by John Roberts
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Fri November 27, 2015
Neon lights fill the boulevard, and the steady sounds of dinging slot machines and roaring partiers fill the air.
You're in Vegas, of course.
But maybe you've been there and done that with the gambling and the drinking and the clubbing and the people-watching. Don't get me wrong. I love Vegas, and that stuff never gets old, even as I get older.
But you can always find some time to try something new, too. Perhaps a few things to freshen up that trip to Sin City, especially for you Vegas veterans.
Check out seven cool things to do in Las Vegas - attractions that you might not have known existed.
Red Rock Canyon. Nevada's first National Conservation Area sits just 17 miles to the west of the Las Vegas Strip. Rejuvenate yourself after an all-nighter by communing with nature in the Mojave Desert. Explore some of the 30 miles of hiking trails or go horseback riding, climbing or biking through the wilderness. You can even view the lands from the comfort of your car on the 13-mile scenic driving route. (Entrance fees: $7 per car, $3 motorcycles, $3 pedestrians/bikes)
Lake Mead. Yes, there is water in the desert. Lake Mead National Recreation area is home to an enormous man-made lake (16th largest in the world) and offers all sorts of recreational activities, such as hiking, water skiing, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. The 1.5 million-acre park is about 30 minutes east of the Strip. (Entrance fees: $10 per vehicle, $5 pedestrian/bikes)
Neon Boneyard. Tacky? Yes. But also interesting. The Neon Museum Las Vegas celebrates the history of the city through dozens of unique preserved signs and marquees - many from old casinos and gambling halls blown up decades ago to make way for today's shiny new towers. The highlight of the hour-long guided tour is the Neon Boneyard, an outdoor space filled with rows and rows of old signs. (Day tours $18, night tours $25)
Mob Museum. Take a look into old Vegas and how a criminal element once called the shots as the city grew from the desert. Pictures, artifacts and creative exhibits illustrate the cold-blooded brutality and tactics thugs used to grab what they could as Sin City developed. Law enforcement who sought to stamp out the mobsters' influence is also represented. (Tickets: $19.95 online)
Soar Over Fremont. It's over quickly and it's pricey, but Slotzilla Zipline at Fremont Street Experience is cool to try … once. The attraction features a 77-foot-high zipline that costs $20 and flies you halfway down the length of the Fremont Street Experience pedestrian promenade in downtown. The 114-foot-high zoomline lets you soar the entire length with a bird's-eye view. Cost: $40.
Las Vegas 51s. Check out the Triple-A affiliate of MLB's New York Mets. The Las Vegas 51s play in the city at the 9,300-seat Cashman Field. Ticket prices vary depending on where you sit, but you can take a family of four to a game for less than $50. The season is April through September.
Adult Sandbox. Always liked to play on the dirt? Dig This is a construction equipment playground, where you get to drive and maneuver heavy machinery like excavators and bulldozers to dig trenches, push around mounds of earth and try out tricks of the construction trade. ($249 for 90-minute session)
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