And Just Like That, Pedal-Powered Rail Tours Are Back In Boulder City

Author Mike O'Brian

September 29th, 2023 3:57 PM

Rail bike is popular for tourist and it is fun activity.

Despite what you you might have read earlier, we have been informed that the pedal-powered rail tours are BACK in Boulder City! Whew.

The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce informed us that another company has stepped in. American Rail Bike Adventures® has worked things out so that this novel family excursion can continue!

Originally Rails Explorers USA was in business for five years and provided the chance for people to ride rail bikes across Boulder City. Rail Explorers had been in business for five years, but they shut down after the company failed to meet an agreement with the state to renew its lease, according to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal this past February.

This whole thing started with Jodi and I having the grandkids for the weekend. We were trying to think of things to do with them. Sure, the Children’s Discovery Museum is a must for our three-year-old granddaughter, but what to do with the 11-year-old grandson. We thought this would be the perfect excursion on a Saturday morning.

Good News: The Pedal-Powered Rail Tours Are Back!

Now keep in mind that we love having them with us. We’ve taken them to the Las Vegas Ballpark to see the Aviators. We’ve also taken them up to Mt. Charleston to walk around and enjoy the scenery, and you can always have fun getting ice cream. But thinking of something new and different to do, we thought, “let’s head out to Boulder City and finally check out the pedal-powered tours!”

The fresh air and a little exercise sounded amazing. Plus, it’s the best time of the year right? Well, hit the re-set button because after finding out the good news, game on! In fact they recently had a “soft” opening this past weekend. Next weekend though, it is on and the rail cars are back in business, according to the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce.

Although rides won’t officially start for another week, it’s good to see this ride operating soon enough. Listen, there’s just something about Boulder City. It gives you the feel that you’re actually on a little vacation. Once you enter the quaint streets of Boulder City, you get a warm and fuzzy feeling. When you go to Boulder City, you’re transported to small-town America.

So, congrats to the new company that’s keeping a great, positive and fun activity alive in Southern Nevada. And thank you to the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce for the update and we hope to see you soon in BC!

Mike O’Brian is the Program Director and Morning Show host on 96.3 KKLZ in Las Vegas, along with Carla Rea. He has been with the Beasley Media Group for almost 23 years. Mike was named one of the “Best Program Directors In America” by Radio Ink magazine. Over the years, “The Mike & Carla Morning Show” have been presented with a number of proclamations for their work in the community and numerous awards. Having lived in Las Vegas for over 35 years, he writes articles on living in Las Vegas, sports, and odd stories happening within the state of Nevada. Mike is the host of the morning show and program director of 96.3 KKLZ/Las Vegas. He has been doing mornings in Las Vegas for the past 38 years. Over the years, he has hosted a numerous amount of community events and has been the P.A. announcer for a number of sports teams in Las Vegas. He has written on living in Las Vegas, the sports teams here, as well as odd & little-known facts about Las Vegas & Nevada.

11 Unforgettable Things You Should Do In Las Vegas On Your Birthday

Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. And we’re never without something to do.

Whether it’s for a birthday or any other day, locals and tourists alike can experience and myriad of things to do in Las Vegas. We have night clubs, Cirque du Soleil shows, escape rooms, fine dining and so much more. And outside the city there are even more options. The Colorado River is less than an hour away. We are surrounded by the Red Rocks, Valley of Fire, Lake Mead and Mount Charleston.

Needless to say, we are never without something to do in Sin City. And on any given weekend, locals will hit up one or many of these options. That’s just the life of a Las Vegas resident. It’s like living at Disneyland! But maybe there is a downside to that.

Because when it comes to your birthday, you want to do something special!

Something unique. Something out of the ordinary. But what is out of the ordinary when the “ordinary” is life in the entertainment capital of the world? Maybe the traditional night out on the town doesn’t just cut it for Southern Nevadans needing an upgrade.

Of course, for some Las Vegans, a staycation on the strip or a dinner at one of the very expensive celebrity chef restaurants still does the trick. After all, just because we live here, doesn’t mean we have the vacation budget all year long.

Because our special day requires a special celebration. It turns out we can do something on “our” day that we don’t do every weekend. And we can still do it without even leaving Nevada.

Here’s a list of things to do in or near Las Vegas that are special enough to make you special day memorable. Even for a Las Vegas local. – Wendy

1. ATV Tour
If you want to be in total control of your birthday fun level, try riding around on an ATV. Above All Las Vegas ATV Tours has options for Mount Charleston, Valley of Fire and El Dorado Canyon. And they allow kids as young as six to ride.
2. Hot-Air Balloon Ride
This one is definitely one you should check out at least once. Balloons Over Pahrump offers sunrise balloon rides with wine tasting afterward. Now that sounds like a great way to spend a birthday. Vegas Balloon Rides also offers sunrise flights.
3. Drive a Race Car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
If you want an adrenaline rush on your birthday, head over to the Speedway and drive one of the NASCAR race cars. At speeds up to 150mph, you won’t forget this one.
4. Helicopter/Plane Tour Over the Grand Canyon
Even if you’ve seen the Grand Canyon before, you’ve not really seen it unless you’ve done it from the sky. Papillon offers tours in a helicopter or small airplane. That’s definitely not something even Las Vegans do everyday.
5. Lake Mead Boat Cruise
A cruise on a riverboat around Hoover Dam is not a shabby way to celebrate a special occasion. Lake Mead Cruises even offers dinner and champagne brunch cruise options.
6. Skydive Over The Grand Canyon
This one might be the king of all adventures. Jumping out of a perfectly good plane with a stranger strapped to your back is not a birthday you’re going to forget. Trust me. I did it when I was 18 and I can still feel the clouds in my face. Paragon Skydive has packages that let’s you dive 16,000 miles above the Grand Canyon.
7. Zip-lining at Bootlegger Canyon
Sure, you can zipline on Fremont, but that’s more of a drunken weekend thing. If you want to stick with what is really special, check out Flightlinez ziplining over Bootlegger Canyon. That’s a ride you’ll not soon forget.
8. Indoor Skydiving
If you’re not quite ready for jumping out of a plane on your birthday, but you still want to experience the free fall of skydiving, check out Vegas Indoor Skydiving. It will give you all of the wind in your face without any of the hassle of the parachute part.
9. Guided Tour of Area 51
If you’ve ever wondered if aliens really exist, check out the tour of Area 51 from Adventure Tours. Their tour packages include transportation to and from Area 51, lunch and unlimited snacks.
10. Helicopter Tour Over Vegas
If you want to see Las Vegas from a view that even The STRAT can’t offer, check out Maverick. Their helicopter tours can take you up and down Sin City, or over the Grand Canyon as well.
11. Play on a bulldozer
Not only is this out of the ordinary, but it’s pretty unique. If you’re a dump truck kind of kid, this is an awesome way to spend a birthday. Dig This Vegas has giant playgrounds for adults to drive around in a real bulldozer, excavator, track loader and more. They have options for kids’ parties as well.

However you choose to spend your special day, make sure it’s just that: special. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!