Las Vegas, Nevada may be most popular because of its casinos, luxury hotels and awesome restaurants, but there's actually more to this tourist city than just gaming and fabulous amenities. It is also home to a number of nature and man-made attractions. It's also a few miles away from world record wonders.
The majestic Hoover Dam is one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, acknowledged as a National Historic Landmark, and also named as one of the Top 10 Construction Achievements of the Twentieth Century. Continuously drawing crowds more than 70 years after its creation, this concrete arch-gravity dam on the border between Arizona and Nevada is only 35 miles drive away from Las Vegas. Its sheer scale of human achievement is a vision accomplished through the strong desire to harness nature's power to build the world's largest electric power-generating station. It is the world's largest concrete water structure situated in the hottest, driest area in the United States. It provides drinking water and irrigation to millions of people during the dry season and it has resolved the seasonal flooding problem in the Colorado River.
A tour of the deck set above the dam provides panoramic views of the Colorado River and Lake Mead, the country's largest man-made reservoir. The location also provides a bird's eye view of the Hoover Dam facility, including an unobstructed look at the dam's mechanical components, which are all examples of the environmental and engineering challenges of completing the monumental site in 1935.
Hoover Dam
35 miles from Las Vegas
Boulder City, NV
702-494-2517
vegas.com/attractions/outside_lasvegas/hooverdam.html
Located 15 miles west of downtown Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is considered one of the most scenic spots to visit in Southern Nevada. Better known as "Red Rock" with the locals, it's named after the red-colored sandstone formation embedded in the mountains that form the western and northern margins of the valley. This natural wonder offers a picturesque drive with numerous stops for sightseeing and photography. It provides biking, climbing and hiking trails with accessible pullouts and parking areas.
This 520-acre oasis is a witness to centuries of prehistoric nomadic cultures through the marks on canyon walls in the form of petroglyphs. Native Americans also left trails of their toasting pits, such as the one near the entrance to the Keystone Thrust Trail. And interestingly, this extremely dry desert has abundant springs including those at the Spring Mountain State Park and Spring Mountain Ranch.
Red Rock Canyon
National Conservation Area
Las Vegas, NV 89149
702-363-1921
redrockcanyonlv.org
Las Vegas history imparts that it is home to lush vegetation fed by natural springs which have attracted many explorers from centuries ago. They named the valley Las Vegas which means "the meadows" in Spanish. Now, the Springs Preserve is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the valley which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This 180-acre cultural institution designed to commemorate Las Vegas' dynamic history features museums, galleries, outdoor events, colorful botanical gardens and an interpretive trail system through a scenic wetland habitat.
Visiting Springs Preserve is a fun and educational way to spend a travel with family and friends. Guests can enjoy a colorful variety of native and non-native plant species at the eight-acre Botanical Gardens, which include cactus gardens, palm oasis, herb garden, rose garden, vegetable and fruit gardens, cooking demonstrations using herbs and gardening options for people with physical disabilities. There is also a Patio Gallery hosting groundbreaking visual art exhibits focusing on sustainable themes.
Springs Preserve
333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89107
702-822-7700
springspreserve.org
