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DrPleishner

Around Las Vegas: Great Places for a Drive

Las Vegas, 1 Day

Table of contents:Guide Description 2

Itinerary Overview 3

Daily Itineraries 4

Las Vegas Snapshot 6

Guide Description

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AUTHOR NOTE: Las Vegas is in the Mojave Desert, NorthAmerica's smallest desert, and home to miles of two-lane roads.For a day-trip outside of the Neon City, take a picnic and spendsome time on the road. Multi-colored sandstone fracturesSouthern Nevada in places, and a huge man-made lake sits justa couple of hours from the Strip. The mountains west of town aremuch cooler than in Las Vegas. At the higher altitudes in both Leeand Kyle Canyons, take a break from the car and hike to see ifyou can spot a bristlecone pine, one of the longest-lived types oftrees. ~Photo courtesy of Frank Kovalchek~

Itinerary Overview things to do

restaurants

hotels

nightlife

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Day 1 - Las Vegas

Valley of Fire State ParkOther-worldly rock formations on the edge of LakeMead

The StripCasinos Galore!

Lake Mead National Recreation AreaAmerica's largest man-made lake

Red Rock Canyon Scenic BywayScenic, one-way 13-mile loop. Spectacularsandstone cliffs.

Spring Mountain Scenic Loop DriveA 2 1/2 hour drive through the Spring Mountains

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Day 1 - Las VegasQUICK NOTE

contact:tel: +1 702 397 2088http://www.parks.nv.gov/vf.htm

location:Interstate 15 on exit 75, P. O.Box 515Overton NV 89040

1 Valley of Fire State Park

DESCRIPTION: Nevada's oldest state park, founded in 1935,is where red sandstone monoliths and the Mojave Desert meet.Petroglyphs, some almost 3,000 years, old tell the stories of theAnasazi. Petrified trees tell of a time when this ancient valleywas lush with vegetation. For Star Trek fans make the journeyto White Domes, a land with brilliantly contrasting sandstoneformations, to see where Captain Kirk died. A short hike thatleads to a beautiful slot canyon awaits you there. Valley of Fireoffers camping, hiking, picnicking and spectacular photography.© NileGuide

Photo courtesy of Terrisa Meeks

contact:tel: +1 702 892 0711

location:South Las Vegas BoulevardLas Vegas NV 89109

2 The Strip

DESCRIPTION: When most people imagine Las Vegas, thefirst thing that comes to mind is The Strip—the four mile stretchof South Las Vegas Boulevard with all the famous casinosand hotels. Bordered by Mandalay Bay in the south and theStratosphere in the north, visitors can enjoy 30+ casinos whichare attractions in themselves. Fabulous shopping, dining, andworld-class entertainment can all be found here. Pick up thelatest designer bag in the boutiques at the Forum Shops inCaesars Palace Hotel Casino. Or peruse the Grand CanalShoppes in the Venetian Resort & Casino. Watch the dancingFountains at Bellagio, or take in an imported Broadway show.Attempts have been made to make The Strip more pedestrian-

Photo courtesy of Mark Richardson

Day 1 - continued...

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friendly by adding footbridges, free shuttles, cable-pulled trams,and the Las Vegas Monorail (frequency and rates vary).

contact:tel: +1 702 293 8990 (VisitorCenter)fax: +1 702 293 8936http://www.nps.gov/lame

location:601 Nevada WayBoulder City NV 89005

3 Lake Mead National RecreationArea

DESCRIPTION: With over 500 miles of shoreline, Lake MeadNational Recreation Area offers world class fishing, boating,swimming, kayaking and canoeing, scuba diving, hiking,camping, desert vistas and roadside sightseeing. The contrastsbetween water and desert, mountains and flat lands, blueskies and colorful desert rock are astounding. The North ShoreDrive is an adventure as the road follows the shoreline, cuttingthrough canyons and crossing mountains. The countrysideis a collection of rock formations formed by wild weather andvolcanic activity. Don't miss the Lake Mead Visitor Center, alsocalled the Alan Bible Visitor Center, with its interactive exhibitsand historical artifact displays. © NileGuide

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contact:tel: 702-515-5000fax: 702-515-5023www.nv.blm.gov/vegas/Default.htm

location:HCR 33, Box 5500Las Vegas NV 89124

4 Red Rock Canyon Scenic Byway

DESCRIPTION: The Scenic Drive is a 13-mile, one-way looplocate off State Highway 159. Touring the scenic drive by caror bike are the most popular activities. Many trailheads, picnicareas, rock climbing areas and scenic view pullouts are locatedalong the loop. The Scenic Drive offers views of many of RedRock Canyon's most unique and outstanding features includingthe dramatic Wilson Cliffs and Calico Hills, together with manyof the plant communities present in the Spring Mountains. TheVisitor Center is located at the beginning of the Scenic Drive.The Scenic Drive is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk.

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contact:tel: 702-515-5000fax: 702-515-5023http://www.nv.blm.gov/vegas/Default.htm

location:US Highway 95 & StateHighway 157Las Vegas NV 89143

5 Spring Mountain Scenic LoopDrive

DESCRIPTION: The Spring Mountain Scenic Loop is anapproximately 2 1/2 hour drive beginning at the intersectionof U.S. Highway 95 and State Highway 157 (Kyle CanyonHighway, north of Las Vegas. The loop also includes State 156(Lee Canyon Highway), and State Highway 158 (Deer CreekHighway), which connects Kyle and Lee Canyon Highways.The elevation gain from 2,500 feet to 8,500 feet present in arich diversity of plant communities, from a desert basin dottedwith Joshua trees to ponderosa pine and bristlecone pineforest. This scenic loop drive combines scenes of dramaticlimestone cliffs, narrow forested canyons and panoramicviews to the east of the basin and range topography unique toNevada. A 30 degree temperature drop is not uncommon withthe gain in elevation.

