LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Whether tourist or local, you’ll find Southern Nevada a photographer’s dream. And whether you possess top-of-the-line photo equipment or simply the camera on your cellphone, spots for selfies or other such snapshots are plentiful.
Here are 8 great spots in the Las Vegas valley for collecting memories:
Valley of Fire State Park: Covering nearly 46,000 acres, the name of this Southern Nevada wonder comes from the sandstone formations that formed from sand dunes more than 100 million years ago. It’s Nevada’s first state park and its larges. It’s located about 60 miles northeast of the city of Interstate 15.
Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs: A 680-acre oasis in the Las Vegas valley desert offers a blend of history and wonder. The native population used the area for its natural springs, and it later was a working ranch and a stagecoach stop on the Bullfrog Mine route until the early 1900s. You’ll find green shade trees and amazing wildlife, including colorful peacocks brought to the park when it was a working ranch in the 1940s. The park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and the city added it to the Las Vegas Register of Historic Places in 2008. It’s located in the northwest valley, north of U.S. 95 off North Durango Drive.
Seven Magic Mountains: The public artwork of Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone — seven colorful totems of “painted, locally sourced boulders” — was completed in 2016. The seven totems, which run 30 to 35 feet tall, are “visible across the desert landscape along Interstate 15” as it leads travelers to the California-Nevada border. The artists used mountain ranges, the desert landscape and the Jean Dry Lake as the backdrop.
High Roller Observation Wheel: You soar 550 feet above the city on “the largest observation wheel in North America,” Caesars Entertainment says. The attraction at The Linq It takes 30 minutes to complete one revolution, and with 360-degree views, there are plenty of opportunities for clicks.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: Go west on Charleston Boulevard, State Route 159, to reach the 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert. Noted for its worldwide geologic interest and beauty, Red Rock Canyon features a 13-mile scenic tour for bicyclists and motor vehicles, places to park and explore and excellent trails — 26 in all — for hiking.
Fremont Street Experience: With the message “Downtown Rocks,” the five-block pedestrian mall has live music, food, street performers, the SlotZilla Zip Line and open doors to some of the city’s classic hotel-casinos. The free concert series, including bands like Smash Mouth, Toadies and Marcy Playground, starts May 28 and continues through the fall. Did we mention the light show?
Fountains of Bellagio: One of the most popular outdoor attractions on the Strip, the fountains are on display every 30 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes at night. More than a thousand fountains sway in front of the hotel, enhanced by music and light, according to the Strip property’s website. “The display spans more than 1,000 feet, with water soaring as high as 460 feet into the air.”
Mt. Charleston: Formally named the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, opportunities abound year-round. Bike, hike, ski, snowboard. It’s all there the 316,000 acres of forested mountains, northwest of the city up Kyle Canyon Road, State Route 157.
OK, there are dozens more opportunities to take pictures, including Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Springs Preserve, the half-scale Eiffel Tower on the Strip and countless sports in the Southern Nevada desert.
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