130 Best Sights in Nevada, USA

Revel in the fabulousness of Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Travis Barker, and Bad Bunny as you explore the open showroom filled with an ever-changing array of uncanny celebrity wax portrayals of people from the worlds of show business, sports, politics, and everywhere in between. Crowd-pleasers include Lizzo, Dwayne \"The Rock\" Johnson, Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion, Steve Aoki, Snoop Dog, Captain America, and Miley Cyrus. In the Marvel Universe 4-D film, you can actually feel (as well as watch and hear) your heroes save the world. Hit the bar at The Hangover Experience to immerse yourself in a storied Las Vegas romp and enjoy a cocktail while you're at it. Or get a wax model of your very own hand for a truly unique souvenir.

Mandalay Bay is famous for a few things: the House of Blues, which brings in some epic concerts throughout the year; the Shark Reef Aquarium, which boasts a 1.6-million-gallon saltwater tank and more than 2,000 animals; and an A-list series of restaurants. A pastiche of flavors is the attraction there, including StripSteak and the Mediterranean Orla from internationally acclaimed chef Michael Mina and the more casual Border Grill from Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of TV's Two Hot Tamales fame. Technically the complex hosts three separate hotel brands: Mandalay, W Las Vegas, and the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. If you're into views, W's rooftop Rivea, from French culinary lion Alain Ducasse, Skyfall Panoramic Bar & Lounge, and House of Blues Foundation Room on the 64th floor can make you the equal of any bird.

Also worth noting: minus5° Ice Bar, which is located in the Mandalay Place shopping corridor that connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor; for the price of admission you get to borrow a parka, waltz into a sub-zero drinking establishment, and throw back vodka from a glass made of ice.

This museum on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus has a growing collection of works by artists with ties to Southern Nevada. The emphasis is on rotating exhibits, largely held in one cavernous space, with an adjacent auditorium hosting lectures focused on art. The Xeric Garden in front of the museum, which dates to 1988, was the first in town. It also provides a good excuse to wander the scenic UNLV campus.  The Barrick Museum closes completely for several weeks at a time when new exhibits are installed, two or three times a year.

A regal bronze rendering of the roaring MGM lion mascot fronts the four emerald-green, fortress-like towers of the MGM Grand, one of the largest hotels in the world. Over the years, the property has become synonymous with big fights, most of which take place in the hotel's Grand Garden Arena, and big entertainment from the likes of David Copperfield and Papa Roach, plus Cirque du Soleil's Ka. In recent years, the property also has added Hakkasan, an upscale restaurant and nightclub; Topgolf Las Vegas, a state-of-the-art driving range; and Brad Garrett's Comedy Club, where the beloved comic from Everybody Loves Raymond performs regularly. The hotel also has its share of celebrity restaurants, from the elegance of the late Joel Robuchon to the innovation of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto to the comforting Nellie's Southern Kitchen from the Jonas Brothers family.

If you can't win the jackpot at the casino, try winning your sweetheart a teddy bear instead. Here you can play, from a selection of 200, the latest up-to-date video games and old-time midway games like the dime toss, milk can, bushel basket, Skee-Ball, and Pop-A-Shot. Cash is no longer accepted for the games; load up a Midway Playcard and play away—or turn the kids loose. Beginning at 1:30 pm daily, acrobats, high-wire walkers, jugglers, and trapeze artists perform free shows on the circus stage.

The Hoover Dam now has sightseer competition from the spectacular bridge that was built to bypass it. The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (named for the popular Nevada governor and the Arizona football star who was killed in Afghanistan) is the western hemisphere's longest single-span concrete arch bridge. It runs 1,905 feet long, and towers nearly 900 feet above the river and 280 feet above Hoover Dam. You don't see much by driving over it—scarcely anything from a regular car—but walking it is quite a thrill. A pedestrian walkway is well separated from the driving lanes, the access path to the bridge has informational signage, and ramps offer an alternative to the steps. There are restrooms in the parking lot (labeled "Memorial Bridge Plaza"), where it can be hard to find a parking space on weekends. (If you can't get a spot, drive a few yards past the parking lot entrance and turn left into the lot for a trailhead on the other side of the road.) Bring water and sunscreen for the walk, and be prepared for broiling summer temperatures; there is no shade. Remember to take Exit 2 if you want to go to the dam instead of the bypass bridge, or you will have to drive across it and turn back to visit the dam.

Just past Rhodes Cabin on the right side of the visitor center, this short and easy trail (0.3 mile) through pinyon pine and juniper trees is marked with signs describing the plants. The path passes the original entrance to Lehman Caves and loops back to the visitor center. It’s a great way to spend a half hour or so while you wait for your cave tour to start. Easy.

Although less than a mile long, this is the widest beach on the lake and especially good for swimming (many Tahoe beaches are rocky). You can boat and fish here, and there are picnic tables, barbecue grills, and a campground beneath the pines. The beach is the best place to watch the July 4th or Labor Day fireworks, but most of the summer the subdued atmosphere attracts families and those seeking a less-touristy spot. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

A dramatic four-level structure designed by Will Bruder houses this splendid museum's collection, which focuses on themes such as the Sierra Nevada/Great Basin and altered-landscape photography. The exterior's torqued walls are sided with a black zinc-based material that has been fabricated to resemble textures found in the Black Rock Desert.

