1. The Grand Canyon
One of the 10 best experiences of my life. Save, scrimp, beg, borrow or steal to get enough cash for Maverick Helicopters' sunset tour. So amazing it gets a whole story to itself, coming next.
2. Neon Museum
Las Vegas does have history, it's just very good at throwing it away. The people behind the Neon Museum wanted to prevent the past from disappearing, so started collecting the city's most iconic art form: the neon sign. They opened The Boneyard in 2012, filling a lot about the size of a football field with the colourful detritus of the city's past. You start in the lobby of the La Concha Motel, rescued, moved here and beautifully restored. People of my generation will instantly be transported to early childhood; its swooping mid-century design is straight out of childhood road trip stops. You can only get into The Boneyard with a guided tour ($18 for adults), and it's best to book in advance. It's a fascinating tour that covers everything from the history of the town and its casinos, to the science of neon, to legendary characters, to nuances of typography and design. I loved the story of The Stardust plummeting into insolvency when they ditched their iconic mid-century signage for a boring font update in Ariel. You can see both here. Even without all the facts, it's worth going to see something that is both strikingly beautiful, and fun. Remember, however, that you are in the middle of the desert. Daytime tours can be gruellingly hot; book early to get early morning or evening slots. You can see some of the collection without visiting the museum if you wander around my next stop.
The Vegas of legend wasn't on The Strip at all, but along a stretch called Fremont Street. Once the mega-casinos and resorts started to appear, businesses here slumped into obscurity. Many were shuttered or torn down and some parts of the area became seedy, no-go places. In recent years there's been a massive renovation effort here, and our friends tell us that this is the place locals prefer to go. It's full of restaurants, art galleries and quirky shops, many decorated with impressive graffiti murals. There are a handful of old hotels and casinos. The median dividing the road features restored, vintage signs from the Neon Museum which light up at night. I actually preferred this evening drive to the larger-than-life world of The Strip. At one end, the Fremont Street Experience does try to give The Strip a run for its money, with an arched canopy over the street streaming a light show while tourists pay to fly overhead on zip wires. But I preferred the scene further down, at places like the Container Park. They've stacked colourful shipping containers, turned them into restaurants and boutiques and put gardens and play areas for the kids in the middle. Check their website for free concerts and other events throughout the year. Further up the street are still-shuttered motels full of potential. I can see an uber-cool boutique hotel like the one we stayed at in Savannah thriving here; recreating the elegant but slightly louche mood of the Rat Pack/Madmen days for visitors who want to do something different.
4. Red Rock Canyon
You can't beat the Grand Canyon, but if you don't have the time or money ... or just want to do more of the great outdoors ... this is a gorgeous place. A one-way, 13-mile loop road lets you drive around the canyon floor, stopping frequently to gawp at the fascinating red rock formations and the towering 3,000-foot canyon walls. You might spot wild burros (we did) and bighorn sheep (we didn't). Joshua trees, agave, yucca and creosote bushes abound. It looks like a monochrome landscape from a distance, but once you're in it, it's a wonder of subtle reds, browns, greens and golds. Best of all, there's a wonderful National Parks visitor centre that does a great job of explaining geology, flora and fauna. We spent about 40 minutes here, but I could have easily done two hours. In winter, when temperatures fall to comfortable levels, this is a big hiking area. Packing a lunch and walking in to the waterfall our friends told us about is the No. 1 reason I'd return to Vegas.
Probably far more intriguing to foreign visitors than Americans, I admit. It's a temple of Americana. There are cowboy shirts pattered with Mount Rushmore, screaming bald eagles or the constitution ... or maybe all at once. How about stars and stripes place mats made from shotgun cartridges? Linger along the vast wall of Stetson hats, which you can customise with a range of showy hat bands. Silver belt buckles the size of a salad plate? They're here. And, of course, half the place is lofty stacks of boots. Even if you're not in the market, it's worth browsing their enormous collection to appreciate the range of prices and materials. You can jump into the thousands quickly if you fancy some stingray skin. There are some real works of art here.
6. Casa Don Juan
Now you've worked up an appetite. Go here. Back in London, Mexican seems to be the one global
7. Hoover Dam
One of the modern world's great engineering projects. We got some fine views on the way back from the Grand Canyon. It's supposed to be an excellent tour, and also one of the best places in America to see art deco architecture. It's an easy 30- to 40-minute drive from Vegas. We were three cars from the entrance when our host and driver realised he'd forgotten to leave his gun at home. And they aren't allowed on federal property. So we turned around. Only in America.
8. Boulder City
Unable to get to the Dam, we went to Boulder City instead. This dusty little place housed the workers building the dam, and now it's become a place to see the old time West without having to go too far from Vegas. Homey cafes jostle for space with shops flogging antiques, American Indian arts and crafts and clothes. Don't miss The Flying Saucer, a shop and centre for all things alien, inspired by nearby Area 51. There's even an extraterrestrial out front named Eak you can grab a selfie with.
9. A local casino
I now understand that casinos are more like multi-disciplinary entertainment venues than they are places for gambling, and appreciate that in a city that runs 24/7, a large percentage of its workforce is unwinding their day, or getting ready to start it, at strange times. Here's where the local casinos come in, providing relaxation space for people who work on The Strip, but want nothing to do with it otherwise. We walked through The Silverton, which has a much more laid back atmosphere and where the glitz is limited to a giant fish tank in which a girl ... aided by air pipes hidden in the coral ... swims around pretending to be a mermaid. It's attached to an enormous Bass Pro Shop replete with waterfalls, a Noah's Ark of taxidermised fauna, artificial landscapes and an indoor gun range. More rampant Americana, but with camouflage. Warning: Don't do this and the Boot Barn on the same day. Your head willexplode.
10. Grouchy John's Coffee
Our hosts' local, and where our friend Tommy Vinci does cartooning classes and shows some of his art. In a world of chains, how wonderful to find a local coffee shop with owners who cater for locals and set a distinct mood for their place. The shop is a temple to cult entertainment franchises: Doctor Who, Star Wars, super heroes, etc. In addition to all the standard coffees, they do a range of great smoothies (test your geek creds by spotting the Star Wars characters they're named after) and delicious breakfast sandwiches made by layering just cooked eggs and meats onto freshly-sliced croissants. Pop in. Chill out. Buy some of Tommy's art.
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