Just North Of The Vegas Strip Is A Family-Friendly City With Affordable Fun And Endless Outdoor Adventure

A lot of travel articles that center around Las Vegas focus on the Strip. This makes sense, as Las Vegas Boulevard stretches through the heart of the tourist corridor and is home to many of the city's most famous resorts and extravagant restaurants. But after living in Las Vegas for more than 10 years, I've discovered that the city locals know and love extends well beyond the Strip. Ask a resident which restaurants or casinos they frequent or where they take their kids on the weekend, and their answers will likely include places in the cities and suburbs across the Las Vegas Valley. These are destinations you probably won't find on a typical tourist map or "best of Vegas" list.

One example is North Las Vegas, a separate city just north of downtown Las Vegas, about a 10-minute drive from the Strip and about a 20-minute drive from Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). With nearly 300,000 residents, it's one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Though it's largely residential and doesn't have many major tourist attractions, a few affordable and kid-friendly hidden gems are tucked into the area. These include the greenery and walking trails of Aliante Nature Discovery Park and Craig Ranch Regional Park, along with museums and even a new state park. For travelers willing to venture beyond the Strip, North Las Vegas offers a chance to discover a quieter side of Vegas and experience Southern Nevada a little more like a local.

Because North Las Vegas caters more to residents than visitors, the prices for activities and lodging can be far more affordable — Aliante Casino and Hotel is a good example. Aliante is an affordable hidden gem located on the edge of the valley, keeping it off the radar for tourists. At the time of writing, a stay in one of the resort's 200 rooms and suites has a starting rate of $88. Table games and beverages are cheaper here, too, making a night out far more budget-friendly than one on the Strip in Las Vegas, often branded America's playground for the rich. North Las Vegas has several other lodging options, including the Cannery Casino and Hotel, where rates start at $100 per night.

Many activities in North Las Vegas are inexpensive and family-friendly. The Aliante Nature Discovery Park, for instance, has a lake, waterfall, trails, and a playground with a climbing structure and a dinosaur-themed sandpit. As a Las Vegas local and a mom, I've been to dozens of playgrounds in the area, and this remains one of my favorites. There are even free events in its outdoor amphitheater, including concerts and movie nights.

History buffs can visit affordable museums, including The Neon Museum and the Las Vegas Science & Natural History Museum. Though both are technically located in Las Vegas, they're tucked into what's known as the Las Vegas Cultural Corridor, near the boundary between Las Vegas and North Las Vegas. The Neon Museum features a collection of restored vintage Las Vegas signs. The Las Vegas Science & Natural History Museum has several exhibits, including a 3,000-gallon aquarium with sharks, stingrays, and fish. My personal favorite is the Mojave Desert exhibit, which highlights Nevada's native plants and animals.

If you're looking for outdoor adventure, one of the newest state parks in Nevada opened in 2017 and is located in North Las Vegas. It's called Ice Age Fossils State Park, and it encompasses a 315-acre area that was once home to a variety of now-extinct animals, like ground sloths, dire wolves, and even Columbian mammoths. Today, you can learn about the fossils discovered at the park in the visitor center and walk along the same landscape where these prehistoric creatures once roamed. Park entry is an affordable $3 for adults and free for children 12 or younger. Other scenic outdoor destinations in the area include the numerous hiking, biking, and walking trails that run along the Las Vegas Wash and the easy, kid-friendly paths at nearby Corn Creek, Nevada's unexpected lush oasis in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

North Las Vegas is also home to the 170-acre Craig Ranch Regional Park, which boasts a 65,000-square-foot skate park. It also hosts several popular events throughout the year in a massive open green space — don't miss the Pirate Fest and Flavors of Aloha.  For a more adrenaline-fueled experience, check out the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which allows thrill-seekers to race around their 1.2-mile, nine-turn racetrack and hosts a wide variety of big-name events, like NASCAR and the Electric Daisy Carnival. Tickets to tour the speedway are just $20 for adults.

As for when to plan your trip, I don't recommend visiting North Las Vegas in the summer. Temperatures in and around the city can exceed 100 degrees, even at night. If you do visit between May and September, consider driving to Kyle Canyon, Nevada's secret picnic area, where you can cool off amid breathtaking mountain scenery.