The museum pavilion is open daily and features early-20th-century locomotives to check out as well as an elaborate indoor model train exhibit. You can ride the rails aboard the Nevada Southern Railway excursion train, which departs Nevada State Railroad Museum four times a day on weekends for a scenic 35-minute ride through the desert landscape surrounding Boulder City. Some train cars are open-air, allowing you to feel the breeze as you take in the countryside views.

The mini-Manhattan skyline that forms the facade of this hotel is one of our favorite parts of the Strip—there are third-size to half-size renderings of the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the Chrysler Building, as well as the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Inside, portions of the casino floor have been made to look like neighborhoods of the real New York City. The Little Italy/Greenwich Village area is such an accurate replica that many New Yorkers reportedly get momentarily confused. Without question, the big attraction is the Big Apple Coaster. A close second: Hershey's Chocolate World. Then, of course, there's The Park, which sits just north of the back side of the hotel and stretches from the Strip all the way to T-Mobile Arena.

If you don't want to be married by Elvis or a Klingon, head for the Office of Civil Marriages downtown, where a commissioner will do the deed for $77.75 on a credit card. The catch: you must call ahead to make an appointment. At least one witness is required.

Southern Nevada's oldest historic site was built by Mormons in 1855 to give refuge to travelers along the Salt Lake–Los Angeles trail, many of whom were bound for the California goldfields. Left to Native Americans after the gold rush, the adobe fort was later revitalized by a miner and his partners. In 1895 it was turned into a resort, and the city's first swimming pool was constructed by damming Las Vegas Creek. Today the restored fort contains more than half the original bricks. Antiques and artifacts help to re-create a turn-of-the-20th-century Mormon living room.

In 1890, at a cost of $108,223, the Osceola Gravel Mining Company constructed an 18-mile-long trench. The ditch was part of an attempt to glean gold from the South Snake Range, but water shortages and the company’s failure to find much of that precious ore forced the operation to shut down after a decade and a half. This trail takes to you the eastern section of the ditch and passes through pine and fir trees, with interpretive signs along the way. Allow 30 minutes for this 0.3-mile round-trip walk. Easy.

If you're looking for a bookend to your trip to Area 51 that, well, is just more down-to-earth, drop by these spring-fed wetlands, which serve as a stopover for thousands of birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway. The 5,380-acre Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is a chain of lakes, marshes, and meadows that provides a convenient stop on the Flyway for ducks, herons, egrets, eagles, and other species. The Upper Lake is the most accessible, with campsites, picnic tables, and observation points. For a bird list, stop at the refuge headquarters located 4 miles south of Alamo, at milepost 32 off U.S. 93, which also features interactive exhibits, a 15-minute movie, and short nature trails. The best times to see more than 260 species of birds are early morning and late evening during the spring and fall migrations.

\"Palazzo\" is an apt name for this luxe resort. Wide, cavernous corridors give way to an expansive casino, which, in turn, fronts escalators to Grand Canal Shoppes, a mall with nearly 200 stores. Just off the hotel lobby is an array of public art that's changed frequently. The Palazzo Theater is now home to the sleight-of-hand magic of Shin Lim (formerly at The Mirage) and performances by music stars and comedians. With a top-quality energy conservation program and other green amenities, The Palazzo has received LEED Gold distinction from the U.S. Green Building Council.

At this homage to the City of Light, replicas of the Arc de Triomphe, Paris Opera House, Hôtel de Ville, and Louvre, along with an Around the World in Eighty Days balloon marquee, are magnifique, but the crowning achievement is the 50-story, half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, where guests are whisked 460 feet to the top for spectacular views of the Valley. Need more near-authenticity? Look up at the ceiling painted like a sky with clouds and pretend you're actually in France.

This resort opened at the end of 2018 as homage to The Park, which is just outside its door. The property features dozens of nods to nature, including a lobby sculpture designed to replicate the roots of a tree from below. The resort also features a hotel within a hotel: the NoMad's foray into Las Vegas. On-site food and beverage options such as Eataly and Roy Choi's Best Friend make it stand out further. Dolby Live, a spacious indoor amphitheater, has been home to residencies by artists including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and the Jonas Brothers. The hotel still connects to CityCenter and Bellagio via a tram; on hot days, this is a great way to minimize outside time as you travel the Strip on foot.

It's hard to miss this place; the \"Pinball\" sign is so big, we swear it can be seen from space. This fun facility has more than 25,000 square feet filled with games created between the 1940s and the 1990s, including old wood-rail models, and all of them are available for play for 25 to 50 cents a game. There are more than 350 games, catalogued and mapped on the museum's website. Though this may sound more like an arcade than a museum, it's under the auspices of the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club and is a nonprofit with the goal of preserving these pieces of Americana and sharing the joy of the silver ball. All excess revenues go to the Salvation Army.

