Las VegasOutdoor Activities for the Whole Family

My family and I have spent a lot of time in Las Vegas. Although my husband and I enjoyed the gambling, we spent a lot of time searching for outside activities that we could do as a family with the kids. We found that Vegas had a lot to offer!! Below is the ones that we consider to be our favorites.

Lake Mead
Lake Mead has several marinas and bays for you to spend the day at. You can rent a boat to take the family out on the lake for fishing, skiing, or just a pleasure cruise. You can even rent a houseboat! (I'd recommend making a reservation for a houseboat at least 6 months ahead due to the popularity of them.) If you'd rather let someone else do the driving, you can go on one of the many boat tours. If you're looking for a little more adventure, sign up for one of the raft, canoe or kayak trips. If camping is your thing, then go have fun! There's plenty of parking space for your RV or camper trailer or you can really rough it and pitch that old pup tent. Spend the day swimming, grilling, picnicking, exploring and hiking. Lots of fun for everyone!!

Boulder (Hoover) Dam
Take a scenic ride over the Hoover Dam. You can book a bus tour to the Dam and relax as you enjoy the sights. You can also take an elevator down inside of the dam and tour this enormous man made concrete structure. In the Visitors Center you can view a movie, exhibits and scheduled presentations by professional guides. Don't forget to pick up a few souvenir's in the gift shop. With just a few steps, you can walk between Nevada and Arizona to view Hoover Dam from two states!

Mount Charleston
In the summer, you can escape the high temperatures of Vegas by going up Mt. Charleston and enjoy some breath-taking scenery, hiking, and picnics. In winter, you can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, building snowmen, and all the other fun snow activities. (My kids always loved to go swimming in Lake Mead in the morning, then go up the mountain and build a snowman later the same day!) If you watch, you will see wild burros and horses roaming throughout the area. Take advantage of the ski lift, camp grounds, 53 miles of trails and horseback riding.

Swap Meet
Broad Acres Swap Meet is one of the oldest swap meets in Vegas and is opened every weekend of the year. Approximately 400 vendors sell almost anything from new and used merchandise, antiques, collectibles, jewelry of all types, western and Indian items, crafts, produce, and you name its. This is a great way to spend a day or two and find some great bargains on things you didn't even know you wanted until you saw them!! Be sure to try one of their fresh coconut drinks! Snack bars and restrooms are available. The only bad thing about this place is that it is BIG. You'll want to go back tomorrow to see what you missed today!!

Nellis Air Show
If you plan your vacation in the fall, don't pass up the chance to see the Nellis Air Force Base - Las Vegas Air Show. It is a two-day event at Nellis Air Force Base and is also one of the largest public events in Nevada. The Air Show features over a 100 military and civilian planes on the ground. In the air, you can watch the U.S. Army's Golden Knights parachute jump team and the amazing Thunderbirds. If you've never seen the Thunderbirds fly, then definitely go see them now!! You'll be glad that you did.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway
No matter what form of car racing you prefer, LVMS has it all, including a 1.5 mile superspeedway, 2.5 mile road course, 1/2 mile dirt oval track, Go-Kart tracks and a state-of-the-art drag racing strip. It is the home of a 400-mile race on the Nextel Cup Series, as well as some of the Busch and Truck Series events. The NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip will be held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from October 31, 2008 to November 2, 2008.