The Eagles and Adele aren’t the only hot tickets in Las Vegas. Gilcrease Orchard is so busy during its Fall Harvest season, online passes are being offered to get inside — with sellouts common on weekends and walk-ups often turned away at the door. City Cast Las Vegas co-host Sarah Lohman shares some ideas on what to do in the Northwest Valley if Gilcrease Orchard is full.
The Rainbow Owl Preserve is just outside Gilcrease Orchard on the corner of North Rainbow Drive and Jo Marcy Drive. There is plenty of free street parking! It’s mainly home to burrowing owls, which unlike other owls, are active during the day, especially at sunrise and sunset. The preserve is a simple fenced-in lot — to protect the owls from people — and you can get surprisingly close, but a pair of binoculars will come in handy. During every visit, I’ve seen tons of these leggy guys and other wildlife like hawks and bats 🦇
Less than a mile away, The Las Vegas Farm is a sanctuary for rescued farm animals that welcomes visitors on weekends. Meet pigs, cows, bunnies, and other new friends. Feed alpacas hay and shop at the farm stand for fresh produce, eggs, local honey, and a wide variety of treats.
Say hi to the peacocks at nearby Floyd Lamb Park 🦚 You may even see some babies! Fun fact to blurt out while you’re there: The park used to be the site of a Las Vegas’ divorce ranch, and some of the historical structures are still there at Tule Springs Ranch.
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. (Mark Newman/Getty)
For more outdoorsy fun, hit the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument on the northern edge of town — and try to spot evidence of when prehistoric creatures roamed the area. It’s so big, you’re unlikely to see another hiker as you wander the rock formations 🏜️ Heads-up: it’s not a developed federally operated site. No visitor’s center, shade, water, or restrooms. The nearby Ice Age Fossil State Park and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (farther north on the main highway) have amenities and offer easy, short-loop hikes with informational signs throughout.
Once you’ve built up an appetite, go to my favorite Thai place in Vegas, Nittaya’s Little Kitchen. The spicy Pad Thai and other expected staples are done well, but try the regional specialties you can't get everywhere like Kao-Soi, Northern Thai Curry Noodles, slow-cooked pork shoulder and egg noodles in a curry broth. There are so many surprisingly original dishes. Adventurous palates will appreciate the Panang Catfish Curry, Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Curry, and a Thai BBQ Cornish Game Hen.
Right next door, there’s La Casa de Juliette for a new take on Mexican cuisine. The restaurant serves fancy taco platters with a nice agave list, and quite possibly the best ceviche in the city. On the next block is Coffee Religion, a pan-Asian coffee shop. I’d recommend the Vietnamese Iced Coffee made with sweetened condensed milk, the Thai Iced tea, or if you need a bite, the Tamago Japanese egg salad sandwich, or the Kaya toast, spread with a thick “jam” of coconut cream and egg yolks.
The restaurants are part of the Village of Centennial Springs outdoor shopping plaza and just steps from Pop Squire Park. It’s a calm spot to walk off some calories afterwards.
- October is a great month for outdoor activities and other seasonal fun. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