Photo courtesy of Ken Lund

Las Vegas Snapshot

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Local InfoHow do you define Las Vegas? This city inthe desert is a gambling capital, vacationparadise, adventure destination, and apremier location for business conventions.Las Vegas is the city of neon and the citythat never sleeps. Reality takes a hikewhen you enter the world of glitteringcasinos, and the hours trickle away in thisrealm of slot machines, roulette wheels,and high-stakes poker rooms. If you wantto keep track of the time, be sure to wear awatch. Casinos don't have clocks, and theyare open 24/7, year-round. Las Vegas hotels range from utilitarian toluxurious, and options for entertainmentcome in every variety, from adults-only to family-friendly. As a businessdestination, Las Vegas wins hands downwith the volume of facilities and servicesavailable for either large conventions orsmall business get-togethers. Upscaleeateries by chefs like Wolfgang Puck andEmeril Lagasse are found throughout LasVegas, both on and off the Strip. Award-winning shows from Cirque du Soleil andadaptations of Broadway hits such asThePhantom of the Opera grace the hotels'showrooms. Late-night entertainment isplentiful and diverse. Beyond the casinos,the Mojave Desert holds adventures likeworld-class rock climbing and mountainbiking. Whether you are planning to movehere, attend a business meeting, skydive,get married, or just relax and enjoy, youwill find Las Vegas is a city that defiesdefinition.

The Strip: Las Vegas Boulevard

The fabled five-mile area known as theLas Vegas Strip holds more hotel roomsthan any other city in the world. You'll findfamous and remarkable hotels, each withits own theme and ambiance.Bellagio'sdancing fountains and Italian Renaissanceaura ooze luxury.Caesars Palace recreatesthe glory of Rome, Vegas-style.TheVenetian takes on another Italian cityand era, duplicating Old World Venice,

complete with canals and gondoliers.Old standbys include theFlamingo andtheMirage, with its white tigers and eruptingvolcanoes. See theParis Las Vegas withoutstanding replicas of the Eiffel Tower,Arc de Triomphe andmagnifique Parisianatmosphere and charm.Treasure Islandoffers daily live pirate battles, free ofcharge. At the"bottom" or south end of thestrip, risen from the ashes of the HaciendaHotel, the magnificentMandalay Bay takesyou to the tropics, including a pool withwaves you can actually surf. At the topof the Strip, you will find theStratosphereTower visible from miles away. It is thehighest free-standing building in thewestern half of the United States, withviews from the top that are indescribable. You don't have to stay right on Las VegasBoulevard to enjoy neon and glitz. Just offthe Strip, places like theRio, thePalms, andtheHard Rock Hotel and Casino are onlya taxi ride away and offer easier access toareas beyond the Strip.

Downtown: Fremont Street

The original Las Vegas, where people hungout in the'30s and early'40s, is still thriving,but with a new face known as theFremontStreet Experience. The Fremont StreetExperience closed the fabled street tovehicle traffic, and its 90-foot overheadcanopy contains state-of-the-art LED lightsthat create jaw-dropping images. Sometourists actually prefer this area to theStrip because room prices are generallylower. It's an easy walk from one casino tothe next, and it's reminiscent of the early,nostalgic days of Las Vegas. TheNeonMuseum has a permanent display alongFremont Street featuring Old Vegas signs,from Vegas Vic to Aladdin's Lamp. Nightlylight shows on the canopy of the FremontStreet Experience are free, and streetvendors hawk everything from spray-paintart to henna tattoos. In addition, there arefamous hotels such asThe Plaza(formerlyknown as Union Plaza), overlookingFremont Street, and the classicGoldenNugget. For nostalgia buffs, there is alsothe Golden Gate Hotel Casino, renovated to

its earlier classic glory and appearance andstill famous for the 99-cent shrimp cocktail.

Beyond the Strip In the last two decades, Las Vegas hasadded residents at an astonishing rate,creating outlying neighborhoods full ofhomes and, of course, hotels and casinos.To the west of the Strip,Summerlin sits justoutsideRed Rock Canyon and containsthree hotel/casinos, along with severalgolf courses. East of the Strip,Henderson/Green Valley puts visitors a quick driveaway fromLake Mead National RecreationArea and is home to the trendyGreen ValleyRanch Resort, which starred in its very ownreality TV show for a while. In North LasVegas, theLas Vegas Motor Speedwaydraws racing fans from all over the UnitedStates, and places like theCannery givethem a place to stay close to the track. If playing the tables isn't risky enoughfor you, you may want to try some of LasVegas' outdoor adventures. Red RockCanyon is ranked among the top fiverock climbing destinations in the worldand contains over 2,000 climbing routes.Bootleg Canyon inBoulder City is home to anetwork of mountain biking trails and a newzip-line adventure that speeds riders alonga suspended cable high above the canyon.

Las Vegas Weather

Las Vegas is located in the Mojave Desert,which means that from roughly mid-Mayto late October, you can expect very hottemperatures, often over 100 degrees.The climate is quite dry, except duringbrief rainstorms—in which case be carefulof flash flooding. If you're planning anyoutdoor activities, drink lots of water,wear sunscreen, and go as early in theday as possible. Better yet, save yourdesert explorations for the winter months,approximately November through April.

© NileGuide

© NileGuide