My husband, our three kids (almost 4, 6, and 8 years old), and I had such a great experience…read morevisiting Hoover Dam with friends who were in town. It ended up being educational, interesting, and fun for both the adults and the kids. There is a parking garage a short distance with a parking fee (I can't remember the exact amount, but I think it was around $10). One of our favorite parts was watching the short film about the history of Hoover Dam and then exploring the underground areas. There was so much to see! Our absolute favorite section was the large underground exhibit with historical displays and interactive exhibits about the dam's history. The kids really enjoyed it, and it kept everyone engaged. The underground areas were also a nice break from the summer heat. We stayed comfortably cool. The kids never got cold and I only needed a light cardigan, even while wearing shorts. I tend to get cold pretty easily, but I was comfortable. Keep in mind though, that we visited during the summer. Other than the short walk from the parking garage to the visitor center, I'd say this is a great place to spend several hours mostly indoors in air conditioning if you're looking to get out of the house and escape the Vegas heat. You can also purchase tickets ahead of time on the Hoover Dam website, which makes planning your visit easy.

About 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas, Hoover Dam is absolutely worth the drive . Even if you're…read morejust passing through, this is definitely worth the stop. I've been here multiple times, and it never gets old. The history is impressive , and the engineering behind it is just crazy . Definitely do the guided dam tour--it's totally worth it. You get to go through the tunnels, ride the original elevator, walk through inspection areas, view the Colorado River through the ventilation shaft, and tour the power plant, including the Nevada Powerhouse . Great views, great history, and just cool as all get-out . Easy 5 stars.

Free Parking this is the beginning 1 mile until you hit the 1st rail tunnel. You are walking…read morebasically on the removed railroad tracks where the rail cars were used to remove and bring in materials to build Hoover Dam. Walk, Jog, or bike love this spot for the beauty and the history. $25 to enter lake Meade State Park if you choose to go in if you have a pass it's free. Hoover Dam Hotel Casino and Hoover Damn are also in the area to visit to see the sights along with the small town of Boulder City which offers restaurants bars and small shops & antiques.

Hey Yelpers! This is…read morea super easy mostly flat hiking trail with the most beautiful views. This is the best time of the year to hike it, too. You can easily drive into the parking lot like you are heading to the visitor center, but drive past it down to the restroom parking lot close to the trail and it's perfectly marked for easy no brainer adventure. About half way or an hour in there is another restroom with a covered picnic table for a break. Then you can continue on down to the Boulder Dam. There are amazing views there as well as awesome retro restrooms , memorials, and water. There used to be a cafe. I forgot to look if they are still open. Before the dam is a parking structure. You can take the stairs or an elevator. We usually start our hikes about 8 am. The restrooms were still clean and stocked. I bring hand sanitizer. Be sure to bring water and a snack just in case. Dogs are welcome but please pick up after them and keep them on a leash. The later it gets the more busy it gets. I like to go here at least once a year. It's just so nice to get out into nature and experience Nevada. Parking is free. You can check out the visitor center while you are there. They have cool stuff. I recommend this trail. Check it out!

Lake Mead Visitors Center and Park Store is a hidden little secret. The rangers and volunteers are…read moreincredibly knowledgeable and provide free maps and activity advice. The discovery center tells a great story of the area and I loved the topographical map of the entire park. Most unexpected was the park store hidden in the back. Really cute items that reflect the Lake Mead area in addition to my personal favorite, the prickly pear salsa and honey. Highly recommend for locals and visitors.

My friend and I took a lake cruise on the desert princess this past Saturday (7/25/26)…read more What our cruise company did not tell us was there is a parking fee to get in. I learned that it is protected by the coast guards. I guess one way to think of this place is like a national forest. Entrance/parking fee to get in and it is well protected. I probably only saw one piece of trash through the entire lake cruise duration. They truly do their best to keep this place nice and clean. The lake was peaceful and beautiful. As another user already mentioned, even though the water line is decreased over the years, the lake remains a beautiful sight to see. This was my first time here and truly, getting a break from the dry desert was definitely a treat.

We have lectric bikes and boy did we take em out for a Spin!…read moreWe rode the entire 35mile loop. It took us about 5 hours with one of them Being breaks. Even with help this trail is a beautiful beast. Steep hills and a steady gradual I cline in the middle. It sure was beautiful though. Great views. Some nature. Just some chipmunks and lizards mostly.

