Three Best Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling

If you want to experience the thrills of Las Vegas without shelling out thousands of dollars to gamble, you're not alone. Many non-gambling tourists check out the non-gambling side of Vegas all the time. Why? Because there's plenty to do around Las Vegas that doesn't require throwing the dice or counting cards.

Thrill Rides

Las Vegas is home to several amusement parks, which range from kiddie-oriented to downright terrifying. If you're a full-grown adult and have complete control over your bodily fluids, you might want to head over to the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino, home to four of the biggest - and most expensive - thrill rides you'll ever step foot in.

Choose from the Insanity, X-Scream and Big Shot rides, each of which suspend you hundreds of feet over Las Vegas, spin you around at insane G-force speeds and make you wish you hadn't eaten that corn dog half an hour ago. These rides cost around $12-$13 per ticket each, so you won't be riding these over and over again.

The Sky Jump, Stratosphere's feature ride, is like a huge bungee drop from 108 stories above Vegas. It costs $100 to ride this once, so enjoy it while you can. You get harnessed in to the hilt, so hopefully you won't have to worry about a death fall on the way down.

Outdoor Attractions

Las Vegas is the epitome of paving paradise to put up a parking lot, but there are a few haunts around the city that haven't been scraped with a bulldozer. 35 miles outside of Vegas lies Mount Charleston, an alpine attraction in the middle of the desert that's definitely worth the drive.

If you feel like driving a little further, you can visit the Valley of Fire National Park, located 55 miles outside Vegas. You'll know why they call it that when you see the color of the canyons - they're scorching red!

For a whole day of outdoor activity, head to Red Rock Canyon, located about 20 miles away from Vegas. Experience rock climbing on real rocks, not just a rock wall, go horseback riding, hiking or cycling - all of which you can do with the family or as a couple.

Front Sight

If you're a weapons enthusiast, spend a day or two at Front Sight Firearm Academy, where you can try out a variety of semi-automatic and automatic weapons, learn proper and safe weapon handling, take a class in edged weapon training and even take lessons in martial arts and self defense. Kids can come, too, as they offer special classes just for youth.

Activities at Front Sight can be pricey, but it's a great destination if you don't want to drive far outside of Vegas. The academy is located about 10 miles away.

Sources:

Lasvegaslogue.com
Frontsight.com
Stratospherehotel.com