| Pop quiz---what's the first thing that | | | | For most folks, a vehicle entry fee is a |
| crosses your mind when someone says the words | | | | miniscule price to pay for the opportunity to |
| "Las Vegas"? If you said "The Strip", then | | | | experience one of America's most breathtaking |
| you'd most likely be dead-on. Most people are | | | | natural destinations. You also have the |
| seeing the acres of bright, garish neon | | | | option to take one of many tours that go |
| lights, pulsating music, and seemingly | | | | around the canyon, in addition to some that |
| endless beacons of searchlights | | | | will take you to the bottom and back up |
| criss-crossing the sky. But while their | | | | again. The truly brave among you should also |
| attention is diverted by those things, they | | | | ponder one of the many helicopter tours of |
| are blissfully unaware of things like wide | | | | the Canyon as well. |
| open spaces, natural park like settings, | | | | |
| nature watches, and the awe-inspiring beauty | | | | Floyd Lamb Park lies about 20 miles from the |
| of a desert sunset. | | | | Strip, and is in operation from 6 am til 7 pm |
| | | | each day. It has four fully stocked ponds, a |
| Now granted, most of the things I mentioned | | | | barbecue area, and is home to some |
| previously are a fair distance from Las Vegas | | | | interesting fossils and remains, including |
| proper, but if you come that close to them in | | | | those of bison, woolly mammoths, camels, |
| your travels, then wouldn't it be a shame to | | | | giant sloths, and horses. Floyd Lamb became a |
| miss out on their beauty due to not wanting | | | | state park in 1977, and visitors who possess |
| to take a car ride? Below are just some of | | | | a Nevada state fishing license may fish in |
| the attractions that nature has set forth | | | | any of the park's ponds, with a |
| near Vegas. | | | | three-fish-per-person limit in effect. |
| | | | |
| First up is Bryce Canyon National Park, which | | | | Lake Mead is yet another beautiful area in |
| is actually 270 miles from Vegas in Utah. | | | | proximity to Las Vegas, which allows visitors |
| There is a per-car entry fee of $20.00, but | | | | to enjoy the great outdoor wonders of the |
| the tradeoff is an abundance of dazzling | | | | Nevada desert. Lake Mead is man-made, and is |
| scenery. The views you'll get to see are | | | | the 16th largest lake of its kind in our |
| worth every mile driven and every penny | | | | hemisphere. It was created by the Colorado |
| spent. You should also keep a sharp eye out | | | | River and the Hoover Dam and is about 1.5 |
| for some of the local wildlife, particularly | | | | million acres in total area. It's also |
| the Great Basin rattlesnake, bald eagles, and | | | | extremely popular with boaters, swimmers, and |
| golden eagles. Your reward for visiting Bryce | | | | as a wildlife observation area. |
| Canyon during the spring and early summer | | | | |
| months are the many beautiful flowers that | | | | If you're not a 'bright lights, big city' |
| often bloom during these time frames. | | | | type and love the great outdoors, then there |
| | | | are plenty of places in the Las Vegas area to |
| The Grand Canyon, one of America's storied | | | | get far from the glitz and glamour and |
| natural attractions, lies about 300 miles | | | | breathe. You can do so much more than just |
| southeast of Vegas. It's another beauty | | | | see wildlife in any of these locations, and |
| that's well worth seeing if you have a free | | | | each one offers something different and |
| day in your vacation itinerary, or even a day | | | | special to those that choose to visit. I'd |
| you can prioritize. There's also a | | | | hope that you'd be able to visit all of them, |
| per-vehicle fee here, and you'd be wise to | | | | however I'd recommend that you spend at least |
| contact the park offices to get the current | | | | one day of your trip enjoying the natural |
| rate before making your drive to the park. | | | | beauty that lies beyond Las Vegas. |