So 1 thing led to another and the girl friend ended up telling me the other day, that shes taking me to Vegas for my birthday!!! Unfortunately, my birthday is early April so we're gonna wait until end of May (and shes out of nurse school) to go so the pools are warmer / better weather. (And thank god she did; a good trip to LV requires a ton of planning lol) Either way - Shes not a big city girl. She tends to be very country; loves animals, etc... If it wasn't for me (and I love LV) she would never go herself. If it wasn't for awesome pools, she'd probably never have suggested it. Even though this is for my birthday, and we're going where I want to go - I want her to have a good time too. I've suggested so far: Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay (we're staying at MB) The Body Worlds exhibit at Luxor (as shes a nurse, she'll like that) I saw Mirage has a spend the day with a dolphin trainer - considering doing this with her but it's $500 / person! I suggested Red Rock Canyon but that has some stigma that goes with it for me. She doesn't want to do Grand Canyon. Maybe a Hover Dam tour. I've convinced her to maybe do a night club tour with me and see at least 1 cirq show, but any other ideas? Was gonna see if anyone did horse back riding or something like that. Open to suggestions!
Valley Of Fire Drive around Lake Mead As for horses and animals, there's the Shiloh Horse Rescue just across the line in California. Bonnie Springs Springs Preserve Wetlands I know I will think of more after I hit POST.
Definitely the tiger exhibit at mirage. And you can see the dolphins if you don t want to do the whole day thing.
There are certainly a lot of things to do for non-city people if you have a car. I'm not sure I'd recommend a first timer spring for this unless it is your passion. If you buy an admission to the Secret Garden, you go in, see the animals and then you have unlimited time inside the facility. They regularly "exercise" the dolphins in the pool, and there's another pool that I think currently has the baby. I've spent hours there, just hanging out and watching the dolphins, but I'm a weirdo. True, they discourage you from getting in and swimming with them, but that's the only downside. The Secret Garden tour is self-guided once you are inside, so you can decide how much time to spend with exhibit. There are a number of places that offer trail rides. Do a google search for horseback riding Vegas, or trail rides Vegas. You should be able to find a company that will pick you up and your hotel and take you out there, if you don't have access to a car. This is a great day trip out if you combine them. Leave Las Vegas and drive north (east?) on I-15. The exit for VOF is clearly marked. Don't miss the turn to the north out to White Domes. Some of the best scenery in the park. After you're at the far end of the park, past Elephant Rock, keep going out of the park. When you get to the intersection, turn right on 167/Northshore Road. That will take you down along Lake Mead, with plenty of places to stop and look around. You can either take E. Lake Mead back to Downtown/or North LVB, or continue down into Henderson and I-15 and take that back into the tourist corridor. Another non-traditional thing you could do is visit the Old Las Vegas State Historical Park and see the Old Mormon Fort to see what Vegas used to look like before Bugsy, Meyer Lansky, and friends made the Vegas we know today.
I take the family out to Vegas for vacations several times per year so I'm always on the lookout for fun and interesting things to do outside of the Strip: The railroad walking trail at Lake Mead is a beautiful, relaxing (and free) way to spend a morning. After walking the railroad trail, it's worth driving another 20 minutes south to check out Nelson ghost town for some cool pictures (free again). Someone already mentioned the Springs Preserve and I definitely second it. There are some very nice gardens to walk through and experience desert flora (all free) and a great Nevada museum if you're interested. Clark County Wetlands Preserve is also a beautiful free walking area with wildlife and a cool visitors center. The Pinball Hall of Fame and Mob Museum are always entertaining for an hour or two. Since you mentioned animals, I'd recommend stopping by The Farm. It's a very cute and surprisingly large petting zoo full of rescue animals and seems very out of place in Las Vegas.
Yes, forgot about that one! Very low-impact leisurely walk through history. Photo below. I really was not impressed with Nelson, sorry. However (comma) it's worth it to drive through to the view of Upper Lake {mumble} and the river, just east of Nelson. For a ghost town worth visiting, Rhyolite is a couple of hours north of LV and quite interesting.
Thanks everyone. We're still super early in planning, but I've shown her these suggestions and shes more at ease going, lol... One way or another, she'll have fun I think.
I disagree with the other posters... I recommend doing everything BUT something a "non city girl" would like. Show her a completely mind-blowing side to Vegas! Definitely pool time, rent a cabana or day bed Go to the former Mandarin Bar at the re-branded Waldorf Astoria Bar car on the High Roller Bellagio Fountains (maybe from Hyde Lounge?) Definitely a Cirque show, or Absinthe if she isn't the faint of heart (or both!) Where are you staying? and for how long?
Mandalay Bay (my favorite). Birthday is first week of April so that's out (to cold for us). Week of May 15th is out (I got married in Vegas / divorce in progress / she doesn't want to be there the week I got married, lol) So looks like May 24th +- 5-6 nights So 3 plans stand Keep it low key - 5-6 nights at MB - no car rental, uber when we need it, no cabana, a night club tour and a few nice dinners Keep it affordable - 2 nights Cosmo (I've always wanted to stay there) 3-4 nights MB. Still no car rental but rent a Lamborghini for a day (something I've wanted to do forever but the ex never wanted me to) and go see hover dam or some of the stuff suggested above, probably a cabana mid week to keep it cheaper and same - night club tour / nice dinners / cirq show All out - 2 nights Cosmo, rent the lamborghini - drive to LA or San Fran or wherever for a nights stay then back to LV for 3-4 nights at MB. Bottle service at Light to keep it cheap (tables can be had for $300 minimum / $525 for a bottle of Makers Mark so let's call it $800 all in) no night club tour, a cirq show / dinner as planned All of this knowing I've promised her daughter and my godson a trip to LV for their 21st birthdays in 2020 so anything I don't get to do this year, I'll be back in 1 year from when we're going. I'm leaning towards option 2. Maybe put the bottle service at Light into this plan if it really will be around what I think it will be but I'm not paying a grand + for 2 of us.
We did this at red rock a few years ago, my "city" girlfriend enjoyed it (though she does like cars a lot),,,,,,,,,scoot city tours...http://www.scootcitytours.com/landing-1-1/ Check groupon as well, sometimes there is a deal to be had
Female friend of mine who sounds similar to your GF just got back. She thought Gilley's was the greatest, did the Nascar and drove it by herself. Surprisingly she enjoyed touring the hotels but avoided the main strip (did the in and out of casino/hotel ) path. Something I think would be fun would be the dune buggy in the desert.
I say skip all the "Countrified" shenanigans and have a High Fa-loot'in time in the Big City. Maybe she suggested Las Vegas for a reason?
You forgot to add: "Go to the Strat & ride the rooftop rides!" "Ride the Rio "zip" line both ways & have drinks at VooDoo & take pictures" "Go downtown for the sheer lunacy of it all & play some Sigma Derby at 'the D' & hit the Mob Museum while you're down there". Good luck & have fun!
