Escape to The Springs Preserve in December 2015 – It’s a Desert Winter Wonderland with New Shows, Exhibits, Activities and Events
The Springs Preserve is a Desert Winter Wonderland with new shows, exhibits, activities and events in the month of December. The Springs Preserve is observing fall/winter hours – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. seven days a week.
The Springs Preserve will be closed on and Christmas Day. Hours may vary for classes and special events.
EVENTS
Family Night at the Museum – A Christmas Story
Don’t let the kids have all the fun. Check out our family night of museum merriment for all ages! Enjoy a pizza dinner and snacks, watch “A Christmas Story” (PG) on the big screen and gear up for plenty of fun museum activities, including museum exploration Saturday, December 19, 5 -9 p.m. Pre-register by December 18. $10 for members, $15 for non-members per person. FREE for kids under age 2. Online price includes $1 convenience fee. Reservations are required.
Train Rides to Santa’s Cottage
Embrace the holiday magic at the Springs Preserve. Join us for train rides to Santa’s cottage! Take a special journey on our train to Santa’s cottage where he’ll read holiday stories and hand out candy canes. Rides run hourly five times each day at 11 a.m., noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Tickets can only be purchased on-site, day-of, and the train fills up fast! We recommend arriving early to get tickets. Sunday – Thursday, December 20 – 24, hourly 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. $4 for members, $6 for non-members with General Admission. Tickets may be purchased onsite only for each day’s ride.
Christmas Tree Recycling
Help the Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee give our community a gift and recycle your tree. Each year following Christmas and into the new year you can take your Christmas tree to one of more than 30 convenient drop sites throughout the valley, including the Springs Preserve. Before dropping off your tree, remove all non-organic objects such as lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments and nails. Flocked trees cannot be recycled. Drop off your tree daily December 26 to January 15, 2015, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Find recycling locations at springspreserve.org.
ACTIVITIES
Divine Café Happy Hour
Happy hour comes to the Springs Preserve! Join us every Thursday for live entertainment, 4 – 8 p.m. Happy hours feature ever-changing specially-priced food and cocktail menus including Divine sliders, street tacos, a blood orange cosmopolitan and more. Drink prices start at just $2 for beer and $6 for wine. Thursdays 4 – 8 p.m. in the Divine Café.
Ride the Trails – Train and Bike Rides
RIDE THE TRAIN: $3 members, $5 non-members. Take a narrated ride on our life-size locomotive around the historic 2.2 mile Exploration Trail. Daily – weather permitting – except dates of the Santa Train. Check onsite for times. BIKE THE TRAILS: $6 members, $8 non-members for 1-hour bike rental, helmet included. Electric bike rentals $10 members, $12 non-members. Last rental 1 hour before close. Personal bikes not permitted. Daily – weather permitting – except dates of the Santa Train.
Walk with a Doc
Stay healthy! Join University Medical Center physicians for a free nature walk and health talk on our trails. Thursday, December 17, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. FREE. Regular admission prices apply for access to museums and galleries.
EXHIBITS, SHOWS AND FILMS
Hot, Dry and Inked: Tattoo Art Exhibit
Modern Western tattoo art was influenced by the imagery and culture of life at sea; but what happens when tattooers live amidst the rugged flora and fauna of the driest desert in North America? Hot, Dry & Inked is an exhibit of tattoo art and objects, created by Las Vegas tattooers exploring how the Mojave Desert influences their art on living and non-living canvases alike. Daily through January 10, 2016, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Big Springs Gallery. Free for members or with paid general admission.
Odyssey’s SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure
Dive into the adventurous underwater world of pirates, exploration, treasure and more! Find out what it’s like to be a shipwreck explorer, the captain of a sinking ship or a pirate on the run. Engage in hands-on interactive exhibits and computer games including piloting a virtual submersible over a shipwreck site, operating a robotic manipulator arm to recover coins and battling the forces of nature in a 75-mph hurricane tube. Discover more than 500 priceless artifacts recovered from famous shipwrecks including real gold and silver treasure. Odyssey’s SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure is owned and produced by Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. Daily through January 31, 2016 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. This exhibit is free for members or included with general admission.
Sustainability Gulch Puppet Show
Join us for Sustainability Gulch; a live, wacky, wild-west puppet adventure. Learn how the citizens of Sustainability Gulch live in harmony with the environment and what you can do to do the same. Weekends through December at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Big Springs Theater. This show is free for members or included with general admission.
