Boulder Highway Strip: Las Vegas

On the east side of Las Vegas, the Boulder Highway Strip offers a good selection of affordable places to stay. The casinos along Boulder Highway are popular with locals, and if you're looking for a quiet place to stay away from the congestion of the Strip, you may want to consider this neighborhood. Staying on the Boulder Highway Strip will put you about six miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

Boulder Station, Sam's Town, Arizona Charlie's Boulder, and the Eastside Cannery are the larger and more Vegasy style hotels in the area. Inside Sam's Town, you'll find Mystic Falls Park, a little slice of nature (complete with wolves) transplanted to an indoor park. Try Willy & Jose's Mexican Cantina inside Sam's Town for dinner. Boulder Station, like many Station casinos, has an multi-screen movie theater.

Just off Boulder Highway at the end of Tropicana, the Desert Wetlands Park is a surprising oasis in the desert. Once known to locals as "the swamps," this is the Las Vegas Wash—the area where the waters from the west side of the valley congregate before they head to Lake Mead. A large number of birds can be found here, and hiking trails will take you past the grassy, reed-filled ponds. Desert Rose Golf Club is also close to Boulder Highway if you're looking to play a round or two.

While six miles may not seem like much of a distance between the Boulder Highway Strip and the Las Vegas Strip, when you factor in Las Vegas traffic, the drive may take you longer than expected. If you're in Las Vegas primarily to see the Strip's famous attractions, consider staying closer to the action. However, if you're in Las Vegas for other reasons—enjoying Lake Mead, visiting family, attending a meeting in the vicinity of the Boulder Highway Strip—this area may be a good choice.

Numerous chain motels also can be found along the Boulder Highway Strip, but be sure to fully research any motel you plan to stay at in this area. This neighborhood is older and can be a bit shabby in spots, and some of the motels need updating and extra attention to security.

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