This year I was lucky to get off the beaten track a bit and go to a few places that had been on my travel list: Bonnie Springs Nevada, and Red Rock Canyon. Both were amazingly beautiful, so I’d thought I’d share these Las Vegas area photos with my readers.

When I went to visit Las Vegas, Nevada recently, for my annual pilgrimage to the all-things-gambling oasis in the desert, I made a real effort to try to see things and places I’d not seen before. I’ve been going to Las Vegas for years, and it’s always amazing, but every year there’s something new to see. New casinos, new toys, new food places, new nightclubs.

This year I was lucky to get off the beaten track a bit and go to a few places that had been on my travel list: Bonnie Springs Nevada, and Red Rock Canyon. Both were amazingly beautiful, so I’d thought I’d share these Las Vegas area photos with my readers. It’s not like either of these locations is far from the Las Vegas Strip either. You can be at Bonnie Springs within a comfortable 45 minutes, and Red Rock Canyon within about 20 minutes – dependent on traffic of course. And it’s worth the ride.

When I turned up at Bonnie Springs on a Monday, it turns out the place was technically “closed”, except for a small zoo inside. That’s part of the reason the photos make it look a bit like a ghost town with nobody around. Apparently on live days, which is most other days of the week, the place gets pretty busy and there are daily hangings, shootings, and other stage shows designed to show just how life used to be in the good old Western days. The shops weren’t open when I visited either – but on live days you can see demonstrations and buy products that are produced in the stores or nearby.

The only advantage of going when I did, randomly, was that there was no entry charge. Typically it’s $10 per person – which is more than reasonable for what’s on offer. Touristy? Yes. Fun? Yes. This was a magical place, not far from Las Vegas itself, that turned out to be one of the highlights of my entire trip. Judge for yourself – the photos look like they’ve been taken on a movie film set. If you’re into Western style movies, or locations, then this place is for you. I’ve also included a few photos from Red Rock Canyon nearby.

Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Zoo Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Opera House Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Church Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Shooting Gallery Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Ol Miner Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Showtime Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Shops Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Front Entrance Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Welcome Sign Photo from Bonnie Springs, Nevada, USA

Want to play online and try to win some real money for your own Las Vegas vacation? You’ll find links to various online casinos below. With any offers, terms and conditions apply, and some are for new players only. Online casinos are always 18+ years – so NO children please! Always make sure you gamble responsibly – and it’s worth checking out the Be GambleAware website from time to time, to make sure you’re gambling with a good head.