Now squarely in the middle of the Las Vegas Valley, Maryland Parkway was an eastern hinterland in the early ’60s. It was also where a growing young town embraced Midcentury Modernism as a residential style in the nearby Paradise Palms neighborhood, and kicked shopping into high gear at the Boulevard Mall. Just north of UNLV, the stretch between Desert Inn Road and Twain Avenue is the heart of the thoroughfare.
Nevada JobConnect Career Center
3405 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-486-0100
Looking for a job change or new professional vistas, planned or unplanned? The Silver State has your back with an array of services including job listings, labor market data, training opportunities, and unemployment information at this handy location.
Nkem African/Caribbean Market
3585 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-914-0404
For expats from Africa and the Caribbean (or foodies from everywhere) looking to cook homeland traditions, this bodega is packed with imported ingredients. From palm oil to cassava flour for fufu, cross off grocery lists here for authentic dishes like those served from Nigeria to Jamaica.
3333 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-740-0184
Heaps of authentic soul food are served up at Granny’s Kitchen, a homestyle eatery tucked back in an older strip mall. Louisiana-style fried chicken, including platters smothered in hearty gravy, is the specialty. Try a side of collard greens with smoked turkey for a serving of veggies.
Boulevard Mall
4300 E. Sunset Road
Animal Rides of America
What just whizzed by inside Boulevard Mall, a monkey? A leopard? A panda bear? A lion? No, a zoo didn’t get loose — it’s Animal Rides of America. Kids and their adults can rent these fuzzy scooters and tool around between shops. 702-983-6011, animalridesofamerica.com
SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium
There are plenty of gigantic, sea creature-filled tanks in the Tourist Corridor from Mandalay Bay to the Golden Nugget, but this attraction is geared toward local families. And, unlike most collections of swimming critters, many of these can be touched by inquisitive visitors — kids can even snorkel with stingrays. 3528 S Maryland Parkway, seaquestaquariums.com
John’s Incredible Pizza
Las Vegas is filled with buffets, but this is one squarely designed for families, as it’s filled wall-to-wall with arcade games of all sorts, plus glow-in-the-dark mini-golf and bumper cars. You might even meet the mascot, IncrediBear, while munching of slices of Hawaiian pie complete with pineapple. 3700 S. Maryland Parkway, johnspizza.com/las-vegas
Molasky “Round” Building and “Flashcube” Buildings
3111 S. Maryland Parkway
One of the remaining Googie buildings that once bloomed about town as architectural celebrations of the Space Age, this circular edifice across the street from Sunrise Hospital was the former office of uber-developer Irwin Molasky as he built the Boulevard Mall. Now it’s an emergency health care center flanked by two gleaming International-style multistory office cubes further back.
Molasky Family Park
1065 E. Twain Ave.
This green space is relatively sparse compared to big hitters like Sunset and Desert Breeze, but it plays a valuable role in the nearby area. While there are certainly tony homes and upscale towers nearby, many streets close to Maryland are dotted with lower-income apartments, making the civic amenity a much-valued space for residents looking for quality time outdoors.