By Audra Bianca
Las Vegas, Nevada, offers more than just fancy hotels, casinos and shows. This tourist destination and the surrounding areas are perfect for outdoor and educational excursions. Within a short drive of the Vegas strip, travelers can explore Bootleg Canyon and the Hoover Dam. On the strip, children and their families can enjoy the AdventureDome amusement park inside the Circus Circus Hotel. Read about these attractions for a memorable desert experience.
Bike Bootleg Canyon
The trails of Bootleg Canyon provide visitors with an outdoor trip through the Nevada desert with the scenic backdrop of Lake Meade. Visitors can book a tour for a guided ride on the ski slope-style trails. Tour operators like Lost Wages Tours offer a half-day bike trip. The price includes all biking and safety equipment for a little over $100. For some tour operators like Lost Wage Tours, visitors save money by making reservations online.
Hoover Dam Tours
At the border of Arizona and Nevada, explore the Hoover Dam, only 30 miles from Las Vegas. The tour of the dam costs $30 per person, but tickets are not sold in advance. Visitors must arrive on the day of the tour and buy tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis. The tour cannot accommodate all visitors. For example, children under 8 and persons using wheelchairs or crutches are not permitted on the tour. Visitors can expect to walk over a mile. Enjoy spectacular vistas of the Colorado River, Lake Meade and the intake towers during the walking portion of the tour atop the dam.
AdventureDome
Some hotels on the Vegas strip stand out for offering a theme park experience on the hotel property. The AdventureDome located inside the Circus Circus Hotel offers indoor amusement, ideal for travelers with children. For about $25 a day, park admission includes roller coaster rides, the RimRunner (a waterfall splash ride), the SlingShot (a high action adventure), a 4-D SpongeBob ride, and many more rides and games. Walk around the five acres of this entertainment complex.
About the Author:
Audra Bianca has been writing professionally since 2007, with her work covering a variety of subjects and appearing on various websites. Her favorite audiences to write for are small-business owners and job searchers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Public Administration from a Florida public university.
