A Vegas Adventure: Our Perfect Off-the-Strip Weekend!

-


Hello, travel lovers! This weekend, we're off to Las Vegas, but not quite how you'd expect. Forget the typical Strip clubs and casinos! Instead, we’re diving into the other side of Vegas—exploring quirky museums, savoring unique eats, and taking a side trip to the Hoover Dam. We’re renting a car, staying off the Strip, and soaking up all the best spots that make Vegas more than neon lights. So pack those layers, grab your camera, and get ready for a weekend packed with adventure!

What’s the Weather Like?

November in Vegas means mild days and chilly nights. Daytime temps hover around 60°F (15°C) and dip into the 40s°F (7°C) after dark. Think cozy layers! We’ll pack tees, long sleeves, and a light jacket for the evening, plus comfy shoes, sunglasses, and a water bottle for our exploring spree.

Our Off-the-Strip Weekend Itinerary

Friday Night: Arrival & First Bites

  • Check-in at the Resort: We’re keeping it laid-back at a resort off the Strip, where we’ll have a chill space to come back to after each day’s adventures.

  • Dinner at Ethel M Chocolates & Cactus Garden: We’re kicking off the trip at Ethel M’s for some sweet treats and a stroll through their cactus garden. This place has delicious chocolate and a lush, desert-style botanical garden. It’s a little taste of local flavor mixed with scenic charm—perfect for a cozy evening.

  • Evening Stroll through Downtown Container Park: Next, we’re off to the Downtown Container Park. This artsy spot is made from colorful shipping containers, filled with unique boutiques and restaurants, and features live music on weekends. Plus, there’s a giant fire-breathing praying mantis out front for those classic Vegas photo ops.

Saturday: Adventure & Culture Day

Morning at Hoover Dam

  • Day Trip to Hoover Dam: We’re hitting the road early for a 45-minute drive to Hoover Dam. This engineering marvel is incredible up close, and we’ll take the tour to learn all about it while getting jaw-dropping views of the Colorado River. Since we’ve got the car, we’ll take in some extra sights around Lake Mead and snap photos at the scenic overlooks.

Afternoon: Food & Funky Finds

  • Lunch at Chinatown Plaza: Back in town, we’re heading to Chinatown Plaza for lunch. This spot has everything from ramen to dim sum and is just off the Strip. It’s a great place to experience a slice of Vegas’ diverse food scene.

  • The Neon Museum: No trip to Vegas is complete without some neon, so we’re heading to the Neon Museum's “Boneyard.” This outdoor museum is a graveyard for old Vegas signs, with everything from huge casino marquees to classic Vegas lights. It’s quirky, colorful, and loaded with history.

Evening: The Heart of Old Vegas

  • Dinner & Fremont Street Experience: Dinner tonight is on Fremont Street, home of the original Vegas vibes! We’ll grab some grub from one of the classic diners or cafes here and watch the LED canopy show overhead. The Fremont Street Experience is an open-air pedestrian mall, with street performers, live music, and a mega-light show every 15-30 minutes. And for an extra thrill, we’re hopping on SlotZilla’s zipline to fly over the crowds—it’s a blast!

Sunday Morning: Vegas Culture & Farewell Lunch

  • Morning at Springs Preserve: We’re closing out the trip at the Springs Preserve, a gem that mixes botanical gardens with museums, walking trails, and a dose of Nevada’s desert history. It’s a relaxing and scenic way to wrap up our Vegas adventure and get a taste of the region’s natural beauty.

  • Lunch in The Arts District: Before we head out, we’re grabbing lunch in the Arts District, known for its artsy murals, indie shops, and great cafes. We’ll pick a spot with some patio seating, soak in the last bit of Vegas sun, and then get ready to head home.

Top 5 Must-Do’s for an Off-the-Strip Vegas Weekend

  1. Hoover Dam Day Trip – An unbeatable day-trip with stunning views and fascinating history.
  2. Neon Museum – A walk through old Vegas, with larger-than-life neon signs and tons of character.
  3. Fremont Street Experience – The vibe here is pure Vegas, from the canopy light show to the wild zipline.
  4. Springs Preserve – A relaxing way to connect with the desert landscape and get a feel for the “other” Vegas.
  5. Downtown Container Park – A quirky, open-air hangout filled with unique shops, eateries, and that fire-breathing mantis!

From scenic overlooks at Hoover Dam to the neon glow of Fremont Street, this Vegas trip is a mix of adventure, fun, and discovery. Who says Vegas is only for nightlife? We’re loving every quirky corner and desert vibe. Now, it’s time to hit the road and make this dream weekend a reality!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Great Travel Dilemma: To Plan or Not to Plan?

-
 Ah, the age-old travel dilemma—a question that plagues every explorer at one point or another: To plan every detail meticulously or to simply let the wind carry you where it may? For The Trekking Pawns, this debate is an ever-present companion on our adventures. Allow us to paint you a picture: I'm the designated planner, and my trusty counterpart happily follows along. As we embark on our journeys, I grapple with the eternal question of how much to plan. Some trips see me crafting day-to-day itineraries down to the hour—meticulously calculating opening times, crowd projections, and restaurant reviews. This level of planning ensures that we make the most of every precious moment, ticking off all the must-sees efficiently. But here's the twist: travel, much like life, is inherently unpredictable. Unexpected roadblocks like transportation hiccups, closures, or serendipitous discoveries can throw my carefully crafted schedules into disarray. Worse yet, there's the internal de...
Read more

Unveiling the Secrets of "The Rose Code" at Bletchley Park

-
Image
Are you a fan of "The Rose Code" by Kate Quinn? I just finished reading it and highly recommend it!! This historical fiction mystery novel takes you on a thrilling journey through the lives of three female codebreakers during World War II, and their quest to uncover a traitor. The heart of this captivating story is none other than Bletchley Park, where secrets were decoded, friendships were formed, and betrayals were uncovered. Bletchley Park: The Epicenter of Codebreaking Bletchley Park, located just 50 miles north of London in Milton Keynes, is where history was made. During WWII, it served as the principal center for Allied codebreaking, and it was here that brilliant minds like Alan Turing worked tirelessly to decode the enemy's secret messages. The famous German Enigma and Tunny machines were no match for the relentless efforts of the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. A Journey Through Time Today, Bletchley Park stands as a living testament to the incredible achievemen...
Read more

How We Book Our Travels: The Trekking Pawns’ Go-To Sites

-
Image
As travel bloggers, we often get asked how we plan our trips and which sites we trust to book everything from flights to activities. It’s a great question because, let’s be honest, the internet is overflowing with options! We’ve found that using a few trusted sites makes travel planning so much easier, and we’re here to share our go-to platforms for booking flights, hotels, and activities. When it comes to booking our flights and hotel stays, we love using Booking.com and Expedia . Both platforms are incredibly user-friendly and allow us to quickly compare prices and check out flexible dates, which is crucial when we’re trying to squeeze in an extra day or catch the cheapest flight! It’s also handy to have everything in one place—hotels, flights, and even car rentals—so we’re not juggling a million tabs. We’re also big fans of both sites' cancellation policies. Let’s face it, plans change, and it’s nice to know that we can cancel or modify bookings without stress. Having that peac...
Read more