Best Drive-In With a Burger: Snappy’s
Snappy’s solves the age-old dilemma: Should you eat a burger or see a movie at the drive-in? Aside from burgers, fries, and grilled cheese, this drive-in restaurant also offers normal movie snacks such as popcorn and slushies. With weekly films ranging from Disney to sci-fi, this joint found a creative way to keep drive-ins alive. – MU
snappys.fun
Best Haptic Movie Thrill: 4DX at Regal Red Rock
Sure, merely sitting for a film is a fine experience, but wouldn’t it be great to feel like you’re inside the action? This 4DX experience, which costs $23 per ticket, includes moving seats, misting water, and strobing lights. It’ll feel like you’re being attacked by the monster onscreen. Keep an eye out for action-packed releases this fall. – KDS
regmovies.com/theatres/regal-red-rock-0659
Best Chuck E. Cheese for Grown Ups: Rex Center Vegas
For families or groups that can’t decide what they’d like to do all day, this joint is practically heaven-sent. It’s got 18 holes of dinosaur-themed mini golf, black-light laser tag, 10 climbing walls, and an impressive indoor go-kart track with eco-friendly electric cars. Did we mention there’s also food? – AD
rexcentervegas.com
Best Bar for Blistering Thumbs: Player 1
Think about the best games you’ll find at your average bar. Cornhole? Video poker? Pinball, if you’re lucky? At Player 1, a nominal entry fee gets you unlimited access to a variety of arcade games, ranging from ’80s classics to exciting novelties. Thirsty? The bar offers pop culture-themed drinks served by bartenders in cosplay. – EDV
player1vegas.com
Best Horror Movie: The Basement
Part puzzle, part horror, The Basement is immersive entertainment that tests your intellect. In just 45 minutes, you must figure out how to escape Edward Tandy’s cannibalistic trap. Beware: Live actors amp up the scare factor. – MU
basementescaperoom.com
Best Place to Catch a Fish in the Shade: Floyd Lamb Park
This 680-acre hideaway in the far northwest has been a local favorite for decades, providing top-notch birding, walking, biking, and riding. It also has a popular fishing hole. You must have a license to fish, but you’ll be able to catch anything from rainbow trout to catfish to the occasional bluegill. Check the Nevada Department of Wildlife website for the latest stock report. – KDS
lasvegasnevada.gov
Best Place to Join in a New Sports Craze: Sunset Park Pickleball Complex
Don’t let the goofy name fool you: Pickleball is no laughing matter, especially in Las Vegas, home of the Las Vegas Night Owls pro pickleball team. (!) Just look at the proliferation of local complexes. Sunset Park’s stands out for its size (24 courts) and flexibility (eight of those courts are reserved, another eight are open play). The complex is clean, spacious, and easy to access, making it an ideal choice for the uninitiated and veteran pickleballers alike. – AD
clarkcountynv.gov
Best Family Sports Night Out: Las Vegas Aces
My husband and I have had Aces season tickets for three years running now, and we’re late to the game compared to the fans sitting in seats around ours. They come with so much institutional knowledge, it’s like watching an adrenaline-filled competition in a classroom. Of course, one section doesn’t represent an entire arena, but our neighbors don’t drink or swear (though they can get spicy with the refs), they bring their kids, and they rise for the lineup and stay till the buzzer. At every game! The tickets are affordable, the atmosphere is electric, and I can’t think of a better way for a sports lover to spend an evening. – HK
aces.wnba.com
Best Outdoor Family Events Venue: Water Street Plaza
In a valley with no shortage of outdoor venues, Water Street Plaza is noteworthy for its proximity to some of Henderson’s most delish restaurants, a moving veterans memorial wall, and the pleasantly refrigerated America First Center. The venue hosts diverse entertainment year-round: sports watch parties, Henderson Hot Rod Days, family concerts, and the perennial favorite Shakespeare on the Plaza. – AD
cityofhenderson.com
Best Recreational Meetup: Women Who Explore
