What happens in Vegas...

There’s a whole new Las Vegas adventure that awaits you beyond the Strip, writes Ashwin Rajagopalan

A view of Hoover Dam from the flight to Grand Canyon

The Mob Museum

Seven Magic Mountains

Las Vegas has been immortalised in scores of Hollywood blockbusters — from the wolfpack exploits in Hangover to the high-stakes gambling in the Ocean’s movies. The focus has almost always been on the ‘Strip’ — Las Vegas’ iconic four-mile Boulevard with some of the world’s best-known hotels, casinos and milling crowds. It has helped shaped Vegas’ larger-than-life image and continues to be the city’s most powerful magnet but as I’ve discovered over many trips, the fun begins when you get off the Strip.

A museum that preserves iconic art

It’s been a decade since one of Las Vegas’ biggest outdoor museums was dedicated to its most iconic art form. Before you get any ideas, I am talking about neon signs here. This museum takes you back to Las Vegas’ early years in the spotlight — bright lights, neon signs and larger-than-life characters who shaped Vegas’ landscape. Most of those neon signs have all made way for gigantic LED and electronic signboards apart from the 1959 ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign’ . Thankfully not all neon signs have been consigned to the recycle bin. The one-hour tour through the Neon Museum and Boneyard doesn’t just take you past a collection of neon signs that were once the pride of the Vegas skyline. Each of these signs also has its share of legends that allow visitors to travel back in time.

An offer you can’t refuse

Las Vegas’ original downtown might have been eclipsed by the Strip since the 1980s but it’s home to one of America’s most immersive museums. The Mob Museum is located within a historic courthouse building, built in the 1930s — one of Vegas’ last surviving heritage buildings. This courthouse was the scene of the Kefauver Committee (to crack down against organised crime) hearings in 1950; the same second-floor courtroom is now one of the star attractions within the museum that is a must-visit for mafia movie fans. The museum features a collection of rare artefacts (including parts of the brick wall from Chicago’s 1929 Valentine’s Day massacre), interactive exhibits and theatre presentations.

Vegas bling

This is Las Vegas’ bling at its best, except it’s not on the Strip. Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone collaborated with the Art Production Fund, New York and Nevada Museum of Art, Reno to create Seven Magic Mountains. This striking installation features seven towers of colourful, stacked boulders that stand more than 30 feet tall, a riot of colour in the middle of the Mojave Desert: almost an unexpected twist to a drive along the Interstate-15 just 16 km away from downtown Vegas.

Kick up some dust

Good Springs is an early 20th Century railroad boomtown and home to the Pioneer Saloon, a 1913 establishment and one of the only surviving saloons built with stamped tin exterior walls. Pioneer Saloon is full of local legends and is a filming location for numerous films including Miss Congeniality 2 and The Mexican. It was also the starting point of one of my best adventures near Vegas — with a bandana wrapped around my head, wearing goggles and a helmet — just the gear that I needed to get behind the wheel of a Polaris ATV and set off for a roller-coaster ride through the gruelling terrain of the Mojave Desert. It was among the best rides of
my life, kicking up sand and getting tossed around as we braved sand dunes and rocky paths. I didn’t tire of the rugged and dramatic landscape.

Flight of fantasy

Las Vegas is one of the popular gateways to one of America’s most spectacular natural attractions — the Grand Canyon. If you have limited time and an unlimited budget, there’s no better way to see the Grand Canyon than from up above. A short chopper flight from Vegas’ outskirts doesn’t just fly you over some of the most breathtaking areas of the Canyon but also flies over Lake Mead and the magnificent Hoover dam. Helicopter operators like Papillion also make a breakfast stop that offers sweeping views of the Canyon and the Colorado River; great for the ‘gram’.

Hang on a wire

There’s zip lining and the high-speed zip line near Vegas that guarantees adrenaline ‘highs’. Nestled between Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam is the Bootleg Canyon trail, just outside Boulder City. It’s a cult destination for MTB bikers who love the challenge of the 50-odd km dirt trail. It’s also the setting for the four zip lines. Within no time, I was hanging from a wire and cruising at 90 kmph speed with views of the Red Mountain and Las Vegas skyline in the distance. One more experience that reminded me that the real fun begins when you get off the Vegas Strip.