Hotel at a Glance: Oasis at Gold Spike

The Oasis at Gold Spike harks back to Las Vegas's 1950's heyday with midcentury-modern architecture, geometric art, and a vintage ambiance. Outside, you'll hear the soothing trickle of the pool's water feature and find a comfy spot for sunbathing on the surrounding mod chairs and day beds. Order a tropical drink from neighboring bar Gold Spike.

• Borrow a bike: The front desk offers cruisers equipped with cup holders.
• Gold Spike Tower queen rooms come with queen beds, in-room WiFi, and flat-screen TVs.
• Carnival Bar at Gold Spike allows you to test your chops at classic carnival games while you sip cocktails.
• Included perk: unlimited play at Putter's Paradise for two.
• Squeeze in a workout: at the onsite fitness center.

Beyond the Las Vegas Strip: Old Vegas and Red Rock Canyon

It can feel like the entire city of Las Vegas revolves around the Strip if you never venture beyond that neon-lit corridor. But there’s plenty to see and do once you step off Las Vegas Boulevard. You can find a taste of Old Vegas on Fremont Street, where vintage signs and showgirls crowned with headdresses recall the days of Sinatra and Martin. Beginning at dusk, a canopy of more than 12 million LED lights erupts in a psychedelic light-and-music show every hour. For an aerial view, zoom down the center of Fremont Street on a zipline.

Nature puts on its own show at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a landscape of fiery-red sandstone formations and limestone cliffs just 17 miles outside the city. Motor down the 13-mile scenic drive or ditch the car and strike out on any of more than 20 hiking trails that course through the region’s otherworldly topography.