Top Las Vegas getaways

You can’t gamble the whole time you’re in Las Vegas, can you?

Well, maybe you can but should you? Get out of the casino, get some fresh air. It will be good for you. Las Vegas rises from the spectacle of the great America desert and beauty is all around.

Hoover Dam  is a dazzling feat of engineering, it’s only about an hour from town, and it lends gravitas to your Vegas vacation.

You can have lunch, visit Red Rock Canyon and be back at the tables before dinner. Climbers love the red cliffs and the canyon has scenic driving loops, hiking trails and wild burros (the last of which are best admired from afar).

A day trip to the West Rim Grand Canyon includes the chance to walk out on the glass bottom Skywalk (if you dare), built by the Hualapai Tribe. Drive yourself (about three hours) or take a tour.

Get out on the water in the desert. Lake Mead Cruises is the only licensed tour company sailing the waters of Lake Mead.

Cards getting cold? Death Valley, the hottest place in the United States, is about two hours from Vegas. 

When the desert city bakes, drive a few minutes out of town and you can reach the cooler climes of Mt. Charleston. Plan ahead to explore the hiking trails of this wilderness or just drive up for lunch at the Mt. Charleston Lodge.

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