Anything adventurous for me to do in LV (while my husband plays golf)? It's my first visit to Las Vegas.

Try Red Rock Canyon...just a short drive out of town. Pretty place, nice easy hikes, good visitors center. Also, Hoover Dam. It's a cliche, but it's pretty magnificent and the new visitors center is wild.

Thanks, just driving through the city (with a cool destination in mind) sounds great. Both places sound good to visit. So would I just wake up in the morning and call a Taxi to take me to one of those places? Is it safe to go alone?

Is the Bellagio Pool even open in Feb.? Keep in mind the temps will most likely be cool not warm (check weather.com for averages) in mid Feb.. I do agreen with the Red Rock Canyon or Hoover Dam suggestions. A friend of mine really liked the Valley of Fire.

Kippy- Taxi's would be very expensive to those places as they are out of town. If you don't have a car, you could check with a tour company. Or the Bellagio conciege.

Thanks. I could check with the concierge. I'll call them and see what they say.

I'm not sold on a tour, as I have limited time there, and wanted to feel a little freer than that. I don't mind going on a short tour once I arrive at my destination, but would like the freedom to leave if I want to see something else. And I guess I could rent a car, but I think I'd have more fun as a passenger so I could see more.

I'm assuming to see these sites you'd either rent a car or take a tour w/no options in between.

I'm looking forward to the trip, and having fun planning what I'll be doing while my husband is golfing. It will be nice to have a little adventure on my own.

When I saw the word "adventure" it automatically made me think Valley of Fire. It's a state park north of LV where there are some very curios stone formations. I envy anyone who visits there sometime OTHER than late June, as we did. Holy cow, it was hot. But very interesting, though. You would need a car, but I think it would be safe to go alone. If money is no object, a great adventure from Las Vegas is one of the helicopter trips over the Grand Canyon. This would enable you to do something very adventurous without renting a car because I believe you can do the whole trip on a tour bus from somewhere on the strip. Go to any of the vegas websites and you'll see ads for them.

There's plenty to keep you busy within walking distance. All of the surrounding hotels have neat themes and are interesting to walk through. Go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, or walk down to the Luxor pyramid, see the lion cubs at the MGM or the dolphins at the Mirage. I think there's also a hop-on hop-off bus tour that goes up and down the strip these days so you can get on and off wherever you want and browse around.

And don't count out window shopping at the Forum Shoppes in Caesar's Palace. Not your typical shopping experience!

Whatever you do, don't follow your husband around the golf course all day! You can do THAT at home, too. Oh my....if I had hours and hours without the husband to browse around all those gorgeous Vegas shoppes...HEAVEN! Even just sipping a coffee outside the Venetian canals or overlooking the fountains all by myself...without the husband checking his football scores and answering his cell phone....HEAVEN!

Thanks for the ideas! Since I've never been to Vegas, I really don't know what to expect. I guess I just don't want to wander around aimlessly. I want to see some of the highlights.

Shopping might be okay, but we have started a new budget in January, and I normally love to buy, buy, buy. I was trying to stay away from that temptation. I have $ to spend, but b/c of our budget, I don't want spending to be on frivolous purchases. I suppose I should see the city too and see what it's like. I figure if it is has taken me 4 decades to get there, I might not be able to go back again.

I am trying to keep everything in balance. Maybe hit some highlights in Las Vegas, and also venture off to see Valley of fire or something. Being in such a big city, I may feel tempted to hang out at the hotel without a plan. I don't want to do that.

What are some highlights to see?

Try this site for a bunch of ideas and ratings: http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/

From your posts, I would start at the activities link and look at exhibits. This site has a lot of content beyond that as well.

Wandering around the strip in and out of hotels is always fun for most people, especially 1st timers. Your day will fly by. Just get out on the street and start!

Have fun.

Hi Kippy,
We have been to both Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire and I think either of those would be perfect for your few hours alone. We loved both for wonderful scenery and the "escape" from the strip. If you like to hike, I think Red Rock was a little better with more varied trails and things to see. If you like to drive and get out for the view, Valley of Fire is great. Red Rock was 35 minutes or so away, VOF was a little over an hour. Have a great trip!

How do you feel about flying? If OK w/it, how about going to the bottom of the Grand Canyon? Scenic Airlines and Papillon Helicopters both offer trips to Grand Canyon West that touch down on the banks of the Colorado. This is on Hualapai Indian Tribal Lands which is technically not a part of the National Park, but it's still fun.

kippy6..
If you want something fun and adventurous, I would do the Flyaway Indoor Skydiving right off the strip..its about $70 bucks and what a blast that would be.
Your husband and his buddies will be so jealous!

flyawayindoorskydiving.com

You could take an airplane tour to the Grand Canyon. It flies past Hoover Dam and you get great views all during the trip. Then hop a bus that goes into the park at the South Rim and stops at a couple of the most fabulous viewpoints for the G.C. The early flight will have you back at your hotel by 2PM.

I have some tour company liknks that I put together for our family reunion letter (this coming June). FYI, I haven't had personal experience with them:
http://www.alllasvegastours.com/
http://www.vegastours.com/
http://www.looktours.com/

mrwunrfl, Do you have the url of the airplane/bus tour? Sounds great!

kippy says she's on a budget folks...

