The bamboo woods around Motel El Cornito, about 6km outside town, offer a welcome, shady diversion from the scorching city bustle. You'll find ranchón-style restaurants (favoring the usual booming reggaeton music), the site of the old farmhouse of great Las Tunas poet Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo (aka El Cucalambé) and a reservoir.
Back toward the main road, there's a zoo, a fun park and a motocross circuit. A taxi here costs CUC$5 to CUC$7 round trip.