Las Vegas: The Other Side

I’ve traveled to Las Vegas many times, mostly for business, and honestly after a couple of days I’m about done. However, I discovered a whole new side of Las Vegas on our recent trip.

Most people go to Las Vegas for the famous Las Vegas Strip with all the gambling in the incredible casinos and the plethora of entertainment. As the old saying goes, “what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas”. It’s coined Sin City for a reason. The fact is, the Las Vegas area has so much more to offer and we were fortunate enough to get an insiders view of the other side of Las Vegas.

The Arts District of Las Vegas is a growing area with local shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants. Although it’s in the northern shadows of the iconic Stratosphere (STRAT) hotel it’s a completely different vibe. It’s a fun place with monthly activities such as Market in the Alley, where the streets and parking lots are lined with friendly local vendors, showcasing everything from amazing baked goods to clothing and medicinal products. The theme is “shop small, shop local” and there are plenty of places to do so such as a quaint little boutique called Akin Cooperative, which hosts regular social gatherings and wine tasting events. For an outstanding burger and local beer, be sure to check out Nevada Brew Works.

Another amazing entertainment district, and an extension of the old Freemont Street area, is Fergusons Downtown. It takes incredible vision and hard work to convert an 80 year old run down motel into one of the most unique and vibrant entertainment venues one could imagine. You might recognize it by the (now) iconic Big Rig Jig sculpture which adorns the entrance to an open courtyard where you can sip on your favorite cocktail on the lawn and listen to live music from the center stage. The shops along the courtyard actually utilize the original motel rooms, even the doors are original. It’s a perfect balance of preserving the vintage history, in an all-new transformed way. A hidden secret of Fergusons Downtown is the small Airstream community on the backside. It’s a very unique and socially integrated community with a mix of Airstream trailers and tiny houses where residents partake in shared activities incorporating a theme of “give more then you take”.

Las Vegas is located in the Nevada desert surrounded by much natural beauty. You don’t have to go far to be amazed by both mother nature and the incredible feats of man. The latter is no better demonstrated by Hoover Dam which is only a 45 minute (magnificent) drive east from Las Vegas. Whether you take a guided tour or simply awe at the incredible structure on your own, you will sure to be amazed. We also really enjoyed the incredible views just further south of Hoover Dam down highway 93, especially the Willow Beach overlook that provides an amazing canyon view of the Colorado River.

45 minutes North of Las Vegas is a whole other world, at Valley of Fire State Park. The 40,000 acres of red sandstone combined with gray and tan limestones hills, truly does look like something from another world. The park road meanders through the park so you can see much of this from your car or a short walk (Arch Rock). However, if you do like to hike there are plenty of opportunities for that as well which gets you deeper into the hills with the opportunity to do some additional adventuring. We hiked the Fire Wave loop trail and thoroughly enjoyed it, although we missed a turn on the trail and ended up at the White Domes trailhead and had to hitch a ride back to the Jeep. I did mention “additional adventuring”.

We exited Valley of Fire State Park from the East entrance and made the trip back to Las Vegas via Highway 167. This is a scenic remote road that traverses along Lake Mead, and provides many opportunities to get some great views of the lake by taking some of the smaller artery roads. Although the lake is currently considerably low, it was still quite beautiful.

There is so much to do and see in the general Las Vegas area and the Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort made for a perfect home base to explore it all. Be sure to check out “the other side” of Las Vegas, and oh yeah, while you’re there its still Ok to throw down some chips on the blackjack table or take in a show.

Here’s some more pictures of the area.

In memory of the life and accomplishments of Tony Hsieh. His legacy lives on through all those who he inspired along the way.