Mt. Charleston: The Perfect Getaway from Las Vegas

If you find yourself visiting Las Vegas in the summer, you may long for a cooler, but nearby getaway. Mt. Charleston is less than an hour's drive from the Las Vegas Strip and can be thirty degrees cooler with an elevation of a little over 7,000 feet.

Go early and you can take a hike on one of several trails, ranging from a couple of miles to more than ten. A popular hike, Cathedral Rock, is three miles round trip but may take close to two hours to complete. You can find out more information about trails, flora and fauna at the visitor center.

If you're looking for a place to eat, head over to Mt. Charleston Lodge, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served and a lounge is open until midnight.

You can dine inside by the circular fireplace or outside on a patio overlooking beautiful vistas of Mummy Mountain. On a recent trip, we enjoyed light breezes out on the patio while we feasted on a tasty Tuna Melt sandwich and a special Lodge version of a Club Sandwich.

The focus of the Lodge's A-frame decor is the large open fireplace in the center of the room, surrounded by windows on three sides and the lounge on the fourth side. You won't find gambling here, although there 15 Gamblers Choice multi-game coinless machines. Smoking is permitted at the bar only. There is also a Christmas shop open year-round.

Interested in staying overnight? There are twenty-four individual log cabins each with two person whirlpool, fireplace, king size beds, living room and private deck, perfect for honeymoons or just a quiet break from the Las Vegas Strip. Don't forget to pack something warm because the temperature drops into the 50s at night during the summer.

Some cabins are equipped with VCR or DVD, and microwave and mini refrigerator. The office loans books and games for guest's overnight enjoyment, and office staff are quick to point out there are no telephones in the cabins, making the Mount Charleston Lodge a true getaway.

Couples, families, and even pets are welcome, although there is a $20 fee per night per pet, with a maximum 30-pound weight limit and no more than two pets. Rates are quite reasonable, especially during the week.

Your experience changes with the season. In the spring, you'll enjoy spring blooms and rushing creek water, relief from the extreme heat of the summer desert temperatures, gold and fiery red Aspen leaves in the fall, and snowfall in the winter, making for a perfect winter holiday getaway. Holiday meals are festive events and you'll want to book early.