Water bottle? Check. Day pack? Check. Boots and crampons ... wait, is this Las Vegas?

As plenty of visitors will tell you, the action isn't all in the casinos, or even in the city. West of downtown, the city's new Springs Preserve is working to show the city in a different light. Minutes from the Strip, one surreal landscape gives way to another: the Mojave Desert. A short drive east is Lake Mead, the city's huge backyard water park. And within a day's easy drive are six national parks, including the biggies, Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce.

Las Vegas might be a refuge for shoppers and gamblers, but it's what lies beyond city limits that is getting attention: biking trails, climbing, kayaking, desert camps and water sports.

So much so that National Geographic Adventure magazine — the outdoor creed for the fit and the restless — has named Las Vegas "No. 1 Adventure Town in the U.S." in its September issue, with the description of a "tantalizing outdoor hub."

Forty million visitors head to Las Vegas each year, including a sizable raft of Hawai'i folks, for the slots, the spas, the buffets, the shows.

Want to try something different? Whether you have three hours or three days, here are seven reasons for leaving Las Vegas. And they're all winners.

FOR FOUR DAYS: RENT A HOUSEBOAT ON LAKE MEAD

A boating holiday in the desert might sound weird, but Lake Mead, straddling Nevada and Arizona, is a very cool option when it's pushing 115 degrees in Las Vegas. This inviting expanse of deep blue water is a magnet year-round for dinghies, kayaks, sailboards ... and houseboats, floating getaways that are definitely more house than boat. Fully equipped with multiple bedrooms, kitchen, deep sofas, a sun terrace, loungers, wet bar, DVD and sound systems — even a waterslide. There also is a small speedboat so you can take off and explore Lake Mead's many inlets and creeks, where bighorn sheep roam along the 550 miles of shoreline.

Forever Resorts' fall rates for a two-bedroom houseboat begin at $1,595 for four days. 800-255-5561, www.foreverhouseboats.com.

FOR FOUR HOURS: CYCLE THE 13-MILE LOOP IN RED ROCK CANYON

Twenty miles west of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon offers bike trails through some of the most beautiful and rugged scenery in the West. The canyon's 13-mile scenic loop winds through Red Rock National Conservation Area on a paved route past petrified sand dunes and along the base of the Keystone Cliffs.

Escape Adventures offers bike rentals and small-group guided tours with an option to ride a mountain bike, street bike or hybrid bike (mountain and street mix). Bikes, helmets and water are provided. Guided tours start at the highest point on the loop and descend 2,500 feet through Red Rock Canyon. For riders who want more of a workout, a 5-mile uphill start is an option.

Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop tours depart at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily with shuttle pickup and return on the Strip. $119. Bike rentals only start at $45 per day. Escape Adventures, 8221 West Charleston, Suite 101, 702-838-6966, www.lasvegascyclery.com.

IN THREE HOURS: VISIT THE LAS VEGAS SPRINGS PRESERVE

The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, which opened in June, is a showpiece for Las Vegas' past and suggests a sustainable future. The 180-acre park three miles west of downtown has botanical gardens, trails, amphitheaters and a centerpiece building, the Desert Living Center. But its message, or in Las Vegas parlance, its "theme" is water.

In the OriGen Experience, an interactive exhibit hall, water gushes through the "Mojave Canyon" a re-created desert ravine, in an engineered flash flood. Hands-on exhibits tell Nevada's history, how Pueblo Indians settled the area, its desert critters and night hunters. Kids also can learn about the big stuff, how canyons formed, the construction of the railroads and the building of the massive Hoover Dam on the Colorado River.

The preserve is fun, educational and air conditioned, so how is it sustainable? The 2,000-seat amphitheater is artificially turfed; solar panels shading cars in the parking lot generate enough electricity to power 70 percent of the preserve. The water system recycles water to irrigate native plants and drought-tolerant trees and flowers. Preserve officials hope the park will "represent for Las Vegas what Central Park is for New York City."

Las Vegas Springs preserve is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, on U.S. Highway 95 at Valley View Boulevard. Trails and gardens close at dusk. Adults, $18.95; ages 5-17, $10.95; 4 and under are free. Students and 65 and over, $17. Entry to gardens and trails is free. www.springspreserve.org.

FOR THREE DAYS: RAFT DOWN THE GRAND CANYON

You might think rafting down the Colorado River is all about rapids, getting soaked and intense stamina on your part. Once you set off, there's no going back.

As an alternative, Western River Expeditions offers a three-day journey in the lower 100 miles of the canyon where the famous rapids, though still exciting, are a little tamer. Massive sandstone cliffs, hidden waterfalls and the barely visible rim of the canyon high above make this one of the best adventures out of Las Vegas.

Western Expeditions' J-rigs (stable, inflatable rafts) carry up to 16 passengers. A seat in the front guarantees drama, while in the back, passengers can relax. Frequent sightings of elusive blue heron, soaring hawks, eagles, and bighorn sheep are common. The night sky, as with everywhere in the desert, is spectacular. Another highlight is the expedition helicopter ride down into the canyon's launch area.

Western River Expeditions' 2008 trip rates: April departures, $1,015; May-September, $1,135. That includes airport transfer and flight to/from Las Vegas hotel, a helicopter flight into the canyon, camping equipment, all meals. 866-904-1160, www.westernriver.com.

OVERNIGHT: KAYAK BY MOONLIGHT

Heading east from the Strip about 25 miles brings you to Lake Mead, Vegas' backyard water park. Created when the Hoover Dam blocked the Colorado River in 1934, Mead, at 110 miles long, is America's biggest and possibly most beautiful reservoir.

Kayak Lake Mead trips range from half-day to three-day excursions in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The Moonlight Paddle Overnight leaves late in the afternoon, beaches up for midnight snack and stargazing, with overnight camp, breakfast and early morning return.

Rates: Overnight paddle is $150. Short Moonlight Paddle, a three- to four-hour evening excursion, is $120. www.kayaklakemead.com.

FOR TWO DAYS: OPERA IN THE DESERT

For the true desert experience — hammering heat and lonesomeness — head to Death Valley on the California/Nevada border for the defining contrast to Las Vegas. Natural light and a silent landscape are the rewards. The valley's record temperature of 134 degrees is exceeded only in the Sahara; the average rainfall is less than 2 inches per year. The landscape is stunning: Zabriskie Point, Artist's Canyon, the Devil's Golf Course.

But before you enter the valley, stop at Armargosa Opera House at Death Valley Junction.

In 1967, Marta Becket began her reconstruction of an old adobe building in what would become the Armargosa Opera House and Hotel. In 1981, the town of Death Valley Junction was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Armargosa opera schedule runs from October through May.

Armargosa Hotel rates: $50 per room per night. 760-852-4441.

IN EIGHT HOURS: GO BOULDERING IN THE DESERT

Bouldering is climbing over, around and under huge boulders found in various canyons near Las Vegas. It's an adventurous way to hike and also a full-body workout. In addition to natural beauty, the Red Rock area offers everything from boulders to big walls, with more than 1,000 routes to inaugurate beginners and challenge accomplished climbers.

Experienced climbers can contact the visitor center at 702-515-5350 or www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock_nca.html.

The American Alpine Institute offers courses in bouldering and climbing October through mid-May with instruction, equipment and guided climbs at all levels. A half day begins at $105 per person. A full day is $170 per person. Pick up is at any hotel within two miles of the Las Vegas Strip or at Red Rock Visitor Center. www.aai.cc/redrockinfo.asp.

Reach Chris Oliver at coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com.