An Earth Day 2016 Celebration Review…read more The River Mountain Trail (not River Mountains Loop Trail) is one of my most cherished hiking trails near Las Vegas. Ever since I first stepped foot on it in 2006, I have adored this charming trail. It is an adoration that led to an annual Spring hike on it. It is a tradition that has cost zero and gives back uncomplicated joy. Yesterday, I celebrated Earth Day on the River Mountain Trail. River Mountain Trail with the unsigned Black Mountain Trail is a six-mile round trip adventure that starts from a parking lot off mile marker 29.5 of the River Mountains Loop Trail (https://www.yelp.com/biz/river-mountains-loop-trail-henderson) in Boulder City then climbs from an elevation of 2,415 to 3,600 feet up to Red and Black Mountain (https://www.yelp.com/biz/red-and-black-mountain-boulder-city). This is what I consider a Disney Trail. Just like a Disneyland ride, it is clean; adorable; picturesque ; and provides a thrill minus the intimidation. Deep into the trail as it climbs the switchbacks up the Red & Black Mountain canyon it even resembles the Big Thunder Railroad. The Civilian Corps that built it in the 1930s did it with the imagination of a Disney Imagineer. The trail is a work of art that follows a sinuous course through the rolling desert where it passes through a verdant canyon of vegetation. Graffiti is relatively nonexistent. From the trailhead near St. Jude Ranch, the first impression is misleading. Following the beginning leg of the trail it borders housing walls and a concrete wash. After a slight curve, it meets the colossal spaces of the desert with Red and Black Mountain Mountain in the distance. In April, with the blooming wildflowers, the desert resembles an Arboretum more than a desolate landscape. Gradually the trail aims toward the Red & Black Mountain canyon. When the trail reaches 2,960 elevation, the switchbacks along the face of Red Mountain start rolling the ribbon of sand up sinuous and gentle curves toward the stratosphere in a place up by the clouds called the Red & Black Mountain summit. The amazing thing is how smoothly it reaches 3,300 feet. Ethereal and beautiful describe the experience of this solitary climb to the stratosphere. I compare this stretch to driving on Utah bound I-15 through endless desert then experiencing the roller coaster dips and turns of the Virgin River Gap. Here there are more rest stops. On the way there are large boulders to pause. Overhead vultures and airplanes pass over the sky. Below is a view of part of Boulder City. At the top of the saddle the trail name ends. Gone are the green and white trail signs with the River Mountain Trail - Bicycles prohibited signs. Gone is any thought of the trail ending. A left leads up to Red Mountain and straight to the Black Mountain summit. Now physically near the clouds and mentally on cloud nine, I continue straight for a. 05 to climb up a gentle 180 elevation gain to the end. On this walk near the clouds, I pass a rock that looks like an alligator. The trail concludes at the Black Mountain summit. At 3,480 feet high I rise above it all (Red Mountain is higher). This is a breathtaking panoramic view of the Las Vegas valley and Mount Charleston, Lake Mead, Boulder City, River Mountains, and desert interspersed with mountains reaching across the Hoover Dam Bridge into Arizona. Adorning the summit is a bench and informative sign on the geology. Even better than the rewarding overlook is that up to now was the laborious part of the hike. Heading back, the hike is a fun downhill descent toward the trailhead. I highly recommend hiking up the River Mountain Trail in the cooler months. In my opinion this hike is priceless. Being that this is an Earth Day review, it is appropriate to write that this is advice written from a person that is down to Earth.

This is a basic city park with tennis courts, basketball hoops and playground equipment. What puts…read morethis park above the rest is two things: 1. The location and 2. The wildlife. First, the location. This park in the hills above Lake Meade. The scenery is breathtaking. The blue of the water and the green of the grass is stunning...with foothills and mountains everywhere you look. If that is not enough, there is the wildlife. Bighorn sheep spend lazy afternoons grazing on the grass of this park. I have never been there when there were not at least 5 of these majestic beasts. If you are in the vicinity of Boulder City (on your way to Hoover Dam), take an hour or two to stop in the park, you will not be disappointed.

