If you told your friends that you spent the day at the beach gazing at teal-blue waters in Las Vegas, they'd probably think you're crazy. After all, most people know Vegas for its hotels and desert landscape.
  But just 30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip is Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which occupies about 1.5 million acres (twice the size of Rhode Island) and 820 miles of shoreline.
  Lake Mead is the 16th largest manmade lake in the world and one of the largest manmade lakes in the Western Hemisphere. Formed by the Hoover Dam along the Colorado River, the National Park Service established Lake Mead as a national recreation area in 1964. Lake Mead offers year-round recreation with everything from kayaking and jet skiing to swimming, hiking and wildlife viewing. Lake Mead's Boulder Beach is a popular stop to paddle boat, swim and camp out by the shore. Don't forget to bring your sunscreen and hat -- you're going to need it during the triple-digit summer months!