NORTHWEST LAS VEGAS. Since parks are family-friendly places, they can sometimes get crowded and loud. But Bruce Trent Park, in the quiet, upscale neighborhood of Summerlin, always seems to have plenty of peaceful areas where you can settle down for a little while ­ even on Wednesday afternoons, when it's home to the Las Vegas Farmers' Market.

Comprised of four separate but adjoining preserves, this wildlife refuge sprawls over millions of acres. The largest, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, is also the most convenient to Las Vegas. Its mountainous desert landscape is just beautiful, and there are several places to hike and watch wildlife like bighorn sheep, coyotes, desert tortoises, jackrabbits, and various lizards, not to mention a host of migratory birds.

NORTHWEST LAS VEGAS. The 680-acre Floyd Lamb Park offers a great respite from desert barrenness with several lakes that support a wealth of plant life. In turn, local flora provide habitats for a wide range of critters. Paths and picnic tables make the park an attractive choice for a day of walking. Also within its bounds is the historic Tule Springs Ranch, which provides indication of what life on a working ranch was like in the area's early days.

DOWNTOWN. Freedom Park's 68 acres is dotted with a number of ball fields, four playgrounds, and plenty of open space to sit and relax. But that's not all! Visitors can also avail themselves of bocce ball and horseshoe courts, a skateboard park, a disc golf course, and a pool.

BOULDER CITY. Located 25 miles outside of Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Park Area allows a great deal of relaxation and fun year-round. With 1.5 million acres, it's twice the size of Rhode Island and is America's largest manmade reservoir. Interestingly, three of America's four desert ecosystems ­ the Mojave, the Great Basin and the Sonoran Deserts ­ also coincide at Lake Mead. With 50 miles of shoreline, the park offers multiple marinas, boating, fishing, and water sports. It also caters to hikers, climbers, campers, and car tours.