Beyond Casinos: 4 Gorgeous Gardens Compelling Tourists to Las Vegas

If you’re like most people, you’d probably feel guilty for failing to mention casinos when talking about Las Vegas. 

But besides being home to world-class entertainment and some of the best casino experiences on the planet, Nevada’s most populous city also harbors a plethora of other attractions and things to do apart from Gambling.

Tourists rarely get out of Las Vegas without visiting attractions like the Strip, Fountains of Bellagio, the Mob Museum, the High Roller, and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just to name a few.

But some untold gems attract scores of visitors to the so-called Sin City or Gambling Capital each year, more so those who love nature and flowers!

Here are four of the most popular gardens you should visit in Las Vegas.

1. Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

When Bellagio first opened in 1998, it was one of the most lavish and breathtaking gardens on the planet, featuring a plethora of rare and exotic plants of every description and category.

It was once a living museum that displayed some of the most amazing botanical specimens around the globe, but most of its displays today are artificial and change at least 5 times annually.

As anyone would guess, many visitors who need to take a pic with real, colorful blooms here consider ordering them online or from a nearby florist. If you prefer the online option, Bouqs can be awesome for next-day flowers so you can get them and use them while still fresh.

Though it has over the years been surpassed by competitors in Las Vegas and at world-class botanical gardens around the world, Bellagio’s grand glasshouses, 200,000 fresh flowers throughout, and colorful landscape remain awe-inspiring.

2. Las Vegas Springs Preserve 

If Bellagio is the grandest glasshouse at the finest and most luxurious botanical garden, the Las Vegas Springs Preserve is the grandest and most extravagant greenhouse in the greatest desert garden in America.

Established in 1988, the Springs Preserve, an extension of the original Springs Canyon Natural Area, has become one of the world’s most important botanical attractions.

At a mere 40 acres, the preserve is quite small compared to Bellagio’s lush grounds, but it draws more than 150,000 visitors a year, most of whom are international tourists and the garden’s dedicated followers.

Each year, there are more than 6,000 imported and native species of trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers at the Springs Preserve. At this rate, it’ll be another decade before the gorgeous desert landscape and gardens are rivaled.

3. Craig Ranch Regional Park 

Located in an especially unique setting in Clark County’s northwest, the Craig Ranch Regional Park contains some of the most exclusive and secluded natural wonders you can find anywhere.

Being situated on a mountainside, the stunningly beautiful preserve covers 650 acres of land, surrounded by trees of various varieties and subspecies, some over 100 years old.

The park is frequented by mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians; and contains a horse stable, a picnic area, and a primitive-type campground with 35 campsites, as well as rustic RV and tent sites.

4. Dr. Harry Johnson Rose Garden 

The tallest and most famous of all the botanical gardens in Nevada’s Las Vegas area, the Dr. Harry Johnson Rose Garden is situated just steps from the entrance to Las Vegas’s Thomas & Mack Center and its parking lots.

Built in 2000 at a cost of $2.5 million, the 1.9-acre garden contains nearly 700 varieties of rhododendrons and camellias, as well as other varieties of colorful and fragrant plants.

As one of the most popular spots in town, the garden draws upward of 30,000 visitors per year. 

As you can see, there’s more to see and do in Las Vegas than most people may know. If you love flowers or enjoy spending time around plants, you might find these sin city gardens worth your while the next time you decide to take a tour to this Nevada city.