I grew up just outside of Las Vegas. Here are 8 of my favorite things to do and see around town that don't involve the Strip.

• You don't have to go far to find activities that don't involve the Strip.

• Outside of Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, there are a number of unique attractions.

• Water parks, shopping, and karaoke cafes are some of the things I suggest for a break from the Strip.

Around 15 miles south of Las Vegas, I was born and raised in the city of Henderson.

32 million tourists visit Las Vegas each year and the Strip is the city's main street filled with world-famous hotels, casinos, and nightlife venues.

The Strip can be exciting to visit, but as a local I rarely go there, instead my friends and I enjoy nature, recreational activities, and supporting local musicians and small businesses in our town of Henderson, which is about 15 miles from Las Vegas.

Since moving to upstate New York for college, I've been excited to return to my hometown and rediscover my favorite things to do. I recommend visitors to Las Vegas add to their itinerary some of my favorite off-the-radar places to see and enjoy.

The District Green Valley Ranch mall is less crowded than other malls.

The District Green Valley Ranch is located about 15 minutes from the Strip. Although the stores aren't as upscale as those at the Fashion Show Mall, there's still plenty of shopping and dining options to choose from. The Green Valley Ranch is a casino that is popular with locals as it is less busy than the casinos on the Strip.

I like to shop and eat here on the weekends because it is less crowded and has more space to walk around. Music in the Courtyard is a concert series where local musicians perform on Friday and Saturday evenings in the mall's main courtyard. The District is more enjoyable to shop in than on the Strip.

At Springs Preserve, I like to wander the botanical garden.

One of my favorite places to go as a child was Springs Preserve. The 180-acre nature preserve is six miles away from the Strip and has several miles of nature trails. Every time I come back to Nevada for a break from college, I make it a point to visit Springs Preserve and always learn something new about nature, whether by visiting the butterfly habitat or reading signs about the plants.

There are guided tours held Thursday through Monday for visitors interested in learning more about the local plants and wildlife. If you want to plan your visit for a cooler day, you should reserve your tickets online as there's a limited number of tickets available each day.

Flyboarding over Lake Las Vegas is a great way to get excited.

Lake Las Vegas is located outside of Las Vegas and is surrounded by resorts, luxury real estate, restaurants, and boats.

When I take friends and family from out of town for an outing, they always tell me they've never heard of Lake Las Vegas before I show them.

Flyboarding with Lake Las Vegas Water Sports is a great way to experience adventure. There are 10 minutes of instruction and 15 minutes of flying over the lake. I wanted to go flyboarding because I thought the worst that could happen would be falling into the water, even though I have never done water sports.

It took me a little while to get used to being so high in the air but it was worth it. You can get the experience for $79 per person, and it's a great way to have fun on your trip.

There are cats available for adoption at Rescued Treasures Cat Cafe.

Visitors to Rescued Treasures Cat Cafe can play with cats that are available for adoption. It is run by a local organization called protecting animal life Nevada. I admire the cafe's mission to care for stray cats and wanted to support them.

You can book a cafe session with the cats for $12 per person. Two free snacks are included with your reservation, and there are food and drink items for sale. The cafe hosts yoga sessions with the cats on Sunday and Monday, and I played checkers with one of the cats during a game night last year. It's a good idea to make reservations online before you visit.

One of my favorite malls is Town Square and it has a museum that is perfect for photos.

When I was shopping at the Town Square mall with my friends, we decided to check out the selfiewrLD museum. There are a variety of themed rooms.

There are three different rooms, one of which is decorated to look like the interior of a private jet, the other two are filled with neon lights and the third is a diner.

We pretended we were in a television series in the Hotline Bling room and in the Fashion Jail room. If you want to shoot aesthetic photos for your social media accounts or just want to feel like you're in a music video, there's a lot to see and do here.

I go to the chocolate factory when I want a treat.

When my kindergarten class went on a tour of the chocolate factory, I fell in love with chocolate. Since 1981 it has been open and makes chocolates. I went to the factory again and took a self-guided tour that took me past the viewing aisle and to the kitchen where I saw the chocolate making process.

They sell a wide range of premium sweets. Outside of the factory, there's a botanical garden that's decorated with holiday lights between November and January, and I like to visit the garden this time of year to see the lights with a cup of fresh hot chocolate in hand.

I like cooling off on the water slides at Cowabunga Bay.

My friends and I like to go to Cowabunga Bay in Henderson during the summer for an escape from the heat of Nevada.

There are splash and wave pools, waterslides, and more at Cowabunga Bay. The Wild Surf slide is a raft ride that takes you down into a huge wave. I like to lounge in the wave pool and the lazy river at the Surfin' USA.

The Any Day Ticket at Cowabunga Bay is $33 per person and includes access to the park's attractions, live entertainment, and free tubes all day to use in the pools, making it a great option for visitors who don't want to spend a lot of money. I usually get a hot dog from Duke's Surfside Snacks when I visit the park.

My friends and I like to karaoke at Back to the '80s Cafe.

One of my favorite places to go out is the Back to the '80s Cafe, located in the town of Paradise, which is 15 minutes south of Las Vegas.

The cafe is reminiscent of an '80s style diner with light blue booths, pink walls, a black and white checkered floor, and posters of artists from the '80s. The server dresses in '80s style. My friends and I go to karaoke at the cafe on Friday nights.

Chicken wings, sandwiches and burgers are included on the menu. I usually get tater tots and the Captain Crunch shake, which is a blend of Captain Crunch cereals and ice cream and has whipped cream and caramel on top. The Captain Crunch cake ice cream sandwich is made with Captain Crunch baked into a cake, deep fried and made into an ice cream sandwich.

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