Off the Beaten Path: The Springs Preserve in Las Vegas

If you've been to Las Vegas a bunch on times, like many people you are probably jaded and sick to death of the partytime activities on the Las Vegas Strip. As tantalizing as those shows, bright lights and flashy casinos are, sometimes a traveler just gets sick of it all and wants to go someplace with things that are familiar, quiet, calm, and natural.

Fortunately, there are many things to do in Las Vegas for visitors who are into learning and nature. If you find yourself in Las Vegas and you want to experience some history and learn something about technology and the surrounding area, do visit the awesome local natural and hiking attractions in Las Vegas. One such attraction, and one of the best in the area, is the Springs Preserve.

The Springs Preserve is a 180-acre preserve in Las Vegas, NV, which has an awesome playground for kids and a huge preserve, as well as interactive exhibits in the inside part of the attraction. It is free to hike the Springs Preserve and enjoy the fabulous playground, but you have to pay to get in to see the exhibits. The Springs Preserve is right across the street from the Meadows Mall in Las Vegas, so you could take a break from shopping over there. One really cool thing about the preserve is the solar panel setup protecting the parking lot.

There are literally hundreds of solar panels lined up, providing electricity to the local area and shade to the cars parked underneath. The playground is rustic-looking, and has giant animals including a very large plaster rattlesnake. Kids love the playground because the giant animals make the whole thing place look very cool.

There is an onside cafe named the Springs Cafe, which includes the lovely Wolfgang Puck terrace, and every Thursday from 5-9 p.m., Wolfgang Puck chefs will be onside preparing chocolate delights for the visitors to the cafe.

In addition to Las Vegas hiking trails and interactive family exhibits about the nature in the Las Vegas area, Springs Preserve also holds large celebrity music concerts and performances. Tickets for the scheduled performances, as well as the event schedule, are available online at the Springs Preserve website.

Springs Preserve is located a bit northeast of the strip, across from Meadows Mall. The address at Springs Preserve is 333 S. Valley View Blvd. in Las Vegas near Alta and the 95. They are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, please call (702) 822-7700 or visit the Springs Preserve website.