Off the Strip Fun in Las Vegas!
Published Thursday, August 30th 2018Though August is a sizzler of a time to head to one of our favorite weekend getaway locales – Las Vegas, Nevada – it’s a long-standing tradition to meet there each year for our fantasy football league draft. All four of the Getaway Gang (three of whom are in the league) recently made that weekend trip.
The usual Vegas activities of gambling a bit, eating some great food, sipping a poolside piña colada, and taking in the night life on the Strip or on Fremont Street are always fun. But we wanted to explore some fantastically fun options on the last day of our trip, both to escape the noise and smoke of the casinos and to check out some hidden gems in and around Las Vegas.
After partaking in our Sunday morning draft weekend tradition of champagne brunch at the Main Street Station Hotel and Casino, we headed out on three separate outside-the-box Vegas adventures. They’re all great fun for those of all ages!
Pinball Hall of Fame
1610 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas NV 89119
Cost: Free entry; 25-50 cents to play games
Our first stop was the Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame. This gem is 10,000 square feet of pure fun! Filled with restored pinball machines and novelty arcade games from the 1950’s to the 1990’s, this is not just a museum – it’s a giant warehouse full of history that you can actually play! Curated by Tim Arnold, a veteran arcade operator, and the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, this non-profit endeavor donates all revenues above its operating costs to charity. Stop by the change machine on your way in and get a bucket full of quarters, because you’re going to want to play them all!
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
1000 Scenic Loop Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89161
https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/
Cost: $15 per vehicle entry fee; $30 yearly pass
Giddy from flashbacks to our younger days, we departed for a 30 minute drive to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Filled with beautiful scenery and geologic significance, this nearly 200,000 acre area stands in stark contrast to the neon glitz and hubbub of Las Vegas. As we pulled into the Visitor Center parking lot, the beautiful rock formations and pure silence caught our eyes and ears.
This is a great first stop on entry to the park, as the center is filled with fascinating exhibits on the local flora, fauna, and geology as well as useful information about the plethora of hiking and climbing opportunities within the park. On a 100+ degree August day, hiking was not a great option, so we enjoyed the 13-mile scenic loop drive, filled with gorgeous vistas, twists, turns, and plenty of awe-inspiring moments. Well worth the short drive from the city, we left refreshed from our encounter with this beautiful place.
The Neon Museum of Las Vegas
770 Las Vegas Boulevard North, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Cost: Varies depending on time of day and options chosen
After dinner, we headed downtown for a nighttime tour at the Neon Museum of Las Vegas. Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is a “non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment.” Both self-guided tours and hour-long guided tours are available of this amazing collection. The Visitors Center is housed by the architecturally-significant lobby of the historic La Concha Motel lobby. An iconic mid-century modern structure designed by the acclaimed Paul Revere Williams, the entire building was saved from demolition in 2005 and moved piece by piece from its original home on Las Vegas Boulevard to serve as the museum’s visitors center.
The hour-long guided tour through the “Neon Boneyard” was filled with fascinating tales of the history of Las Vegas and incredible signs, some fully restored and lit and others in various states of restoration – but all captivating in their stories. The evening was capped off in yet another gallery by a magical presentation entitled “Brilliant!,” where music and artfully dancing lighting effects make the old signs of Las Vegas come alive. Our trip here was the highlight of an exciting day of “off the Strip” Vegas adventures – and we definitely recommend making the visit to this museum after dark for the full effect.
Ready for an Adventure?
The four of us at the Cruise Planners Getaway Gang love adventures, and we are all about helping you experience your own incredible travel moments. We’d love to help you get the most out of your next trip to Las Vegas – or any other destination! Put our travel experiences to work for you – give us a call today at (877) 525-4050.
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