My daughter did Hoover Dam tour on honeymoon and loved it. (as long as you're not afraid of heights!) Most of the "free" stuff is best at night..the water dance at the Belagio, the pirate ship show at the Treasure Island. Inexpensive trip up the "Eiffel Tower" at Paris is better at night. I agree that just walking underground at Ceaser's is incredible. Lunched in the restaurant there, poolside. Lovely. Just lovely. If you like to walk, just walking from one end of strip to the other (main part..Four Seasons to Treasure Island)is a really good hike! (Wear comfortable walking shoes!!!) It is really fun to walk through all the casinos and look at their theme-inspired decor and artwork, etc. Whatever you do, kippy, you WILL have fun. It's the law there. hahaha (You don't have to be a gambler to have a good time!)

Itlhermits, coincidentally the url it was mentioned by trippinkpj above: looktours.com

Scroll down the page and see the airplane under the title: Grand Canyon Airplane and Bus Tour - #1 Seller. I think that the earliest flight is best, if you can get up (or stay up) for it.

Don't forget about Madam Trousseau's wax museum at the Venetian. Pretty cool if you've never been to one.

there is tour of behind the scene of the vegas show at Ballys and its FREE. That fits in to your budget.

Here's another free tour: Ethel M's Chocolates.

From the website: "The Ethel M® Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Garden are open daily from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm. For your pleasure, admission is free and tours are self-guided."

The "M" refers to Mars; I think she was the mother of the men who founded the Mars company. My boss always raved about these chocolates and always made sure to pick some up when visiting out west.

Here's the website:
http://www.ethelm.com/jump.jsp?itemID=117&itemType=CATEGORY

Thanks! The website's look really interesting. Sorry for hijacking your post kippy6! Hope you have a great time! We're planning for our 25th anniversary in 2 years so this is great. Thanks again.

there is so much to do inside the casinos without gambling...stroll through the venetian while enjoying a gelato...Shop at Caesar's Shops and marvel at the fountains with lifelike statues...take a roller coaster ride that will knock your socks off at new york, new york, feel egyptian and enjoy IMAX at the Luxor...have lunch atop the needle..see a show...swim indoors...try free slot tournaments...or take a short private flight over the grand canyon for one of the most awesome sights in your lifetime ! will be too cold for any canyon hiking...

I loved Valley of Fire, and that would be my first choice if I were in your shoes. I think it has such interesting and varied terrain - certainly nothing like what you can see back east, where I'm from.

Since you've never been to Vegas, I can see why you're concerned...but trust me...it's not a city where you're going to be needing ideas for things to do. Especially with just 3 nights. Your hotel room will have brochures and ideas. Your concierge will be able to book anything you like. There are 3 or 4 car rental desks within a quarter mile of you. And just walking out the front door of your hotel...you can point yourself in any direction and be amused for hours on foot. Bring good walking shoes and don't overplan. You're actually going to leave the place disappointed that you didn't get to see/do half of what you wanted.

The Venetian has a Guggenheim Museum, which always has a nice exhibit. Sometimes Bellagio does too. It is worth walking thru this casino.
The Liberace Museum is off the strip. Worth the trip. Maybe you can get a shuttle bus there, as taxis are expensive. There are many restaurants to try. Too pricey for us. We gamble.
Find some 5 cent machines, have some fun. Learn how to shoot craps or play roulette. Many casinos have lessons. You don't have to gamble a lot. Watch people. Have fun!

Definitely check out the "M&M" Store...every color of M&M's and many goodies. everytime I go, I am buying lbs. and lbs. of chocolate. (near MGM Grand)

There is just way to much to do while there. The key thing is don't expect to do everything. As mentioned the concierge is also a good contact person, as are the magazines, and the forementioned webpages above. I like walking around the different hotels/casinos and their different motifs. Whatever you choose, more than likely you will have a fun time. ENJOY!!

First off, don't get overwhelmed. LV is one long block of hotels. Each one has an activity that you would enjoy.

I would start every morning with a beautiful buffet brunch at the Paris (across the street), and wander their little cobble stone shopping center.

And then just pick a couple of hotels to wander into and visit.

You don't have to get all complicated and over planned. Not that kind of place. Every hotel has something to see, either in the lobby or the mall. You can pick up plenty of tourist brochures at the airport.

I didn't read all the responses, so I'm not sure if this was already covered. But depending your background, and your personal views...I'd suggest checking out the Las Vegas Gun Club Range. If you've never shot a gun before, it can actually be fun, and if you have, then you might be able to shoot something exotic.

As a never shot a gun before, my wife found it actually quite fun.

kippy6, i hope you don't mind, but i have a question of my own. do you guys know if parking around the strip is a hassle? my wife and i are planning a road trip to LV, and i wonder if it's like downtown NY or chicago, where you have to pay an arm and a leg. thanks for all the great advise

All of the casinos have lots of free parking.

The casinos have lots of free parking and free valet parking too!!! Valet sometimes takes time to get your car but it is great to just pull up and leave your car.

Talk about adventure!
Right in Vegas Baby..

flyawayindoorskydiving.com