9u might want to check and see it the wild flowers are blooming then. I'm pretty sure they are. Have you thought about Death Valley? It's not too far from Vegas and should be (temp wise) bearable that time of year. The other direction is southern Utah.......Zion, Bryce Canyon, etc.

[Radtech1]

In Las Vegas is the Atomic Test Museum.

Takes about 2 or 3 hours to do properly. Learn all that there is to know about the social, political, historical and scientific aspects of the nuclear weapons "race" from 1940 to 1970.

Meaty stuff.

Rad

http://www.ntshf.org/

http://www.vce.com/NTS_museum.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/sfeature/sf_atomic_04.html

[Gordon S.]

Gramps: Yeah, I'd love to do Zion. Its about a 3 hour drive isn't it? Its an option but it would be a long day without an overnight. (And really I'd rather do the Grand Canyon if we go that route)

Radtech1: Sweet! Thats like a block away from our hotel too. I think I noticed the building when we were there in 2004 but I don't think it was open then. Definitely on the list.

[Tdragone]

Joshua Tree is another fave. A lot of people go out during the day and stay till past sunset. Take sunset pix, take the obligatory star trails/Long exposures in the desert; then leave.

Have fun and bring lots of batteries!

[LazyPhotographer]

Valley of Fire... very, very cool.

[FlipsidE]

I hear they have a bunch of legal cathouses right outside the Vegas city limits ;)

FlipsidE

[Gordon S.]

My wife and I are headed to Vegas at the end of March.

Granted I'm sure they probably have cathouses that would still provide service, but... :)

[Tom W]

Hoover Dam & Lake Mead.

[Radtech1]

Oh,

Thought of another non gambling thing - at the Mirage they have a dolphin habitat and research center. This IS NOT a jumping dolphin show. These people are serious researchers and the experiments are compelling.

In one that I watched, they had one dolphin in a separate area with suction cups over its eyes (even though separate, you could see from one area to the other). The second dolphin is then shown a plastic shape, either a circle, triangle, square or a cross. The second then is reunited with the first. If the first is able to come over and identify the shape that the second dolphin was shown, they both get a treat. The idea is to find out if they communicate one to the other, as in, "It's the triangle!" At the time that I saw it, they did not have any meaningful data, as they were still trying to teach the dolphins what is expected of them, but it looked very interesting.

Best of all, you are right there, close enough to touch, but they ask you not too. As I recall, about $10.00 - cheap by Vegas standards. Another good way to spend a couple hours.

Rad

[burntbizzkit]

In Las Vegas is the Atomic Test Museum.

I've been here too. It's a pretty new facility and VERY interesting.

[burntbizzkit]

at the Mirage they have a dolphin habitat and research center. This IS NOT a jumping dolphin show. These people are serious researchers and the experiments are compelling.

I agree with Rad again.. :) I had a blast with the dolphins and it was amazing to see them so close. This was a picture taken of the dolphins with my trusty A85...which proves how close you get to be!

http://www.strangepuzzle.com/gallery/photos/large/IMG_0957.jpg

You should definitely check this out.

[thomascanty]

Here's another vote for Valley of Fire. That's my favorite place to go in the area. Red Rock Canyon is also a good place to visit. Another that would involve a bit of a drive is Rhyolite. It's a ghost town near Beatty, just outside of Death Valley.

[Gordon S.]

Valley of Fire is definitely moving up the list. I browsed your gallery thomascanty and I'm pretty much sold on it.

ractech1: Thanks again for another great suggestion. Thats definitely something we would have overlooked without the praise. 'Ooo, dolphins in a tank' :)