Everything at Planet Hollywood is designed to make ordinary people feel like stars. The main attraction in recent years has been Criss Angel MINDFREAK. Because the property is obsessed with celebrities, it often hosts residencies like the recent ones by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, as well as world-premiere events that attract stars from all over the world. There's something for everybody in the on-site Miracle Mile Shops, including clothing stores, restaurants, and more. Just be sure you bring a map, as the corridors of the mall wind around in circles and it's easy to get lost.

Inaccessible when Baker Creek Road is closed in the winter, this picnic area at the mouth of a canyon has a handful of tables and fire grills but no water. It does have a restroom. Access is via a narrow, one-lane road.

\"Fat Mike\" Burkett of NOFX is behind this two-story, 12,000 square-foot tribute and repository of in-your-face rock. The displays are organized by geography and eras—such as \"1970s Los Angeles\" or \"1980s San Francisco Bay Area,\" complete with QR codes linking to relevant playlists. Along with the expected array of photos, stage get-ups, guitars, T-shirts and hand-written set lists (London Calling by The Clash), you'll find surprises such as monster masks, a partial bottle of Jack Daniels waiting for the late \"Lemmy\" of Motorhead, and even a . . . melodica? Yes, it was played onstage by Big D & The Kids Table. Something else you might not expect: it's pretty quiet. Because the music changes from room to room, nothing rattles the walls. The museum occasionally hosts stand-up comics, and guided tours are offered several times a month by veteran rockers. The full-service museum even hosts weddings and a tattoo studio. An indoor/outdoor bar called The Triple Down is a spin-off of the punk-enough Double Down near the UNLV campus.

Stretching 35 miles around the River Mountains, this multiuse paved trail is perfect for hiking, biking, running, jogging, and horseback riding. For a stretch, the trail parallels the shores of Lake Mead, and it connects with a historic spur that leads from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area to a parking lot just north of Hoover Dam. The route runs through Boulder City, Henderson, and Lake Las Vegas. You can rent bikes at All Mountain Cyclery ( www.allmountaincyclery.com) in Boulder City. The most popular trailheads are at the Alan Bible Visitor Center inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Bootleg Canyon Park, at the north end of Yucca Street in Boulder City. But you can also reach the trail from the eastern end of Equestrian Drive and from the Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino, both in Henderson.

Churchgoers staying in the South Strip area stagger into this beautiful Roman Catholic church for mass seven days a week. Among the more popular offerings are the Sunday masses, with three in English, one in Spanish and one in traditional Latin.

Searchlight was once the biggest boomtown in southern Nevada, and some of its rich mining and railroad history is now compressed into a one-room museum inside the local community center. Visitors will find an assayer's office, outdoor mining display, and exhibits devoted to notables with ties to the area, including silent-screen star Clara Bow and early aviation heroes such as record-breaking test pilot John Macready.

Frustrated after a losing streak in the casinos? This Town Square spot offers a “rage room” (in which customers pay to smash stuff to smithereens), axe-throwing, and splatter-paint experiences. Talk about a way to work out a bit of aggression. You can smash for as few as 20 or as many as 30 minutes, or you can organize smash parties for four, six, or more; there even are Date Nights because \"the couple that smashes together stays together.\" Axe-throwing sessions run from 30 minutes to 2 hours (no experience necessary, and there are specials on Throwdown Tuesdays!). Up to six people can splatter-paint canvases in two sizes, so you get a souvenir to take home. Team-building events and birthday parties also are available.

It wouldn't be Vegas enough to build the world's largest slot machine and just leave it there. Now thrill-seekers can take off from a platform atop the 11-story slot machine and soar over Fremont Street. There are two options to zip: one line that averages 70 feet above the ground and a second that averages 110 feet. If you'd rather just play the big slot machine, you can do that, too. It is Vegas, after all.

About an hour from Downtown—and about halfway up Kyle Canyon Road to the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area—you'll find this eco-friendly visitor center, which opened in 2015 and welcomes those heading to Mt. Charleston. Spend some time perusing the educational exhibits about the ecosystems and microclimates in the region's tallest mountains. Then hike one of the short interpretive trails for a sense of what the cactus- and bristlecone pine–strewn landscape is like. In winter, a modest ski resort operates at the top of Lee Canyon.

This 180-acre complex defies traditional categories, combining botanical gardens, hiking trails, live animal exhibits, an ultramodern interactive museum, and a playground. The overarching theme of the facility is the rich diversity and delicate balance of nature in southern Nevada's deserts. Kids love the simulations of the flash-flood ravine, the re-created Southern Paiute Indian village (complete with grass huts!), and the trackless train, aboard which an engineer explains the role trains played in settling the West. The NV Energy Foundation Sustainability Gallery teaches about eco-friendly living, and a 2016 addition, Boomtown 1905, re-creates a streetscape designed to evoke turn-of-the-20th-century Vegas. There are also a few miles of walking trails that swing you by archaeological sites and may—if you're lucky—bring you face-to-face with some of the local fauna, such as bats, peregrine falcons, and Gila monsters.

The Springs Café provides famished eco-explorers with sustainable choices, like ethically raised cheeseburgers and environmentally mindful salads. The Nevada State Museum, with its famous fossil Ichthyosaur and a number of exhibits on local mining, is on the site (and included with admission) as well.