Springs Preserve

Springs Preserve is 180 acres of what Las Vegas was before the casinos: the actual springs site that watered the valley, rebuilt as the city's best family campus, a 10–15 minute drive west of the Strip. One general-admission ticket ($18.95 for out-of-state adults, $10.95 kids 3–17, under 2 free, with Nevada residents paying roughly half) covers the Origen Museum with its Flashflood show and live-animal habitats, the on-site Nevada State Museum, the recreated Boomtown 1905, an 8-minute narrated train ride out to Boomtown, 3.5 miles of trails, the Botanical Garden and the DesertSol solar home. The Butterfly Habitat is seasonal - spring and fall only, with the 2026 fall run set for October 3 to November 23 - and special events are ticketed separately.

Plan around the desert and the calendar. It's open Thursday through Monday only, 9 AM to 4 PM with last entry at 3, so Tuesday and Wednesday visits end in the parking lot. The outdoor trails have little shade, so summer afternoons are rough, and the trails and train shut down whenever the National Weather Service posts an excessive-heat warning. The venue is fully cashless (cards and mobile wallets only), parking is free with EV chargers, and the live-animal habitats sit at the back of the Origen Museum where plenty of visitors miss them. Give it a half day; the museum-only version fits in 90 minutes.