10 off-Strip things to see around the Las Vegas Valley
Although most world-renown activities or sights in Las Vegas are located on the Strip, some of Sin City's true hidden gems are located off the Las Vegas Boulevard.
Whether you're tired of the hustle and bustle of the Strip or have done all there is to do on the famous block, here are 10 sights you can do and see outside those bright lights:
Visit a slab of the Berlin Wall
If you ever wanted to see the Berlin Wall in real-life, head to Main Street Station. It's easier viewed if you're male — it's actually located inside a mens bathroom with urinals mounted onto it — but women can see the graffiti-bearing wall if the bathroom is empty and a security guard escorts them in.
According to CNN, the approximately three-meters-wide by 1.8-meters-tall slab is protected by a sheet of glass. As legend has it, it's unclear who brought the piece into the men's bathroom to begin with. The casino's current owner, Boyd Gaming, said the "wall" was already there when they purchased the property in the 1990s.
Slide through a tank of sharks
Touted as "one of the most extreme pools in the world" and listed on Holly Madison's 10 favorite things to do in Las Vegas, the pool at the Golden Nugget offers views and an experience unlike any other hotel pool in the city. The hotel's 200-gallon shark tank offers a relaxing enviornment to lay out and admire the incredible sea creatures or a chance to slide through them with their one-of-a-kind waterslide that flows right through the tank.
Rub elbows with mobsters
The three-story Mob Museum is filled with many interactive exhibits and information that allow guests to feel like a "made" man or woman. Besides sitting in the exact court room that held one of the infamous Kefauver Committee hearings, guests can also see the bricks associated with one of the "darkest moments in mob history," the St. Valentine's Day Massacre Wall.
On this wall, seven influential mobsters were lined up and shot to death by assassins who were allegedly associated with Al Capone.
See the homes belonging to the "Who's Who" of Las Vegas
From Liberace to Wayne Newton, Las Vegas is home to the residences of some of the most eclectic entertainers in the world. Although the official Liberace museum may be closed, you can still drive to the pianist's former home and take your picture next to the sign dictating his residance.
If you would rather tour the home of a famous showman, head to Wayne Newton's estate Casa de Shenandoah. Along with viewing his various stage outfits, guests can also tour his 52-acre ranch.
Meet Cirque Du Soleil acrobats while getting a workout
Seeing a Cirque show is probably on everyone's Las Vegas "must do" list, but did you know you can see some of their acrobats off the Strip? When you want to see some Cirque performers —and don't mind breaking a sweat— take an aerial fitness class at Shine Alternative Fitness.
Taught by current or former Cirque actors, classes like "Aerial Hoop" and "Aerial Silks" allow everyday people to experience some of the techniques you see in the actual shows.
Take a tour of the Wild West
Built in 1843 as a stopover for wagon trains, Bonnie Springs Ranch offers visitors a chance to view and "experience" life as it was in a booming mining town. Besides fun props to create a neat old-time photoshoot, guests can watch a melodrama show and see an outlaw be punished by hanging. When you're ready to return to the 21st century, the ranch has a motel and a restaurant to fuel up in before heading back to town.
See a Broadway show
Many agree Las Vegas Boulevard is home to world-class entertainment, but that's not the only place in town you can catch some shows. To view plays based on Broadway sensations off the Strip, try the Onyx Theater or Las Vegas Little Theater. For a fraction of the price, playgoers can see famous shows like "Avenue Q," while supporting the local arts community.
Take a treasure hunt
Dating back to 1987, the Charleston Antique Mall has provided antique lovers with a place to search for unique treasures they didn't know they needed. From old Coca-Cola signs to refurbished furniture, you never know what you'll stumble across while you rummage around the 2,000-square-foot "mall."
Watch chocolate be made
At the Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Henderson, guests can watch pecan brittle as it's created by hand and see chocolatiers make the company's famous sweets. The tour is self-guided, so you can take as little or as long as you want. Either way, you get a sweet sample at the end.
Walk in the footsteps of Las Vegas' first non-native settlers
When the first non-native settlers made their way to the Las Vegas Valley, they built an adobe fort in what is now known as the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. For an entrance fee of only $1, guests can see remnants of the original adobe fort and historical artifacts from the time period.
BONUS: Take an adventure to see the original London Bridge
Located about 150 miles outside of Las Vegas, the original London Bridge has been a Lake Havasu City staple since 1971. According to Go Lake Havasu, the bridge, which once spanned the River Thames in England, was disassembled brick-by-brick and shipped to California, then driven by truck to it's final home in Havasu.
If you believe in ghosts, the bridge is supposedly haunted. Visitors claim they have had sightings of a British police officer who once patrolled the bridge.
Missing something? Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitiesmith
