Las Vegas is developing rapidly and attracts millions of people with a festive atmosphere, unrestrained fun, and entertainment. Travelers come to see the historical part of the city, visit gambling houses, nightclubs, and concerts of famous musicians.
Yes, all these leisure options are more suitable for young travelers looking for adventure and fun. However, what to do in Sin City if you come there with your family or children? No panic! We have a great offer for you.
Pick up minivan rental Las Vegas Airport and get ready to discover the other side of this amazing destination. The city has many great family-friendly attractions to go to, and you shouldn’t worry about costly parking in Las Vegas. What’s more, you can also explore its beautiful surroundings, as a rental car makes it easy.
Spectacular canyons, parks, and mountains provide you with a unique travel experience. So check out where to go and what to see in and around Las Vegas with the whole family…
Mount Charleston
Mount Charleston rises close to Las Vegas, making a rental car a great way to get there. This place is a popular weekend getaway for travelers and residents of the city. It has been covered with snow for over half a year, so during this time, you can admire its beautiful white peak.
Numerous hiking trails lead to its top, but the trip usually takes a whole day and requires good physical fitness. On this mountain, you will see a memorial in the form of a propeller in honor of the plane crash that took place here in 1955. At the same time, camping and picnic areas at the foot are perfect to relax and take a break.
Gardens at the Springs Preserve
Housed around drinking water sources, the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas includes desert botanical gardens, open-air concert venues, hiking trails, and museum exhibits. This means you will have something to do there.
The gardens are used for landscaping the desert and keep about 300 species of trees and shrubs on their territory. White fir, Ferocactus, prickly pear, single-leaved pine, jojoba, juniper, and many other plants cover its entire area. Convenient paths cut through the gardens, making it easy for you to stroll and explore the wildlife.
By the way, within the reserve, you can also visit an interactive gallery, a design laboratory, and a technical center. So, the Gardens at the Springs Preserve provide a full range of attractions in one place.
Sloan Canyon
Sloan Canyon National Forest is located south of Las Vegas. Its picturesque valleys and gorges among the mountain ranges store numerous samples of rock paintings from the prehistoric era.
In order to preserve the territory in its original form, it’s forbidden to have picnics, shoot, and drive in off-road vehicles in the canyon. Therefore, you can only use your rental car to get there from Las Vegas. So, hiking, cycling or horseback riding are the only available ways to explore the Sloan Canyon area.
Shark Reef Aquarium
This is a public aquarium located in the Mandalay Bay complex. Its main tank holds nearly 5 million liters of water, making it the largest aquarium in North America. What can you do there? First of all, go through a huge cylindrical underwater tunnel that provides an opportunity to see marine life from different seas and oceans up close. You will feel incredible emotions when sharks, rays, and sawfish swim over your head.
In addition to the rich underwater world, the Shark Reef Aquarium has an artificial jungle with crocodiles, salamanders, and the Komodo dragon. Clam lovers will be happy to visit the sensory pool with crabs, seahorses, and other small inhabitants of the underwater depths.
Red Rock Canyon
A conservation area in the vicinity of Las Vegas attracts travelers with unique red rock formations. Reaching a height of 2,485 meters, the sandstone cliffs are ideal for hiking, biking, and climbing. The canyon is home to plants typical of the arid regions of America. Among them are agave, juniper, Joshua tree, Mojave yucca, black brush, and banana yucca.
Desert turtles, wild donkeys, rabbits, and gophers live in the reserve. So, in addition to breathtaking scenic views, you can explore the wild wilderness of the desert.
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is one of the greatest and most popular attractions around Las Vegas. Located in the Black Canyon on the Nevada-Arizona border, it’s easily reachable by rental car. Hoover Dam is a majestic hydraulic structure. It’s an arched concrete dam with a height of 220 meters and a hydroelectric power plant on the Colorado River at the same time.
The result of the construction of the dam was the emergence of Lake Mead. Now it supplies water to nearby towns. Plus it’s also a great place to relax and have a good time. You can sunbathe on the sandy beaches, swim, go boating and fish there.
Death Valley
The Mojave Desert is famous not only for Las Vegas but also for Death Valley National Park. It includes the Badwater Basin, which is the lowest point in North America. Other local attractions include a water-filled karst cave, Mount Whitney, and the dried-up Lake Racetrack Playa.
Death Valley is a very unique place for one more reason. The fact is that huge stones slowly move along the clay bottom of the lake and leave impressive traces behind them. Nobody knows the reason for this phenomenon until now.
Wet’n’Wild Water Park
What could be better than water entertainment in the heart of the desert? The water park in the suburbs of Las Vegas is a real oasis with swimming pools and modern water attractions. You can experience a whirlwind raft ride, downhill slides, and relax on a lazy river.
Family rafting, tubular slides, water cannons, and a wave pool are available to those who wish. In addition, the water fountains around the park allow you to refresh yourself whenever you want.