Liberace Museum
Once painfully tacky, this tribute to the famed pianist who practically invented over-the-top Vegas camp was recently renovated and given a respectable and seriously curated presentation. At this repository two miles east of the Strip, on East Tropicana Avenue, guests wander from room to room learning about the Liberace legend and the role that grand pianos, candelabras, and 100-pound feather costumes played in creating it. Check out the rare Moser crystal; the only other identical set in the world is owned by Queen Elizabeth (702-798-5595; www.liberace.org).

Lied Discovery Children's Museum
Happily, there's more for kids to do in Las Vegas than just kill time in family-friendly casino arcades and ride roller coasters. About ten miles north of the Strip, this excellent museum has lots of hands-on offerings, such as the faux grocery store where future shoppers pick out items and stay within a budget. Of course there's a little Vegas pizzazz here too: The new "Neon Unplugged" exhibit explains just how the city gets its famous sparkle (702-382-5437; www.ldcm.org).

Mount Charleston
Nothing surprises Vegas visitors more than finding out that 45 minutes northwest of the desert valley is a 12,000-foot mountain capped with snow six months of the year. Mount Charleston has long been a well-kept secret among hunters, a 316,000-acre alpine wonderland in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. There are quaint cabins, ski slopes, and horseback riding trails; several tour operators offer hikes or drives through the area, which is typically 30 degrees cooler than the swelter of the Strip. The Mount Charleston Lodge restaurant serves unimpressive American fare, but the views of the mountains make it tolerable (702-515-5408; www.mtcharlestonlodge.com; entrées, $11-$49).

Neon Museum
Fair warning: It's not a pretty sight. Two junkyards, known collectively as the Boneyard and located about seven miles north of the Strip, are crammed with more than 100 pieces of nonoperational—but still fabulous—signage. As grim as it may sound, this is a peculiar form of history up close and personal. Among the mountains of metal and broken bulbs are letters from the old Stardust sign and the 20-foot high-heeled shoe that once revolved atop the Silver Slipper's marquee. The folks who run the place hope to have a proper museum open in coming years; for now, visitors must see the assemblage on reservations-only group tours. Eleven of the classic signs, including such iconic entries as the Hacienda Horse and Rider, are restored and functioning on the public plaza of the Fremont Street Experience downtown (702-229-5366; www.neonmuseum.org).

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Those 500-million-year-old red hills, visible from most parts of the Las Vegas Valley, are a 30-minute drive west of, but worlds away from, the Strip. Local Las Vegans adore Red Rock Canyon, their most sensational bit of nature, and bike, hike, or just drive through it year-round. No wonder: Red Rock's 13-mile scenic route winds through a mountainous region that spans 308 square miles of Mojave Desert loaded with easy-to-spot Native American carvings, friendly wild burros, and places to rock climb. Guided hikes, of which there are dozens at varying levels of difficulty, are offered almost every day. The high point of the scenic drive is an overlook at 4,760 feet from which visitors can see the entire valley, including—on very clear days—the Strip (702-515-5367; www.redrockcanyonlv.org).