As a park, this is a lovely park. It has a view of Lake Mead and is simply beautiful! The…read moreplayground has a lot of equipment that kept our tiny one busy and so happy! There are beautiful picnic facilities and a lot of seating throughout the park . There is also a tennis court and ample shade to help stay cool. The walking path provides informational displays that explain the best part of the park....the long-horned sheep. There is a large herd that spends part of their day right here in the park. Of course they are wild animals and should not be approached but you are able to sit so close to them and observe as they relax in the grass. They are not tame but it is so neat to be able to be so close to them without them being at all disturbed by our presence. If you are in the area, stop by and see if you are able to share part of your day with wildlife!

It is well-known that the construction of Hoover Dam has its roots in the vicinity of Boulder City…read more It is hardly known that the teddy bear cholla also has its roots in the vicinity of Boulder City. In this review, I will share with you the grove of teddy bear cholla that stand in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Boulder City. The teddy bear cholla lives in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Northwest Mexico. A teddy bear cholla forest is an uncommon sight in the vicinity of Las Vegas. There are two locations where I am aware of teddy bear cholla thriving. It is off Nevada State Route 165 in Nelson and this very spot that I am reviewing. The teddy bear cholla is an adorable cactus. It stands up-right and tree-like. From February to June they are decorated with colorful flowers. I strongly suggest doing this hike in late April and early May. The teddy bear cactus grows to an average of 3 feet, which is the size of a Star Wars Ewok or teddy bear. On that account they are known as teddy bear cholla. Their adorable appearance could be deceiving. From a distance they are charming. Up close their needles and balls of needles on the ground could turn an admirer to a victim. In a way they are back stabbers. My admiration of the teddy bear cholla forest dates back to 2005, when I got my car shortly after moving here from the East Coast, when hiking research was conducted at Border's Books. This research planted the seed for an annual hike into the cholla teddy bear forest. The best way to describe this hike is to visualize a triangle. The bottom left corner would be the River Mountains Loop Trail [RMLT] Pacifica Way trailhead. The bottom right corner would be the Alan Bible Visitor Center. The hiker has the choice of using any two of these trailheads. The point of the triangle would be where the RMLT intersects with the power line road that runs uphill to the teddy bear cholla forest turnoff. The triangle itself is the River Mountains Loop Trail. From the tip of the triangle a line running northwest would be the power lines road. This is the layout of the hike. I will discuss my previous hike utilizing the RMLT via Pacifica Way trailhead. There will be no problem getting a parking spot. Huge parking lot. The hike follows RMLT to MM 26.5. It is a beautiful paved trail with spectacular vistas of Lake Mead and the River Mountains. Because it runs on the former railroad, it is an unofficial extension of the Railroad Tunnel Trail. I have posted tips & pictures [concerned about 5,000 word limit]. After MM 26.5 where there is a sharp right curve, look for a valley, and make two lefts. The power line road is a gradual uphill climb. The trail texture is kind of rocky. I have done it in sneakers. When you walk the trail count the power lines. At the 13th power line, which is pole #57 [or X14441], turn left. There will be a sign saying "Authorized Vehicles." You are near the forest. The grove of trees will soon be on the right. What is neat is that the hiker is observing the forest instead of walking in the forest. This eliminates getting spiked by the cactus. The teddy bear cholla forest is in a valley that is so off the beaten path. I will usually sit on a rock, take in the teddy bear cholla forest and mountains before closing my eyes for a bit. The walk back on the power line road extends the adventure. The hiker, now on a downhill trail is rewarded with spectacular views across the Hacienda Hotel into Arizona. Beyond power line 48, a mesmerizing vista of Lake Mead appears. This will be near power line #45, where the hiker will make two right turns to get on the RMLT. The walk back on the RMLT is slightly uphill. When I wallk this stretch I have been rewarded with wildlife sightings that have included squirrels, big horn sheep, and birds. The hike will go fast. If you want an extended hike, I recommend parking by the Hemenway Valley Park off Villa Drive, right off MM 28 of the RMLT. This is a popular spot for big horn sheep sightings. If this review influenced you to experience the teddy bear cholla forest, and you were impressed my Great Outdoors list has other special places in the Great Outdoors in and around Vegas. This is review 75 of the Daniel. S Yelp 100 Challenge

This place was not worth the walk over. It's an area full of the cholla cactus. We had walked over…read moresince we were hiking in the area of seven dry falls canyon, we had been advised to bring some pliers. We were a little confused, but we brought needle nose and regular pliers. Well, we quickly found out why. The pieces of the cactus are all over the ground, you can't even walk through the area without one attaching to you. We had one person, (it was a man, of course, because a woman wouldn't be dumb enough) that decided to check out the forest up close and personal, and ended up with balls of cactus up and down his legs, shoes and a gnarly one that was in his hand pretty good. The pliers came in handy. I would not tell anyone to go out of their way to come check this area out, unless you have a love for cactus.

