Las Vegas Outdoor Vacation Spots

Who says Las Vegas is a lousy place for a family vacation? While Las Vegas does have a reputation for gambling, drinking and general revelry, when you get away from the Strip it's pretty much like any other large city (or at least, any large city that has slot machines in every convenience store, grocery, and pharmacy). Las Vegas sits in a basin of the Mojave desert, surrounded by mountain ranges. Families who love outdoor adventures will find many gorgeous places to visit surrounding Las Vegas. Herewith, a brief overview of a few of the awesome outdoor attractions that surround Las Vegas:

Valley of Fire State Park. Once considered a sacred place by Native Americans, the Valley of Fire was created over millions of years by winds and shifting desert sands. When the sunlight hits just right, the great red sandstone formations appear to be glowing; to my eyes the effect is of an ash-covered charcoal ember. Ancient petroglyphs also mark the fossilized formations, a few in places that are easily accessible by visitors. The Valley of Fire is located about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas. An interesting note: The Valley of Fire has been used for location shooting for many TV shows and movies, perhaps most notably as the place where Captain Kirk fell to his death.

Red Rock State Park. Red Rock is located about 15 miles west of the Strip, and is one of the most beautiful places in the Southwest. Striped, colorful layers of rock, heaved up from the earth eons ago, tell the history of our planet. Rock climbers will absolutely love Red Rock, although there are many hiking trails that don't involve serious climbing. A 13-mile loop around the conservation area has many places to pull off the road and enjoy the view and have a simple picnic or take a short hike. You may be fortunate enough to see wild burros, bighorn sheep. (The burros aren't all so wild, though, some will be bold enough to stick their head in your car looking for handouts! It's against the law to feed them, but the burros don't seem to care.)

Mount Charleston. When the weather gets too hot in the desert basin, Las Vegas locals head up to Mount Charleston, a 30-minute drive from the Strip. The tallest peak of the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas, Mount Charleston is not as picturesque as some mountains but the temperatures in the summer are generally 15 to 20 degrees cooler there than the desert below. Outdoorsy families can enjoy hiking, camping, picnicking or photographing nature (or skiing November through March). Darling log cabins (in various sizes, with all the amenities) can be rented for overnight stays, and pets are welcome to stay, too! The most scenic views are at the Mount Charleston Lodge, which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus as well as a lounge where the adults can relax after the kiddies are in bed.

Valley of Fire info: http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm

Red Rock State Park info: http://azstateparks.com/Parks/RERO/index.html

Mount Charleston Lodgeinfo : http://www.mtcharlestonlodge.com/