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Isn’t it interesting how first impressions can sometimes turn out to be way off? I traveled to Las Vegas several times for conferences and a few times for fun before going there much more regularly for work. I even remember someone telling me they used to live in Vegas and I remember thinking “ugh WHY?!”. When I thought of Vegas, I thought casinos, strip clubs, and lots of drunk people. Too funny as now it’s one of my favorite places to go which is why it will be featured for today’s #WanderlustWednesday. If you are looking for a non-traditional trip that doesn’t involved gambling or going out, here are five things to do in Las Vegas off strip.

If you’re flexible, flights to Las Vegas tend to be incredibly reasonably priced. For tips on how to find cheap flights, check out this post.

Hike in Red Rock Canyon

On my most recent trip to Las Vegas, I decided to visit Red Rock Canyon. It was many years since my last trip and I was very impressed. This national park boasts an incredible scenic drive so even if you aren’t into hiking, you can still see some incredible views. Depending on traffic, Red Rock Canyon is about 30 minutes away from the strip. If you are going during the late spring, summer, or fall, make sure to bring a lot of water as it is the desert and it gets very hot.

If you plan to visit many national parks during one trip (Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce are all within reasonable driving distance of Las Vegas), consider purchasing an Annual Park Pass. This is $80 and good for one year.

Visit the Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is massive – over 700 feet – and very interesting to visit. You can go on a paid tour of the power plant or just drive by and check it out. If you are planning to also visit the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam is basically on the way and you could consider doing this on the way too or from the Grand Canyon.

Take a trip to the Valley of Fire

The Valley of Fire State Park is a little bit farther than the previous suggestions, but if you are looking for things to do in Las Vegas off Strip, this may be of interest. Since this is a state park, it’s not covered under the National Parks Annual Pass, but the fee is low. You can go hiking or just do the scenic drive. Check out this post for a complete list of things to do in Valley of Fire State Park.

Check out the Seven Magic Mountains

If you are looking for things do in Las Vegas off strip, visiting Seven Magic Mountains should be on your list. Before I checked these out myself, I saw them many times on Instagram and I figured it would be not very impressive in person. I was definitely wrong. These were pretty darn cool. If you want to learn more about this art installation, you can check out this post here.

Pro tip: Go early in the day in order to have these to yourself. Pictured around 8:30am and didn’t have to edit anyone out 🙂 You can check out a few more of the pictures I took on Instagram.

Visit the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon isn’t necessarily “Las Vegas” but it’s definitely a point of interest if you are looking for things to do in Las Vegas off strip. Vegas is often a common starting point for many Grand Canyon roadtrips. However, if you are crunched for time, or just not that interested in spending that much time in the car, you could consider visiting the Grand Canyon by helicopter.

Things to do in Las Vegas off strip

What are your favorite things to check out in Las Vegas outside of the strip? Let me know below in the comments and I will check them out next time myself and report back!

You May Also Enjoy These Posts…

• Weekend Drive around Lake Tahoe
• Fun Things to do Near Zion National Park
• The Ultimate Southwest Road Trip Itinerary
• Las Vegas to Salt Lake City Road Trip Itinerary

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