Enjoy Las Vegas on Next to Nothing - Sights Worth Seeing - Off the Beaten Path
How long has it been since you've really had a blast? Is Las Vegas on your list of fun places to go? Think of all the places on your Bucket List.
Will the high cost of living prevent you from ever going to most of those places? Learn what the locals know about having a good time on a budget.
Their Staycation just may be your dream! Why not do something different! More and more Americans are gambling less and playing more while in Las Vegas.
In response, Las Vegas casinos are giving away less and charging more for food and attractions than in the past in an effort to survive the current economic times.
Here are a few ways to tip the balance in your favor! Since my notes on 'very affordable' Las Vegas are 98 pages long, we will focus on 'free' and 'dirt cheap' instead.
There is a way to have a blast for next to nothing if you plan a little in advance.
And you can still find free stuff if you know where to look.
Sights Worth Seeing - Off the Beaten Path: The Welcome to Las Vegas Sign is the best place to get your free personalized souvenir.
The sign features a 12-car parking lot with access for the disabled and room for a few busses.
You can only enter the parking lot while heading south on Las Vegas Boulevard (called "The Strip") just past Russell Road near Mandalay Bay.
The sign reads, "Drive Carefully" and "Come Back Soon" on back side, which you see while driving south.
Heading north, the sign reads, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.
" You can pose in front of the sign and take as many pictures as you please.
With that responsibility taken care of, it's now time to go see stuff.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is in the visible hills about 15 miles west of Las Vegas.
There is a visitor's center at the park entrance with restrooms, trail map displays, plant and wildlife information, and a history of the area.
Hikers can park for free just outside the loop entrance, or pay $5 per car to drive in and enjoy the 13 mile scenic loop which has plenty of photo opportunities.
The Red Rock Canyon area is, arguably, one of the most beautiful areas in Nevada, making it a creative location for weddings.
Red Rock is open year-round and is home to about 200 different mammals including burros, rabbits, coyotes, bighorn sheep, red tailed hawks, golden eagles, and even a few wild horses, bobcats and mountain lions.
Visitors can go horseback riding, take the family out for a picnic, and pet the wild burros that line the road at feeding time.
Red Rock Canyon is isolated and quiet, making it a temporary getaway from the craziness of the Las Vegas Strip.
But remember to take water, sunscreen, a hat, hiking shoes, and a full tank of gas before driving to Red Rock Canyon.
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History is your cultural alternative, if you'd like to stay in town, and enjoy the airconditioning.
The museum is open to the public and located on the UNLV campus where Harmon stops.
There is no cost to go, although they do appreciate donations.
The museum's focus is on desert life, and the last 2,000 years of Mesoamerican history.
There are hundreds of male and female masks; bright and colorful costumes; ancient figurines of monsters, tricksters, gods and creators; and other Mesoamerican artifacts which get rotated frequently.
The Pre-Colombian displays include stuff for rituals and sacrifices, with complimentary history cards that explain what you're looking at.
And kids can have a blast digging up artifacts, watching a short film, making rubbings in the lobby, and playing the ancient instrument replicas as though they were living in the past.
This is not your typical dead quiet museum.
Hoover Dam, named after America's 31st president, is about 30 miles south of Las Vegas on US 93.
The Dam Tour (inside the dam) has some restrictions and tickets tend to be a bit pricy (at $30).
The Power Plant Tour tickets are a bit friendlier ($11 with discounts available.
) Since this can really add up for a family, here's a way to cut corners and see the dam for free: About 4 miles past Boulder City, (on the way to the dam,) stop in at Lake Mead's Alan Bible Visitor Center to view their exhibits about America's largest reservoir.
This is the National Park Service's visitor center for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Here you can see before and after relief maps and exhibits.
Then continue on towards the dam about 2 more miles and stop at the Lakeview Overlook on the left.
The view is awesome; 9,000,000,000,000 gallons of water fill Lake Mead.
That's about two years of river water being held in one place by the massive concrete dam which is just around the hill.
The dam is less than 2 miles farther, but expect a few delays due to heightened security.
(All vehicles crossing the dam are subject to inspection.
) Parking across from the Visitor's Center runs $7, so cross the dam into Arizona instead and park there for free.
The view down the face of the dam, looking into Black Canyon is breathtaking.
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, located on Washington Ave.
at N Las Vegas Blvd.
This was the very first non-native settlement in Nevada, back in 1855.
A group of Mormons from Utah discovered a naturally watered oasis here in the middle of the desert, and named it Las Vegas (meaning "The Meadows" in Spanish.
) The ranch house here was the first building in Nevada, and many old artifacts from those early days are still present to give you that "What was it like?" feeling.
For quite some time this old fort was the only resting place in the region, and you have an opportunity to share that experience at only $1 for teens and adults.
(Children 12 and under are free.
) Area 51 is way off the beaten path.
But unless you just happen to be driving in from Warm Springs (Nevada) down the Extraterrestrial Highway (SR 375), ignore this one.
Roughly 150 miles north of Las Vegas is the small town of Rachel where you can find the Little A'Le'Inn (pronounced "alien"), which provides a small motel, an alien-themed restaurant/bar where you can order an ABC (Alien Burger with Cheese), and extraterrestrial souvenirs.
Going to Rachel, driving past the guarded gate to Area 51, and browsing the extraterrestrial souvenir shop at the Little A'Le'Inn is the only free way to experience Area 51.
If you were to take the tour from Las Vegas it would cost $195 per adult, it's usually sold out, you wouldn't see anything more, and it would take all day.