Recreation enthusiasts have no shortage of groups they should welcome into the outdoors if they want to right historic wrongs. Fortunately for them, many of these groups also have their own club for finding strength in numbers; Indigenous Women Hike and Outdoor Afro are a couple of examples. Another is Women Who Explore, a Facebook group whose latest post, as I write this, is a meme reading, “It’s raining, it’s pouring, let’s go exploring.” That pretty much says it all. – HK
Best Place to Work Out Your Problems: The Refuge
Climbers of any level can find sanctuary at The Refuge and be immediately adopted into the community. If you fall, someone will be there for you on the crash pad. There are never-ending problems to solve with weekly wall changes and a rotating wall. Plus, you can enjoy amenities such as hangboards, strength training equipment, yoga classes, and occasional bouldering competitions. – BJ
refugeclimbing.com
Best Hidden-Gem Hike: Northshore Summit Trail at Lake Mead
Lake Mead is a well-kept secret among hikers, maybe because it’s too hot to go there May-September, navigational equipment/skills are required for many of the trails, and entering the National Recreation Area requires either a fee or a national parks pass. If you can clear those barriers, then you will find a multitude of treks at varying degrees of difficulty, and with spectacular payoffs. Start with this moderate one-mile out-and-back to see what I mean. A 200-foot ascent leads to an overlook of the Muddy Mountains, Bowl of Fire, and Bitter Spring Valley in all their red-rock glory. Warning: You may find yourself inspired enough to buy that parks pass on the way home. – HK
nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-the-northshore-summit-trail.htm
Best Animal Interaction: The Las Vegas Farm
Feeding the friendly beasts at The Las Vegas Farm is a great Vegas-overdose antidote. This little sanctuary in North Las Vegas houses previously neglected cows, pigs, horses, and more. Cats and peacocks roam the grounds. And there’s a market with fresh produce, homemade goods, and hay to feed the animals. Don’t let this farm’s miniature size distract you from its rustic charm. – MU
thelasvegasfarm.com
Best Place to Birdwatch: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
There’s more to Southern Nevada’s bird population than pigeons, road runners, and the occasional Gambel’s quail. Turns out we have 270 species of fowl here, many of which can be seen by camping out at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Local and migratory birds galore fill the 140-acre refuge, congregating around the tranquil ponds and lush undergrowth. Pro tip: bring binoculars. – AD
cityofhenderson.com
Best Place to Unleash Your Inner Paleontologist: Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure
Dino Safari is the ultimate hands-on dino museum, where, true to its name, visitors get to walk through an immersive animatronic exhibit and interactive play area. It’s educational, not too pricey, and a nice family-friendly diversion on the Strip. – AD
dinosafari.com
Best Sensory-Inclusive Outing: Discovery Children’s Museum
The Discovery Children’s Museum has been helping shape growing minds and hone fine motor skills for more than three decades. Energy science, the physics of water, eco-friendly infrastructure — these might sound like challenging topics to kid-ify, but the museum makes it all fun and graspable for the littles. – AD
discoverykidslv.org
Best Indoor Place to See the Stars: Dale Etheridge Planetarium
You don’t have to be a sci-fi fan or an astrophysicist to enjoy the Dale Etheridge Planetarium at CSN. It’s your best gateway to the cosmos and a hub for entertainment. Remember the partial eclipse? It had that covered with special glasses and solar-filtered telescopes, plus a NASA ambassador to answer questions. But the real star is the 66-seat theater housed under a 30-foot dome; every visit is an immersive adventure. – SB
csn.edu
Best Historical Getaway: The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park is easy to miss or mistake for someplace else if you’re not familiar with it. Once inside, you’re stepping on a piece of early-settlement history (one original structure remains, while the rest are reconstructions). After touring the Visitor Center, walk the grounds and feel the energy of Las Vegas’ past. – SB
parks.nv.gov
Editor's note: Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure closed after Best of the City went to press.