Side trips from Vegas

If you get weary of the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, there are more than a few side trips you can take to escape. Most of these include driving to Henderson or surrounding counties to see what is out there.

The Ethel M Chocolates is about six miles from the strip. They offer free tours and it is better to go on a weekday when they are operating. Ethel Mars began her candy making in the early 20th century and these became famous candies: M&Ms, Milky Way, Mars bars, 3 Musketeers, and Snickers. The tours last about ten minutes and are made up of viewing stations explaining the chocolate making process. You get one small chocolate sample at the end.

Ron Lee's World of Clowns is also located in Henderson. The store features clown figurines and some Disney figures. The tour offered takes you around to watch as the workers mold and paint the clowns. Be sure to hit the gift shop, which offers high quality clown figurines. Grand Canyon tours are offered in Las Vegas.

You can spend a full day on a touring bus and go to see the majestic canyon and be back the same day. You can also choose two or three day trips. The prices usually include the tour through the national park, a flight over the canyon, and lunch. Some excursions include hiking as well.

2,000 to 3,000 people visit Hoover Dam daily. If not for this architectural and structural creation, there would be no Las Vegas. Built in 1931, it took 5200 workers doing twenty-four hour days to get this dam built by 1936.

That was two years in front of schedule and fifteen million under budget. There are tours conducted and they go down 561 feet into the belly of the dam. You can see the giant turbines and go outside and look back up at the huge dam.