Not too far from the (paid) NPS Henderson entrance is this moderate 2-3+ mile (you choose) trail…read morethat starts right off the parking lot. Shaded picnic areas and rudimentary restrooms are at both nearby 33 Hole parking lots. The first (and last!) hill warrants good hiking footwear and your attention. Uneven and unmaintained so find a map online for best results. Bring water, bring Fido, dress for the weather and pack out your trash. The views and slot canyon are worth it!

This hike is unpaved, and someone can easily get lost. There were times when I had no idea where I…read morewas going, and luckily, the navigation on here told me I was going the wrong way. The hike, in general, is excellent. You see a little river, go under tunnels, and hike up a small hill. There is enough nature to look around rather than just dirt and rocks because we are in a desert. Not too many people around either, which is nice, that it isn't too crowded. Unfortunately, I did not see any owls. Lastly, you do have to pay an entrance fee to come inside, I believe it was 20. Overall, the hike was easy, and I would come back.

We had an absolutely lovely time visiting here. The grounds are well maintained, and if one is…read moreadventurous you can take a very long quiet walk while visiting different wildlife. We came on a very hot day, so naturally there were not that many birds to be seen. I would like to come back in the fall and see if we have better luck. One highlight of the visit was getting to see a sparkle of dragonflies. Very rare to see such a thing where I live. Highly recommended overall!

Although there was not much greeneries, it was nice stroll outside with this round loop…read more I didn't see any birds flying around or on trees but saw lots of geese and ducks in the small water ponds. There's an area where there are monarch butterflies. So awesome to see them flying around one area. And of course, Mr Tortoise. I heard he is usually not out of his hiding spot and I was lucky today to see him come out and smell the fresh air. So awesome to see him. There's a bee display inside the office. So intriguing to see the movements of this huge display. The front desk ladies say that they do try to escape at times so we have to be careful of the bees.

Not too sure if it's quite complete…read more The entrance has many covered picnic tables, working bathroom and map of trails. Hiking wise, there are 3 entrance paths that enter into a gravelled open area that was unclear of where it would end up. Pretty much turning left or right, you kind of loop back to the parking lot from that gravel area.

After our hike at the Wetlands, we came here for our after hike snacks and drinks. The park is…read morevery nice and new. This used to be just an area you pulled in to park with a dirt lot. Now there's a large parking lot with several picnic tables and benches and bathroom facilities. The tables are mostly shaded but that depends on the sun and the time of year. It was a pleasant place to spend our after hike time and plan our hike for next week. There are two trails leading from the parking area. One of them splits into a third and they end at an unpaved trail that is the south section of the Wetlands Park Loop Trail. You can take any of these trails from the picnic area to the Nature Center at the Wetlands Park and then come back here for a picnic. It would be a nice family outing!

I had so much fun when I did the Chinese Banquet. I felt like I was in an episode of the "Crazy…read moreRich Asians" or a Vegas highroller. I enjoyed the VIP behind the scenes tour, I learned so much about how the high rollers are served, the art and tidbits about Resorts World and Chairman Mao's role in Genting. So much food. So decadent and delicious. Service was incredible and Marco was a great tour guide

We just enjoyed a happy hour through Nevada Tour Company for their Embassy Suites Sphere viewing…read morecalled - Sphere Sensation Celebration: A Las Vegas Happy Hour! The booking process through TicketTailor was easy, and our tickets were sent electronically. We Uber'd but the hotel does have a paid parking option. We showed up at the hotel a few minutes before our start time, and the front desk checked us in and directed us to the 10th floor suite. Inside the room, you have access to the entry room with a loveseat, a countertop/kitchenette area with our champagne, the table with a charcuterie board, and of course, the restroom. But the star of the show is the big outdoor terrace and the view of the MSG Sphere itself. The view of the Vegas skyline was incredible, and 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to see all of the different graphics cycle through! The drinks were great, the food was delicious - fresh, great variety and beautiful presentation, the accommodations were clean, and the view second to none! I recommend this activity for tourists and locals alike!