From 2005 until 2012, I lived mostly in a place that is known for gambling, amazing food and late, late nights resulting in questioning the activities the following morning. Whenever people ask me about what it was like to live in Las Vegas, I always tell them there is much more to the desert town than The Strip and taking in the city’s infamous skyline. In fact, there is an entire other world. From the towering and snow-capped (in the winter) Mt. Charleston, to the water-depleted Lake Mead, to the charming town of Boulder City and more. There is no shortage of gorgeous places to visit in and around Las Vegas that take you to an entirely different (and very real) world.

This last trip home, I found yet another place to visit in Vegas that is off-the-beaten-path, the ghost town of Nelson, Nevada. While there are plenty of great things to do in Las Vegas that do leave your feet firmly planted in the artificial worlds of Venice, Paris, the pyramids and more, on your next visit, consider hitting up this hidden gem of a spot.

Nelson isn’t far from Vegas, but I promise you this — it is the absolute opposite of the rest of the city.