Think Vegas only has neon signs and huge casinos to offer? Think again. Here are 10 alternative and unusual things to do in this exciting city…
Las Vegas is hands down one of the best places I’ve ever been. So much so that I’m itching to go back! For someone who isn’t keen on partying and gambling, I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed my visit there.
Since there are so many alternative things to do in Las Vegas – here’s a little guide on what else you can do. Or, to be exact, unusual things to do in Las Vegas.
Eldorado Canyon Tour with Awesome Adventures Las Vegas
Step away from the busy lights of Las Vegas and instead explore a kitsch ghost town in the middle of the Nevada desert! Awesome Adventures Las Vegas offers varied experiences, including zip lines in Utah and helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon. But their Eldorado Canyon Tour is not one to be missed. The trip offers time to learn about a cool ghost town and take tons of alternative photos amongst the cool setting. This is followed by an ATV or quad bike ride through the desert. And a history lesson inside Nevada’s oldest Silver & Gold Mine, Techatticup Gold Mine! Read my experiences here.
The Mob Museum
Learn all about mobs, crime and the mafia at this interesting museum that is well worth a visit. You can learn about notorious gangsters like Al Capone, and Bugsy Siegel. Once you’re done, head down to the basement for both a speakeasy bar and an in-house brewery/distillery. If you don’t have time to discover the museum, you head directly to the speakeasy via a secret side entrance. Just remember to check the website for the password!
Valley of Fire State Park
Just an hour outside of Vegas you’ll find the beautiful Valley of Fire state park. This nature preservation area boasts 2000-year-old petroglyphs carved into massive red sandstone formations in the Mohave Desert! Amazing. You’ll likely have seen tons of photos on Pinterest of this very area. There are plenty of trails to choose from. Even if you don’t have a lot of hiking experience, I would recommend trying at least one (and bringing lots of water), because it’s well worth the challenge.
TOP TIP: You don’t have to stay at a hotel to visit its casinos, restaurants or attractions. If you’re happy staying somewhere basic, book a cheap hotel just outside of the strip (everything is in walking distance) and save your cash for other things. You can still visit and walk around the top hotels in Las Vegas anyway..
The Neon Museum
So this is actually quite a well-known attraction but it’s still pretty offbeat and you’d be a fool to miss it. I am still gutted we didn’t have the time to visit). It’s where Vegas’ neon signs go to die. Walkthrough The Neon Boneyard for the main collection – and best photos – but there’s also the North gallery and plenty of temporary special exhibits. At the moment, there’s an awesome Tim Burton exhibit called Lost Vegas – unfortunately only until 12th April.
Read more: 5 Things That Surprised Me about Las Vegas
Tournament of Kings
Love traditional jousting? Then you’ll want to check out Tournament of the Kings; a classic dinner/theatre show. The show takes place in a 900-seat arena and uses special effects and pyrotechnics – as well as actual jousting – in an immersive adaption from the tale of King Arthur.
Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum
If you like the paranormal, crime or just the downright weird: you need to visit Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum. Especially if you believe in the paranormal and like to be genuinely scared! Completely different from any ‘haunted’ attractions we have in the UK (y’know, with jump scares and the like), this museum is the real deal. So much so that you need to sign a waiver before you go in. This basically states you’re aware of the risks of possession and being amongst cursed objects – eek! From Dr. Kevorkian’s actual death van to the infamous Dybbuk Box, every artefact has so much history that you’ll want to return again and again to learn more.
TOP TIP: If you’re a lady and clubbing is your thing, definitely #hashtag or check yourself in at any tourist spots when visiting. You’ll get lots of club reps offering you great deals and free entry into top clubs. This is how we managed to see The Chainsmokers (and nearly Calvin Harris, if we’d had time) free!
Greenwich Village, New York Hotel and Casino
Everyone always talks about The Venetian with its gondola rides in the basement (which is honestly worth a visit too!) but I wasn’t aware that Las Vegas also had Paris and New York-themed hotels/areas too! Just walking outside each hotel will make you feel like you’re no longer in Vegas. My friend and I stumbled across the really lovely Greenwich Village in the basement of New York Hotel and Casino. We loved the indoor-outdoor-looking little cluster of streets filled with entertainment and restaurants. It’s worth just visiting to walk around! Then you can also head upstairs to take a ride on The Big Apple – a more traditional rollercoaster as opposed to the famous X-Scream at Stratosphere!
Seven Magic Mountains
Another ‘attraction’ just outside of Vegas which is also perfect for photo opportunities is Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains. It is, simply, seven towers of colourful stacked boulders standing over 25 feet high in the middle of the desert. It’s actually there for a reason: it’s a two-year art installation. Although it seems to have been there for over four years now, luckily for us.
Vegas Mini Baga Chase
For something a tad more adventurous, why not book a mini baja chase? No, I had no idea what a Baja was until now either…! Booking onto this experience will see you racing and zooming through Nellis Dunes in a custom-built mini Baja dune buggy. Now THAT sounds fun.
Elivs Themed Vow Renewal
I think my family would go mad if I eloped and married abroad, however, I get the feeling most families would be a little more accepting of vow renewals taking place elsewhere! This last point may just be for you married folks but for anyone else who is yet to be wed: this is one to keep in mind for ‘one day’. When in Vegas, eh?!
Map of Alternative and Unusual Things to Do in Las Vegas
I’m sure there are many more alternative things I could list but we would be here forever! Vegas is such a varied place that it was really hard to pinpoint just ten suggestions – however, maybe a future guide may be on the cards!
What do you think? Are you surprised to learn that there are so many unusual things to do in Las Vegas? Or that you can find a total alternative Las Vegas side here? Let me know!
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