Ski and Snowboard, Mount Charleston
It says everything about Nevada’s remarkable geography that you can be in the desert one moment and in a ski resort 30 minutes later, and that’s undeniably what Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard resort on Mount Charleston is. Though the ski area’s not exactly extensive in the way of the big US and European resorts, there are few better places to cool off and chill out within a short distance of the strip. Out of season, the hiking’s as good as you’d hope, and the usual ski resort trappings of lifts, shops and restaurants add creature comforts to the mountain’s blockbuster scenery. Take Highway 95 around 30 miles north to Highway 156, Lee Canyon. It’s then 17 miles to the resort. skilasvegas.com
Red Rock Canyon
You don’t have to go far to swap bright lights for the great outdoors – less than 30 minutes’ drive from the strip should do it. The spectacular Red Rock Canyon conservation area is a hiker’s heaven, with 19 marked trails ranging from easy to strenuous, while the hard sandstone walls of the canyon offer a red-hued playground for new or experienced climbers. Look out for routes with names like Magic Bus, Big Bad Wolf and Smooth Operator – not to mention Panty Wall (no laughing at the back). If all that sounds too much like hard work, there are great driving routes around the park. Located west of Las Vegas on Charleston Boulevard. redrockcanyonlv.org
Neon Museum
Along with the roulette wheel, the neon sign is one of Las Vegas’s calling cards, and the best place to see some of the city’s finest isn’t on buildings, but in a museum. The Neon Museum, some of which is appropriately housed inside a former motel, is dedicated to preserving iconic Las Vegas signs. It also host lectures and ‘happenings’, including weddings – which makes a nice change from being walked down the aisle by Elvis while you figure out how to break the news to your family. 770 Las Vegas Boulevard North. neonmuseum.org
Slotzilla
There are plenty of ways to get around in Vegas. You could wander around the strip on foot, going from hotel to hotel or, if you’re lazy or posh, hail a cab. But this is the entertainment capital of the world, so of course you’d rather be fired out of a 110ft-high slot machine along a 1,700ft zipline, through flashing lights and past giant neon showgirls on Slotzilla, at the Fremont Street Experience. That’s our kind of high rolling… 425 Fremont Street. vegasexperience.com
Inspire
Believe it or not, it’s possible to see a show in Vegas without having to watch a vast, glitzy performance by a star ekeing out the last mileage in their career. Inspire is a brand new, intimate (in Vegas terms, at least) venue that puts on everything from live music and vaudevillian shows to talks on thought leadership. Inspire’s (not very) secret bar, 365 Tokyo, also does a mean cocktail – with the added novelty of hand-carved ice. 3820 S Jones Blvd. frglv.com
Getting out and away
Visit the bright lights of Las Vegas with a Virgin Holidays Flydrive package from £835pp, based on a four-night stay at the pyramid-shaped 4V Luxur hotel in November 2014, including car hire from £18 per day. To book: virginholidays.co.uk or call 0844 557 4321.