Puppet Party Hoedown
Join us for a Puppet Party Hoedown: Meet, sing, dance and take pictures* with the citizens (puppets and puppeteers) of Sustainability Gulch. Weekends through December at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the Big Springs Theater. $5 per person. *Attendees to provide own camera.
Feature Film – Jamaica Reef Rescue (24 Minutes)
Jamaica’s famed coral reefs have suffered the effects of pollution, disease, natural disasters and over-fishing, but efforts are underway to restore the reefs. Learn how fishermen have joined forces with conservationists to create a first-of-its-kind fish sanctuary to protect these natural wonders and preserve their way of life. Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. inside the Big Springs Theater. Free for Springs Preserve members or with paid general admission.
DROP-INS, CLASSES AND TOURS
Crack A Geode
Choose it, smash it, keep it! Crack open your own geode to discover treasure inside. Drop in to the Nature Exchange DAILY, last “crack” half hour prior to close. Members: $2. Non-members: GA + $3.
Make a Snow Globe
Who doesn’t love glitter? Just in time for the winter festivities, this craft comes along – you choose the color and contents then assemble your very own snow globe to brighten your holiday home. Drop in to the Origen Rotunda DAILY, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Members: $2. Non-members: GA + $3.
Make a Telescope
Whether searching the high seas or the barren desert, everybody needs a telescope. This coloring craft lets guests decorate their own and then use it to explore the Preserve’s exhibits, trails and Botanical Garden. Drop in to the Origen Rotunda DAILY, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Members: $2. Non-members: GA + $3.
Toddler Time
Bring your little ones to the Springs Preserve Thursday mornings for kid-friendly fun with a new theme every week! Ages 5 and under recommended. 11-11:45 a.m. Thursdays in the Garden Classroom. Free for members or with general admission.
Monday Story Time
Stop by the Nature Exchange for story time every Monday. 1:30 – 1:45 p.m. Mondays in the Nature Exchange. Free for members or with general admission.
Botanical Garden Guided Walks
Join our experts for a guided walk through our beautiful Botanical Garden. Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Free for members or with general admission.
Bird Walk
Enjoy native wildlife at the Springs Preserve on an early morning walk before the Preserve opens. Bring your binoculars. Wednesday, November 11, 8 – 10 a.m. Free for members or with general admission.
Springs Preserve Admission Prices
General Admission (GA) for Nevada residents is $9.95 for adults, $8.95 for students, seniors, teachers and military, $4.95 for children ages 5 – 17, kids 4 and under are free. General admission also includes access to the Nevada State Museum, open Thursday through Monday. Admission for nonresidents adults is $18.95, $17.05 seniors, students and military, $10.95 for children ages 5 – 17, kids 4 and under are free. Special event and class admission prices vary and can be found at springspreserve.org.
Springs Preserve Membership
Springs Preserve memberships are the perfect way to share the Springs Preserve with family and friends and are available online or at the Springs Preserve Ticketing Office. All memberships include year-round access to the Springs Preserve (half-off admission to select special events), early hours entry to gardens and trails, discounts to classes, workshops, the Gift Shop, access to the Nevada State Museum, and a subscription to the Springs Preserve member newsletter. There are a variety of gift options to choose from starting with an Individual membership ($25), a Family membership ($60) which includes two (2) adults and up to 6 children or grandchildren in same household ages 5 – 17 (children 4 and under are always free), or a Bronze Family membership ($100) which includes all member benefits plus extras including free stroller rental, preferred parking, and 2 free guest passes. Visit springspreserve.org for a list of additional donor options and details.
Located just three miles from the famed Las Vegas Strip, the Springs Preserve is an award-winning 180-acre family destination dedicated to exploring green-living, desert life, and Las Vegas’ vibrant history through botanical gardens, interactive science and nature exhibits, animal shows, and trails offering hiking, biking and train rides. Indoor experiences include exhibition galleries dedicated to showcasing art and traveling exhibitions of local and national significance, on-site technologically advanced learning centers, the Divine Cafe and the Nevada State Museum. The Preserve hosts seasonal special events including concerts, arts shows and holiday experiences. Plan your visit at springspreserve.org or explore via your favorite social media sites and find us on Google Maps. Hours of Operation – Seven days a week, Fall/Winter: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day), Spring/Summer: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; hours vary for classes and special events. The Springs Preserve is located at 333 South Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.
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