Whether you were to take the tour or not, there is no way to get on the base without also going to prison.
So I'd recommend skipping this one and sticking with the free stuff.
Will the high cost of living prevent you from ever going to most of those places? Learn what the locals know about having a good time on a budget.
Their Staycation just may be your dream! Why not do something different! More and more Americans are gambling less and playing more while in Las Vegas.
In response, Las Vegas casinos are giving away less and charging more for food and attractions than in the past in an effort to survive the current economic times.
Here are a few ways to tip the balance in your favor! Since my notes on 'very affordable' Las Vegas are 98 pages long, we will focus on 'free' and 'dirt cheap' instead.
There is a way to have a blast for next to nothing if you plan a little in advance.
And you can still find free stuff if you know where to look.
Sights Worth Seeing - Off the Beaten Path: The Welcome to Las Vegas Sign is the best place to get your free personalized souvenir.
The sign features a 12-car parking lot with access for the disabled and room for a few busses.
You can only enter the parking lot while heading south on Las Vegas Boulevard (called "The Strip") just past Russell Road near Mandalay Bay.
The sign reads, "Drive Carefully" and "Come Back Soon" on back side, which you see while driving south.
Heading north, the sign reads, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.
" You can pose in front of the sign and take as many pictures as you please.
With that responsibility taken care of, it's now time to go see stuff.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is in the visible hills about 15 miles west of Las Vegas.
There is a visitor's center at the park entrance with restrooms, trail map displays, plant and wildlife information, and a history of the area.
Hikers can park for free just outside the loop entrance, or pay $5 per car to drive in and enjoy the 13 mile scenic loop which has plenty of photo opportunities.
The Red Rock Canyon area is, arguably, one of the most beautiful areas in Nevada, making it a creative location for weddings.
Red Rock is open year-round and is home to about 200 different mammals including burros, rabbits, coyotes, bighorn sheep, red tailed hawks, golden eagles, and even a few wild horses, bobcats and mountain lions.
Visitors can go horseback riding, take the family out for a picnic, and pet the wild burros that line the road at feeding time.
Red Rock Canyon is isolated and quiet, making it a temporary getaway from the craziness of the Las Vegas Strip.
But remember to take water, sunscreen, a hat, hiking shoes, and a full tank of gas before driving to Red Rock Canyon.
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History is your cultural alternative, if you'd like to stay in town, and enjoy the airconditioning.
The museum is open to the public and located on the UNLV campus where Harmon stops.
There is no cost to go, although they do appreciate donations.
The museum's focus is on desert life, and the last 2,000 years of Mesoamerican history.
There are hundreds of male and female masks; bright and colorful costumes; ancient figurines of monsters, tricksters, gods and creators; and other Mesoamerican artifacts which get rotated frequently.
The Pre-Colombian displays include stuff for rituals and sacrifices, with complimentary history cards that explain what you're looking at.
And kids can have a blast digging up artifacts, watching a short film, making rubbings in the lobby, and playing the ancient instrument replicas as though they were living in the past.
This is not your typical dead quiet museum.
Hoover Dam, named after America's 31st president, is about 30 miles south of Las Vegas on US 93.
The Dam Tour (inside the dam) has some restrictions and tickets tend to be a bit pricy (at $30).
The Power Plant Tour tickets are a bit friendlier ($11 with discounts available.
) Since this can really add up for a family, here's a way to cut corners and see the dam for free: About 4 miles past Boulder City, (on the way to the dam,) stop in at Lake Mead's Alan Bible Visitor Center to view their exhibits about America's largest reservoir.
This is the National Park Service's visitor center for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Here you can see before and after relief maps and exhibits.
Then continue on towards the dam about 2 more miles and stop at the Lakeview Overlook on the left.
The view is awesome; 9,000,000,000,000 gallons of water fill Lake Mead.
That's about two years of river water being held in one place by the massive concrete dam which is just around the hill.
The dam is less than 2 miles farther, but expect a few delays due to heightened security.
(All vehicles crossing the dam are subject to inspection.
) Parking across from the Visitor's Center runs $7, so cross the dam into Arizona instead and park there for free.
The view down the face of the dam, looking into Black Canyon is breathtaking.
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, located on Washington Ave.
at N Las Vegas Blvd.
This was the very first non-native settlement in Nevada, back in 1855.
A group of Mormons from Utah discovered a naturally watered oasis here in the middle of the desert, and named it Las Vegas (meaning "The Meadows" in Spanish.
) The ranch house here was the first building in Nevada, and many old artifacts from those early days are still present to give you that "What was it like?" feeling.
For quite some time this old fort was the only resting place in the region, and you have an opportunity to share that experience at only $1 for teens and adults.
(Children 12 and under are free.
) Area 51 is way off the beaten path.
But unless you just happen to be driving in from Warm Springs (Nevada) down the Extraterrestrial Highway (SR 375), ignore this one.
Roughly 150 miles north of Las Vegas is the small town of Rachel where you can find the Little A'Le'Inn (pronounced "alien"), which provides a small motel, an alien-themed restaurant/bar where you can order an ABC (Alien Burger with Cheese), and extraterrestrial souvenirs.
Going to Rachel, driving past the guarded gate to Area 51, and browsing the extraterrestrial souvenir shop at the Little A'Le'Inn is the only free way to experience Area 51.
If you were to take the tour from Las Vegas it would cost $195 per adult, it's usually sold out, you wouldn't see anything more, and it would take all day.
Whether you were to take the tour or not, there is no way to get on the base without also going to prison.
So I'd recommend skipping this one and sticking with the free stuff.
Source...