The Las Vegas strip is known for its high-rise casinos, gambling and all-you-can drink debauchery, but for Desert Magazine, I take a look at the Vegas less traveled.

Destination: Las Vegas (without a casino in sight)

Recently on a day off in Las Vegas, this road trip was born. At breakfast in the casino of our hotel, the guitar player let me know how much he disliked Las Vegas and how there wasn’t anything to do besides the usual gambling, drinking, eating, etc.  It made me think about all the cool things I had heard about from friends and locals over my lifetime of visiting. So, little by little I started making my points to him. As soon as the tour was over, I jumped in my truck and drove back for a few days to see them all and discover a few things on my own.

MORE ADVENTURE: Imperial Sand Dunes a larger-than-life adult sandbox

To the east of Vegas, Hoover Dam is an impressive sight, and Lake Mead behind it is one of my favorite lakes on the Colorado River for boating, fishing and the like. These are major attractions and deservedly so but, as you know, I’m an off-the-beaten path kind of guy, so these receive an honorable mention.

To the north of the city is Valley of Fire State Park, the oldest in Nevada. I had never been here before and am looking to go back ASAP, as I would like to spend a whole day exploring. This place has everything you would expect to see in the Southwest: red sandstone mountains and arches carved out over millions of years, petroglyphs, wildlife and the best sunset pics you can get with the red valley lights “on fire.” There is no shortage of hiking or camping in the park, but just driving through will blow your mind. (There is a $10 entrance fee per car, or $8 for Nevada residents.) The park road ends at Lake Mead and from here, you can go back through the park or make a left and head north to the town of Overton to see the Lost City Museum. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps for the National Park Service in 1935, as archaeologists rushed to recover as much information and artifacts from several ancient ancestral Puebloan (formerly known Anasazi) sites that would be covered by the lake after the completion of Hoover Dam.

Snow skiing outside of Las Vegas is a real thing. And heading northwest about 40 minutes away into the mountains to Mount Charleston and Lee Canyon – at an elevation of more than 7,700 feet – is a great place to visit in winter for snow play. As you head up the mountain on Route 157 from Route 95, there is a nice little hotel on the left, The Resort on Mount Charleston, that has 62 rooms, a restaurant, bar and lounge, and general store. Up the road about 5 miles is Mount Charleston Lodge, which has a great restaurant and bar with stunning views. The weekend gets busy with bikers and brunchers, so call ahead to rent one of the several rustic cabins and stay the night. FYI: There is no TV reception or Internet here.

Lee Canyon is the ski resort located about 30 minutes on the backside of Charleston Peak.  Taking Deer Creek Road north, there are several trailheads for hiking and picnicking before the road ends at the resort. Open seven days a week from early December to March, there are three lifts and 30 trails. In the lodge, there is a restaurant and bar as well as a pro shop full of gear for rentals. After a day of exploring the mountains, stop for lunch or dinner at a Vegas classic – Bob Taylor’s Original Ranch House & Supper Club. Since 1955, they have been serving mesquite-grilled steaks on the outskirts of town, complete with John Wayne posters on the wood-paneled walls. This is old-school Vegas not to be missed.

Heading west from the Strip is Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area. The 13-mile one-way scenic road through the canyon is worth the price of admission alone – $7 per vehicle to be exact. There are miles of trails for hiking, rock climbing, mountain and road biking, and an excellent visitor center as well. Making a right at Red Rock Canyon Road, my next stop is about 5 miles south at Bonnie Springs Ranch. This campy replica of an 1800s mining town called Old Nevada is actually a funny little place to check out. There is a Western-themed motel, plus a good restaurant and dive bar. In the ghost town, they have Old West shows – think shoot outs and hangings – and there are also stables for horseback riding.

Heading back to California, my last stop is between the state line and Las Vegas. About 30 miles south of town and 7 miles west of Interstate 15, the old mining town of Goodsprings was probably my favorite discovery of the trip. Goodsprings was a boomtown in the early 1900s and there are several old buildings to explore – but the place that caught my eye was Pioneer Saloon, the kind of place you want to find on any road trip.  The bar, built in 1913, is one of the oldest in southern Nevada and is still serving. The potbellied stove in the middle of the bar is still used to heat the saloon. According to local legend, actor Clark Gable spent three days here as he waited for the body of his wife of two years, actress Carole Lombard, to be recovered after her plane crashed on Mount Potosi nearby. The saloon is full of history and is said to be haunted – they even offer a haunted lockdown tour from 11:45 p.m. until 3 a.m. and provide you with ghost hunting equipment to contact the spirits. Sorry, I forgot to ask if drinks are included – I’m pretty sure I would need some! Walking tours of the town’s history and star gazing tours are also available.

The saloon is open seven days a week and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. On weekends, it has live music on the patio. At the end of my trip, I had the famous Ghost burger – open flame grilled with jalapeno and ghost pepper aioli, with two pieces of jalapeno bacon on a potato bun. Spicy and perfect, it was one of the best burgers I have ever had. I know I will ALWAYS stop by here when driving to and from Las Vegas for a long time to come. You can spend a couple hours checking out everything on the walls alone but not to worry – it’s all just a road trip away.