by Tina Grady Barbaccia, Senior Editor

After a long day of attending seminars and walking the massive ConExpo-Con/Agg show floor visiting numerous booths, a little off-the-job downtime is in order. But if you’ve already blown your budget, need some places that are family friendly, or just want some time away from the constant buzz and ringing of the casinos, Las Vegas offers many alternatives to gambling both on and off the strip. Last month, we gave you a handful of options. Here are just a few more.

 Atomic Testing Museum

This 8,000-square-foot permanent exhibit hall is the first of its kind in the nation, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The museum offers multiple viewpoints on the work that was conducted at the Nevada Test Site and what this meant for the United States. Artifacts on loan from personal collections, The Smithsonian, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, and pieces of the Berlin Wall and World Trade Centers are on display. The exhibits are designed to provide a highly interactive experience and feature touch screens, motion-sensitive plasma television presentations, audio interviews with former workers from the Nevada Test Site, and other multi-media components. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, military (with identification), and youth from ages 7 to 17. Children age 6 and under are free. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. 

Atomic Testing Museum
755 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Phone: 702-794-5151

NASCAR Entertainment Center

This entertainment center located at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, features Las Vegas’ fastest roller coaster, SPEED. The coaster accelerates to 70 miles per hour in 2 seconds using electromagnetic force and a G Force of 3.5. The center also features a 35,000-square-foot Cyber Speedway (with racing simulators reaching 220 miles per hour and mounted on hydraulic bases), the Pit Pass Arcade, and what is claimed to be the world’s largest stock car, “Carzilla.”  The venue also has the NASCAR Café, which includes a 400-seat restaurant. The height requirement for the Cyber Speedway is 48 inches. Speedway passes for one race or a single roller coaster ride are $10 each. An all-day unlimited pass for both attractions is $21.95. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to  1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Sahara Hotel and Casino
2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South • Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702-737-2111 (local) or 888-696-2121 (toll free)

Liberace Museum

Just a few miles off The Strip, this museum plays tribute to the flamboyant and entertaining pianist Liberace. There are 18 rare and antique pianos on display at the museum as well as Liberace’s treasures, elaborate costumes, and jewelry — including a piano-shaped ring made of 260 diamonds and the largest rhinestone in the world (150,000 carats). A replica of the musician’s bedroom and a desk once owned by Russian Czar Nicholas II that Liberace had in his personal collection are also on display. The costume gallery within the museum was once a rehearsal space for Liberace and features mirrored walls that allow a 360-degree view of all the wardrobes on display — everything from his gold lamé suit to his “King Neptune” outfit, which is adorned with 200-plus pounds of pink feathers.

Admission costs $12.50 for adults, $8.50 for seniors 65 and older, and students ages 6 to 17. Children 5 years old and younger are free. The museum is located 2.5 miles from The Strip. A free shuttle to and from the Liberace Museum is available from the Riviera, Treasure Island, Mirage, Flamingo, Paris Las Vegas, and Tropicana. It’s advisable to call ahead for the shuttle schedule.

Liberace Museum
1775 E. Tropicana Ave. • Las Vegas, NV  89119
Phone: 702-798-5595

Outdoor Adventures

If you’re spending some extra time in the Las Vegas area and want to check out some of the natural beauty within the state, there are several options. Some are just as short drive, such as Red Rock Canyon (about 20 miles away); Lake Mead (about 30 miles away), which is considered the largest man-made lake; and Mount Charleston (about 25 miles northwest of The Strip). Hoover Dam, the famed public works project commissioned by President Hoover, is right next to Lake Mead. Bonnie Springs, an 1880s Western mining town reproduction, and Spring Mountain Ranch State Park also are just a few miles south of Red Rock Canyon. If you’re willing to spend more time, within a 300-mile radius of Las Vegas, you can hit Bryce Canyon, Utah’s Zion National Park (about 2-1/2 hours), Death Valley National Park (about 2 hours), and the Grand Canyon (about 300 miles) in Arizona. Some helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon are offered from Las Vegas.

 Red Rock Canyon
20 miles west of Las Vegas
Phone: 702-515-5350

Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cost: $5 per car, $2 for motorcyclists and tour bust riders, free for bicyclists and hikers who park at the loop entrance. An annual pass is available for $20.

 

Mount Charleston
Mount Charleston, NV

Hours: Varies depending on campsite/picnic area/trail.

Cost: Varies depending on campsite/picnic area/trail. For more information call the National Reservation Center: 800-280-CAMP (2267).

How to get there: 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas Strip

Take U.S. Highway 95 north about 15 miles outside of Las Vegas. Follow signs to Lee Canyon.

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Lake Mead
601 National Highway
Boulder City, NV

Phone: (702) 293-8907Hours: Recreation area open 24 hours/daily.

Cost: Entrance fee (1-5 days): $5 per vehicle; $3 per individual (motorcycle, bicycles, hikers) $20 for annual passes; $10 for Golden Age Passport (62 or older) $50 for National Parks Pass. Lake use (1-5 days): $10 first vessel; $5 each additional vessel.

How to get there: Take U.S. 93 south through Boulder City toward Phoenix, approximately 30 miles.

Web Resources

For more information on things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling and shows, check out these Web sites:

Free Attractions — www.vegas.com/attractions/freeattractions.html

Museums, Galleries, and Collections — www.vegas.com/attractions/indoor.html

Attractions for Kids — www.vegas.com/attractions/kids.html

Thrill Rides — www.vegas.com/attractions/thrillrides.html

Las Vegas Area Recreation — www.vegas.com/attractions/recreation.html

General Las Vegas Information — www.visitlasvegas.com , www.lasvegas.com , www.vegas.com , www.lasvegasnevada.gov

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Seminar Highlights

The place to go to see new equipment and technology for the construction industry.