Red Rock Canyon is a National Conservation Area of majestic rock formations and stark desert beauty found within a half-hour’s drive from Las Vegas, Nevada. Encompassing nearly 800 square kilometers in the Mojave Desert, this protected area has a 21-km Scenic Drive to explore – entry fee required – with many trailheads and picturesque sights to stop at along the way. It’s a great place to explore on a hike or mountain bike ride, while the park’s soaring peaks and boulders offer plenty of challenges for rock climbers.
Valley of Fire State Park is brilliant, colorful outdoor destination located in Nevada, just one hour from Las Vegas. Filled with panoramic vistas, hiking trails, petroglyphs, scenic drives, and stunning red and pink rock formations, Valley of Fire makes an excellent day trip from Vegas.
Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains is a large-scale site-specific public art installation located near Jean Dry Lake and Interstate 15, approximately ten miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada. Comprised of seven towers of colorful, stacked boulders standing more than thirty feet high, Seven Magic Mountains is situated within the Ivanpah Valley adjacent to Sheep Mountain and the McCullough, Bird Spring, and Goodsprings ranges of mountains. A creative expression of human presence in the desert, Seven Magic Mountains punctuates the Mojave with a poetic burst of form and color.
AREA15 is an immersive playground, all rolled into a vast and vibrant space. Throw an axe, wander through a bamboo volcano, race on a zip line, or explore other mesmerizing realms. From the futuristic to the thrill-seeking, there’s an experience for everyone here.
Straddling the distance between the opulent mega-resorts of the Strip and the high-flying neon of Fremont Street, the Arts District provides a wealth of cultural events and destinations for those who have grown weary of the perennial one-armed bandit. The arts district is a home of a few great Bars and restaurants worth checking out.