Escape the Strip: 2 Lesser-Known Las Vegas Sites

A Liberace car at the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

Even my Lyft driver didn’t know about the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas, which is just a short drive from the strip. This little-known museum has a host of vehicles from TV and movies, as well as a room filled with cars and costumes once owned by Liberace.

A batmobile at the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

You’ll find cars from “The Hangover,” “RoboCop,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and the Flintstones movie, among many others. They even have a DeLorean from Back to the Future. If you’re a movie fan or enjoy specialty and vintage cars, this is a must see.

An actual lifeboat used in the Tom Hanks film “Captain Phillips.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A car made for the Flintstones movie. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A DeLorean from “Back to the Future.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A rhinestone car owned by Liberace. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
One of Liberace’s costumes also on display at the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

If you truly need a break from the insanity of the Las Vegas strip, take a short drive to Springs Reserve, which is a peaceful oasis in the middle of all the chaos of the city. The 180-acre preserve contains gardens that attract all sorts of birds, including hummingbirds (usually Anna’s hummingbirds), and it includes an enclosed butterfly exhibit, as well as a Boomtown 1905 exhibit that’s a recreation of a Las Vegas street from that era.

It’s a wonderful place to get some fresh air and be in nature without venturing too far from the famous Vegas commercialism. I highly recommend it to help you decompress after a night at the casino. Take a look at images from my visit.

A female Anna’s hummingbird at Springs Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A cactus at Springs Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Flowers at Spring Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw
A butterfly at Spring Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw
+ posts

Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may also like

Cruising the Nile in Egypt

Cruising the Nile in Egypt

For an extended visit on the Nile with stops along the way at the ancient temples of Abydos, Dandara, Luxor and Karnak, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, and the High Dam at Aswan, there are dozens of luxury cruise ships to choose from. Or you could do what I did and enjoy the Nile from a dahabiya, which is a boutique sailboat much like a private yacht.

read more
Photo Essay: The Amazing Galapagos Islands

Photo Essay: The Amazing Galapagos Islands

There is nowhere in the world like the Galapagos Islands, and they are best experienced via a small yacht cruise. The Ecuadoran government monitors how many visitors can go to each island, which helps to protect what many call “a natural zoo.” This is because the animals on the islands have no predators, which makes them very trusting of humans. While you are advised to stay at least a few feet away from animals, you will see from my photos that they often come close to you. Below are some of my favorite photos from my experience in this amazing and remote place on our planet.

read more
Dance Review: The Indian-American Sa Dance Company

Dance Review: The Indian-American Sa Dance Company

The audience is hushed – all focus is on the stage. Then into the silent darkness, a brilliant scarlet back wall is illuminated with female figures appearing like shadow puppets hanging loose before the puppeteer animates them. The wailing music begins, and the lights go up, revealing dancers in electric-colored and stylized Indian costumes with exposed midriff, bare feet, and lots of arm movements.

read more