Do You know What You Are Missing in Southern Nevada? 2)Hiking

Wetlands Park Loop Trail - Winter in Las Vegas, NV

(From 52 Reasons for Loving Life in Las Vegas)

By: Clairin DeMartini

2) Hiking: The Las Vegas Valley offers an urban adventure.

Do Not Miss the Best Outdoor Access around the City of Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada may have the reputation of colossal hotels adorned with neon signs aligning the Las Vegas Boulevard, but one of the best attractions is the access to outdoor adventures across the Las Vegas Valley. Strolls along paved paths. Rock climbing. Horseback riding. Bird watching. Hiking. If you think The Strip is wild, do not deny yourself the true “wild”erness at the cliffs, the peaks, the canyons, and the wetlands of the valley.

Do Not Miss the Opportunities to Get Out and Explore

Southern Nevada is beloved for the many local hiking areas. National Geographic listed Las Vegas, NV as one of the top 15 cities for best trails in the article Easy Urban Escapes. Hiking near and around Las Vegas accommodates all levels of hikers. Choose trails by location like the Frenchman Mountain Summits from downtown. Choose trails by difficulty like the easy hike outside of the Scenic Drive Loop at Red Rock Canyon called The Potato Knoll or difficult at Goldstrike Hot Springs in Boulder City. Choose trails by length like the 6.3 mile Las Vegas Overlook with at dramatic view of the Las Vegas Valley and Red Rock Canyon or the 2.2 miles at Lone Mountain. Plan your trip with a guide from EveryTrail.com and read local blogs like John Lee’s Hiking Las Vegas.

For me, I am not about to miss the abundance of rural landscape that surrounds the Las Vegas Valley. The Clark County Wetlands Park coins the phrase, “Nature, Close to Home.” The extensive  number of trails offers me a place to listen to the sounds of wildlife, take the dog for a walk in a new environment, teach my children about conservation of resources, and have a picnic amidst the flora and fauna of beautiful southern Nevada. I am not about to miss “Nature, Close to Home”!

Do You Know What You Are Missing in Southern Nevada?1)Public Library

1) Public Library: Public Libraries in the Las Vegas Valley

(From the List: 52 Reasons for Loving Life in Las Vegas)

By: Clairin DeMartini

1) Public Library: Public libraries are plentiful in Southern Nevada. You will be connected to the community by finding an inviting environment, helpful staff and an abundance of materials and events.

Do Not Miss The Las Vegas Clark County Library District

The Las Vegas Clark County Library District (www.lvccld.org) serves over 1.5 million people in the City of Las Vegas and most of Clark County (North Las Vegas, Boulder City and Henderson have their own library districts). The 14 urban branches and 11 outlying braches host over 14.4 million books and other materials to check out. The library sponsors over 15,557 community programs and over 573,096 children and adults attend programs annually. Without sounding exasperated by the selection of resources you will find, I must list highlights from this amazing system in the Las Vegas Valley:

• Book clubs
• eBooks and eAudio
• Author visits
• Video and Podcasts
• Books, Movies, Music
• DatabasesSpecial Collections (African American, Asian, Health & Medical, International Languages, Gaming/Local History, Southern Nevada Non-Profit Information Center, and Government Documents)
• Homework Help

Do Not Miss events at the Public Library

Events, events, and MORE events! You do not want to miss youth storytimes and programs, book and poetry discussions, gallery exhibits, film series, eMedia classes, computer classes for adults and senior citizens, and a variety of programs for adults! When I search for events at the LVCCLD.org events’ page, my heart leaps at the grand selection of activities. For music, The Wild West Winds Clarinet Quartet, the UNLV Jazz Concert Services UNLV Jazz Ensembles, and Music of Japan: Best of Both Worlds – Taiko & J –rock. For dance, the Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Dance Discovery Spring Concert (for 2014 “Fairytales and Fables”). Come see a FREE film showing, Family Lunchtime Movie Matinee at the Summerlin branch and Saturday Matinee at the Whitney Branch. Finance, health/wellness, storytimes, craft classes, lectures, puppet shows, dance, festivals and fairs! The events calendar is updated regularly, so keep coming back. The abundance will hold your interests and active all year long.