12 fantastic Las Vegas hot spots that are exuberantly Off The Strip

When most people imagine a getaway to Sin City, they envision the Las Vegas strip. It’s the most heavily saturated stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, filled with glitzy hotels, ritzy restaurants, flashy casinos and flashier entertainment. It’s where neon-soaked streets and high-caliber attractions such as the Fountains of Bellagio and High Roller observation wheel can be found. And it’s also, hands down, the most crowded part of the city.

But there’s plenty to fill your weekend — or even a week — in Las Vegas without ever stepping foot on the strip. From the Fremont Street Experience to Downtown LV, you can enjoy museums, bars and casinos with just as much pizzazz and significantly lower sidewalk density.

Here’s just a taste.

When in Vegas, gambol

First up, you’ll need a Las Vegas hotel with a non-Strip address. The high-rise Circa Resort & Casino on the Fremont Street Experience is known for its sportsbook betting and Stadium Swim, where six pools on three levels offer plenty of places to plunge, all with a view of a 40-foot tall screen featuring live games. Instead of dance parties, the emphasis here is on sports — and trips to the outdoor casino between drinks. The 21-and-over property is also home to Barry’s Downtown Prime, a Las Vegas style steakhouse, and Saginaw’s Delicatessen.

The Fremont Street Experience offers everything from Slotzilla, a zipline that takes you soaring overhead from one end of the five-block entertainment district to the other, the Heart Attack Grill. Grill guests pull on hospital gowns before diving into grub that promises to be unhealthy. The Octuple Bypass Burger, for example, tops eight half-pound meat patties with cheese, tomato, onions, bacon and chili — and wine is served in an IV bag. Tasty? Maybe. Memorable? Definitely.

Don’t miss the Movie Prop Experience, a vast exhibit space with plenty of sci-fi and superhero memorabilia, at the Neonopolis, a shopping and entertainment complex that includes a vintage toy store, Toy Shack, made popular by the TV show “Pawn Stars.” With plenty of places to eat, drink, gamble and listen to live music, it’s an easier-to-navigate and cheaper strip experience, still complete with frozen yardstick drinks.

If you’re unfamiliar with downtown Vegas, a delicious way to get acquainted is with Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, which does a 2.5-hour downtown experience ($125) that includes visits to chef-driven restaurants focused on farm-to-table fare and delicious dishes including red velvet waffles and caviar-topped deviled eggs at three or four restaurant stops.

Most tours make a stop at the Downtown Container Park, which is worth coming back to on your own. Funded by the Las Vegas Downtown Project, the complex is made from 45 upcycled shipping containers. The park includes kitschy shops, cute bars, eating options and a childrens playground. Located on Fremont Street, it’s almost impossible to miss. Just look for the 40-foot tall praying mantis, a Burning Man installation, that shoots flames six stories high every day at sundown.

When in Vegas, explore

Area 15‘s out-of-this-world immersive experience is equal parts art and amusement park. Step inside the two-story, open-concept warehouse-style building, doused in black light, and you’ll find a central bar with neon “trees” and relocated Burning Man installations. The biggest draw at the moment is Omega Mart, a Meow Wolf art installation that doubles as a seriously disturbed grocery store. Through the doors, you’ll find odd “fruit” for sale at high prices, sensory rooms hidden around each corner and tunnel slides open to adults and kids. Let’s just say, nothing is as it seems.

Other Area 15 experiences range from virtual reality rides to infinity mirror rooms, augmented reality dodge ball and actual axe throwing. Regardless of the itinerary, don’t miss a chance to dine at The Beast, where four-time James Beard winner Todd English is in charge, and the menu ranges from a Frenchie Burger ($19) with raclette and truffle aioli to Vegan Buffalo Pizza ($17) and Chicken Parm Pizza ($18).

If it’s Vegas neon you’re after, head for the Neon Museum, a boneyard that showcases retired signs that once occupied some of the city’s more notable businesses. Take a self-paced tour during the day or a guided tour at night, when many of the signs — even those dating to the 1930s — are illuminated. (They have souvenirs, by the way, including lightbulbs from the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign.)

You may think of Las Vegas as an urban destination, but scenic Red Rock Canyon is just a 30-minute drive from downtown — and a Pink Jeep Tour is an easy way to see that rugged landscape with someone else behind the wheel. The three-hour tour includes a stop at the visitor center to see rescued desert tortoises — the state reptile — before learning about the Native Americans that once inhabited the rocky landscape and the petroglyphs left behind, as well as viewing towering red sandstone peaks and checking out several hotspots throughout the conservation area.

If you prefer to go it on your own, the 2.5-mile Calico Tanks hike is popular among tourists for its steep stone staircase and spectacular views. Just remember, it gets hot in Vegas. Do this hike right now or wait until October.

When in Vegas, dine

Foodies will find plenty to savor off the Strip, too. Scotch 80 Prime at the Palms Casino Resort serves every elaborate steakhouse extra you can imagine with prices to match. Order the smoked bone marrow with beef cheek jam and sorghum popcorn ($22) before committing to a 16-ounce, bone-in filet mignon ($89) with accompaniments that range from chimichurri ($5 more) to Maine Lobster ($75).

After dinner, retreat to the rooftop Ghostbar, which provides an indoor-outdoor experience best enjoyed at night with views of the Strip you avoided just below.

If you’re looking for more of a local’s experience, the atmospheric Golden Tiki in Chinatown is busy but worth the wait. The under-the-sea décor includes a giant clamshell you can sit in, plus exotic drinks and glowing new treasures to discover each time you turn your head. Cocktails start at $13, and many are served in tiki mugs.

Other local favorites include SkinnyFATS, a small chain with colorful decor, healthy dining options — think tacos, sandwiches and bowls — and affordable prices ($10-$17) at several locations throughout the city. And for low-key drinks with a laid-back atmosphere, try The Front Yard which serves up brews alongside an accessible menu of flatbreads, burgers and steak frites at the low-key Ellis Island Casino.

If You Go

Circa Las Vegas: This resort and casino offers guest rooms ($119 and up) and suites, a dozen bars and restaurants and stadium-inspired swimming pools at 8 Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas; www.circalasvegas.com.

Fremont Street Experience: This entertainment district offers ziplines, light shows, live music, casinos, restaurants and hotels in downtown Las Vegas; https://vegasexperience.com

The Movie Prop Experience: Tickets are $20 for adults and teens; free for kids under 12. Opens at noon daily at the Neonopolis, 450 E. Fremont St; www.moviepropexperience.com. Find details on Neonopolis at www.neonopolislv.com.

Lipsmacking Foodie Tours: This walking tour company offers food tours in different parts of town, including downtown, the arts district and the Strip; $125 and up. https://lipsmackingfoodietours.com

Downtown Container Park: Opens at 11:30 a.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday-Sunday at 707 Fremont St.; https://downtowncontainerpark.com.

Area 15: Reserve a free entry pass ahead of time so you can wander the immersive art installations. Tickets for rides and experiences start at $49 for four activations. Omega Mart tickets are $49-$64. Area 15 opens at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends at 3215 S. Rancho Drive; https://area15.com.

Neon Museum: The museum and boneyard are open daily with seasonal hours of 3-11 p.m. through April and 4 p.m.-midnight May-August. Advance purchase recommended for both the daytime tours $10-$20) and guided evening tours ($14-$28). Find the museum at 770 N. Las Vegas Blvd.; www.neonmuseum.org.

Pink Jeep Tours: This adventure company offers three-hour tours ($99-$109) of Red Rock Canyon, as well as a four-hour off-road version ($127-$139). Both include hotel pickup. Find details at www.pinkadventuretours.com.